All About Montessori

[RAchelmum]

Looking for Montessori Sch ard SengKang/ Hougang/ Punggol.


Any feedback on Bridges Montessori Kindergarten at Punggol 17th Ave?

Visited the centre & impressed with the extensive & organised manipulatives/ materials, open & natural ventilated environment.

Students are well-mannered & handled well by the teachers.
The head directress is trained in AMI, not many i heard for SG Montessori schools. She didnt do much publicity hence not many parents heard of the sch.

Optional enrichment classes for kindy students include Chinese/ English Speech & drama (by Lorna Whiston teachers), Art (by NAFA teacher), Gymnastic etc.

Hope to hear from parents whose children is attending now, as they mentioned that they got students from Pasir Ris, Serangoon & even AMK.

Been to Shekinah Monte at Punggol Plaza but as it is located within a mall-fully air-con with no outdoor play facilites & the classrooms sizes
are tiny (my girl cannot stand staying in a small room - likely claustrophobic), will give it a miss.

Amazing Star Monte in SengKang not full monte- only for Pre-nursery & Nusery. Kindergarten level onwards no Monte time.
Also small classrooms (bedroom sizes) within a 3-storey bungalow with staircases which i feel can be very accident prone. Materials old & worn out.
Computer classes provided from N1 but not comfy with TV set right at the main entrance for watching while waiting for parents’ pick up in the evenings.
Taken over from Gingerbread schoolhouse recently.

MMI SengKang got many poor reviews on teachers & delivery of services. Monte time is abused as free time for students/ teachers to do things on their own.

Pls share your feedback for monte schools at NE side. Thks

[jumping_gene]

any comments on the character montessori at holland road/ming teck park? am considering this for my daughter. heard they are under new management, though, so was wondering if there were any changes (negative or positive)? does anybody have a child in this centre?

[crystal9361]

Dear all,


We will move to SG end of May and want to find a montessori childare center for my 2 years (by then) daughter.

Can anyone give advise which CC is better in District 10 & 11.

Many Thanks

[crystal9361]

To make myself more clear, any of you can provide me some information about how is your experience with MMI for your children. Going to put my 2y old daughter there in Jun


Many thanks

[toddles]

The Little Cheng Mommy:

Hi, would like to have some opinions. To lessen my MIL's burden, I am considering sending my son to CS Motesorri playgp (2 hrs, 3 times a week) when he turns 18 months old. I plan to let him stay there and then transfer him to a 'standard' CC (non-Montessori base) when he turns 4. My reason is due to high class fees and I want my son to be exposed to a school setting that's similar to Pri 1 (kiasu).


My concern is, is 18 mths too young to start Montessori lessons or should I wait till he's older? And will there be any problem when I switch him from this Montessori classes to a school that uses conventional teaching method?

Hi!

We are in similar situations. I was thinking of sending my daughter to some form of pre-school or childcare next year when she turns 3. Partly to relieve grandparents of half a day of childcare (since hubs and I can send kid to school before we go for work, and grandparents can pick her up once done). Grandparents say they can cope now, but if another child comes along, then i'm sure it'd be more challenging.

My personal perspective on Montessori for N1 and N2 (think most Montessori centres don't cater to younger than N1, which is the year they turn 3) is that it's a place for them to learn through play. So I wouldn't say that any kid is 'too young' for that.

Another personal perspective on the 'switching' issue come Pri 1, is that, if our school system is such that we have no choice but to enter into a less-preferable mode of learning, it doesn't mean that I have to deprive my kid of the most-preferable mode of learning prior to that.

Doesn't make sense to me to subject my kid to a big class size, rote-learning structure in the earlier years, just so she's 'used to it' and has less difficulty adapting later. Perhaps the method of learning for younger children is different anyway, and for now, it seems that the Montessori method caters to their needs.

Perhaps the standard Singaporean school structure might be more appropriate for older children, e.g. Pri 1, when they have no choice anyway. *consoling myself* :roll:

[omgmum]

anyone has children in halifax montessori?


tried searching but couldn't find any, and am trying my luck again.

Went there for a tour of the school. Am quite impressed with the teacher for the older kids, but the teachers for the 18mths to 3 years group look like they would rather be somewhere. The whole time I was there, the english teacher looked like she was busy on her cellphone.

During their montessori time, there was some commotion among the children over some items, and I was quite appalled at the way she handled them. She was very brusque and impatient in her treatment of the kids.

Halifax seemed to be adopting the rather pure montessorian approach, and only introduces worksheets to K2 kids 6 months before they graduate. Personally, I'm quite fine with this, as long as my kiddo is able to grasp the concepts taught in P1.

Realise that what I saw was a one-off situation, so would really appreciate any comments from parents with kids in halifax.

[buds]

Hi omgmum, just to share with you a short excerpt from

this site that sums up the role of a Montessori Teacher.

In Montessori schools, children educate themselves via independent
activity. Consequently, the role of our teachers is quite different from
that of traditional educators. During training, the Montessori teacher learns
to observe each child's total development with patience, curiosity and love.

He or she carefully prepares and maintains an environment which is able to
support the intellectual, physical, social and spiritual needs of each child in
the classroom. As custodian of the classroom, the teacher is responsible for
the atmosphere and order of the room, the presentation of materials and for
the educational programme.

However, the Montessori teacher is an important element in the classroom
environment and must display exemplary behaviour without being obtrusive.

\"... we must be humble and root out the prejudices lurking in our heart. We must not suppress those traits which can help us in our teaching, but we must check those inner attitudes characteristic of adults that can hinder our understanding of a child.\" ~Maria Montessori

~ 2006 Cockatoo Montessori School

[omgmum]

Thanks buds!


I do realise that montessorian directresses are facilitators rather than dictators.

But I just felt that the teachers I saw on my visit seemed to be bored, especially the English teacher who was basically busy on the phone. And the way she handled the disagreement, she didn't so much reason with the kids as told them what to do and what not to do.

BTW, are the directresses supposed to step in and offer guidance to the kids, or do they just look on? I know that that the kids are supposed to be independent and the materials allow them to do self-checking, but do the teachers step in to offer greater explanation and expand on the interests of the kids?

Cos I read somewhere in this thread/ forum about how you took note of your student's interest in geography/maps and expanded her knowledge about different cities and such. I was impressed cos I thought this is what the montessorian approach should be about, not just observing, and offering assistance, but also building on the interests of the child? :?

[buds]

omgmum:

Thanks buds!

Anytime, omgmum! :celebrate:

omgmum:

I do realise that montessorian directresses are facilitators rather than dictators.

Wah, done your homework issit?

Yes, we facilitate... guide... observe... and support the individual
learning needs of children in our care.

omgmum:

But I just felt that the teachers I saw on my visit seemed to be bored, especially the English teacher who was basically busy on the phone. And the way she handled the disagreement, she didn't so much reason with the kids as told them what to do and what not to do.

I totally understand how you feel... :hugs:

omgmum:

BTW, are the directresses supposed to step in and offer guidance to the kids, or do they just look on? I know that that the kids are supposed to be independent and the materials allow them to do self-checking, but do the teachers step in to offer greater explanation and expand on the interests of the kids?

Montessorian Directresses NEVER just look on though it can look like it from
a visitor's point of view and especially more for someone who has not even
researched about Montessori education, prior to popping by a Montessori
centre for a look-see. We are always observing... Teachers have
a checklist to ensure children are able to accomplish even the smallest of
tasks and even the smallest details of their development from walking, to
pronunciation, to concentration skills to observing the areas of interest of
each of them and building on from there... these... only name a few. In short
directresses observe the children as a whole and help develop them as a whole
too, using the holistic approach of the Montessori education.

For my personal reference... i also keep a journal of all the children i teach.
It helps me keep track of even the smallest of achievements of all of them.
It also aids me in tracking my work with them. So, when parents ask
of their children's progress, it usually is at my fingertips. That journal is like
my work bible. Hee..

Montessori children are not supposed to be indepent but are guided on the
ways that lead to independence. Montessori materials/apparatus are self-
correctional for a purpose. The materials give children time to acquire the
quiet confidence of achieving or accomplishing tasks assigned to them without
having to give them much pressure... hence each child is allowed to develop
at their own pace. But again not without the guidance of the directresses
who may at her discretion acknowledge the need of each of the children
under her wing.

omgmum:

Cos I read somewhere in this thread/ forum about how you took note of your student's interest in geography/maps and expanded her knowledge about different cities and such.

Wuuaah! :!: You're a follower arh! Ai-sey.. that was already a long while
back ain't it? Like this i must go back there and read oso... must remember
what i shared. Yes... yes... we tap into the children's sensitive
periods and encourage learning via exploration. When a child achieves that
confidence in learning something he/she likes, he/she will in turn be even more
excited to learn a whole range of a lot of other things/subjects. Natural
thirst for learning is self-motivation for them going forward. It is
possible.... and because some of them start young, this self-motivation
continues through the children's growing years.

omgmum:

I was impressed cos I thought this is what the montessorian approach should be about, not just observing, and offering assistance, but also building on the interests of the child? :?

Thank you, omgmum. I'm flattered. :oops: But then again i do have to caution
you that i am one of those very onz kinda educators... not those who
punch in and punch out of work on the dot. So, you cannot use me as
a benchmark lest other peeper may see me as spoil market orh. :siam:

I just truly love what i do.

[omgmum]

Thanks for the thorough explanations, buds!


Yup, this mummy quite kiasu. Have also reserved at nlb the montessori books that you've recommended. Cos was thinking, if really can't find a school that i like, will try to do the stuff at home with my girl.

Now, if only I can find a centre whose teachers share the same value as you...