All About Montessori

[smurf]

jul04:

I don't think many countries have schools which emphasise on religion in these days & times. Too non-PC maybe only convent schools? Correct me if I'm wrong, coz I didn't go to one Hubs & SIL did go to SJI & dunno which convent, but I think it's more of their upbringing then the school.

you are right, it's the upbringing that matters. However, in the past, religion schs especially Catholics sch, they emphasize quite a lot on religion, but now, I dun think they do that anymore. They still have cathecism class for Catholics,say grace before meals, songs, prayers before sch starts, but not intensive.

jul04:

Exactly my gripe abt the 3 CCs that I visited 2 weekends back! :x Personally, I believe they segregate by N1, N2, K1 & K2 bcoz they are not \"true\" Montessoris. It does take rigorous training, experience & a certain talent to manage a class of 20+ kids! And to do solitary or small group \"directing\"? Very very difficult.

Actually, I still don't understand why they need to do that, coz after all, they emphasize that their teacher student ratio is about 1 to 5 or 8? Why need to segregate the kids? So the most students in one class is that many right? I dun understand.

jul04:

Actually, I think MFC is one of the most authentic ones available

But they do segregate the kids...according to their ability...not on age...supposedly, if they find a child with higher ability, the child will move to the next class doing more advanced work...

jul04:

They do huh? I asked the teacher when I visited MMK & she said they just say Grace before meals, sing some songs, maybe refer to some Bible characters in story-telling. Maybe she thought I might get offended or frightened off if she tells me otherwise?

Erm, I thought this is a quite a lot already? They are kids only leh...

jul04:

Hiaz.. I think it's abt $1.3k/mth, without school bus

so expensive meh? I didn't do the calculation much, coz I know for sure, I can't afford it...haha...

jul04:

Actually... if you're not as ngiao as me abt \"pure Montessori\", maybe you can try Lumiere? I didn't visit that but I think it's got quite gd reviews? Or Spore Montessori coz you mentioned it's within your budget?

Erm, actually, I think I more ngiao about pure Montessori..That's why until now still cannot find one...haha...I can't even accept MFC leh...I've been to lumiere...not very full Montessori as it is, uniform, segregate kids, etc...but the environment is good! Cheerful kids, got garden for kids to water plant after meal some more...but the transport is a problem, unless Take sch bus lor...but sch bus takes about an hr, because has to go round and round to other estates...he will be first to take bus and last to get down.

jul04:

I dunno what's the \"educational impact\" if you go for PCF then send your DS2 to a Montessori playgroup for \"enrichment\"? I think YKidz charges $220 for a 2h playgroup for 5 weekday sessions. That's doable?[/i][/b]

No lah, add up still about the same I think? And Montessori education is nurture a child in a holistic way? I dunno how to express in words, but I think if put in PCF with Monte enrichment, can be done for the academic part lah, but I think Montessori isn't about academic only right?

[jul04]

Hi lonerunner


I can't really answer you on what it is supposed to be.. but it sounds like the trial I attended last weekend, & also what I gather they do at most parent-child weekend classes. :idea:

[buds]

Not mine..


That's why from the beginning i've shared with you to scrap the one hour
ones, cos not enuff time to do anything... especially when there are more
parent and child pairs. While i can squeeze the relevant activities in 1 hour
when i had to run the pgrms back then, i find that i was rushed to complete
one session and my sessions were back to back! :faint:

When my sessions got popular, management squeezed even more pairs in! :rant:
I don't have time to move around to introduce materials to the parent n
child pairs
if my colleagues do not assist. Hence, they too have to know what i'd be doing the
same session so pre-run is required so all of us work in tandem.

We do theme and Montessori in one session. These parent and child sessions
are meant to introduce parents and children to the ways of working the
Montessori materials on a weekly basis. A 3hr work cycle cannot happen
here, definitely. The theme is weaved into the material shown for the day.
We share the objectives of working with the materials as we go around the
class and we also share tips on how to support the method at home with all
parents.

Craft activity or hands-on projects are part of each session to complement
what has been introduced for the session. Music is a must as this is where
children bond with parents and teachers and not sitting down songs! All
movement songs so children and ehem parents get up and boogie. :boogie:
Good exercise really and loads of fun!

Like i said before, different centres run sessions differently and i don't want
to be seen as spoiling market but the sessions can be done as per your readings
on the method in those books. Every week is a new fun session! :love:

[jul04]

[quote]

jul04:

Exactly my gripe abt the 3 CCs that I visited 2 weekends back! :x Personally, I believe they segregate by N1, N2, K1 & K2 bcoz they are not \"true\" Montessoris. It does take rigorous training, experience & a certain talent to manage a class of 20+ kids! And to do solitary or small group \"directing\"? Very very difficult.

Actually, I still don't understand why they need to do that, coz after all, they emphasize that their teacher student ratio is about 1 to 5 or 8? Why need to segregate the kids? So the most students in one class is that many right? I dun understand. [/quote]I also don't understand, that's why I find them fishy

jul04:

Actually, I think MFC is one of the most authentic ones available

[quote]But they do segregate the kids...according to their ability...not on age...supposedly, if they find a child with higher ability, the child will move to the next class doing more advanced work...[/quote]Erm.. I dun think they move the kids to another class. I thought they stay with the same class all the way, & as they get more advanced, they just do more advanced work. After all, they're mixed age group & are already all progressing at different paces. :? I must remember to ask this on Thu

jul04:

They do huh? I asked the teacher when I visited MMK & she said they just say Grace before meals, sing some songs, maybe refer to some Bible characters in story-telling. Maybe she thought I might get offended or frightened off if she tells me otherwise?

[quote]Erm, I thought this is a quite a lot already? They are kids only leh... [/quote]Haha co u said they don't emphasise that much.. so I thought must be a lot of prayers & bible studies then counted as religious

jul04:

Hiaz.. I think it's abt $1.3k/mth, without school bus

[quote]so expensive meh? I didn't do the calculation much, coz I know for sure, I can't afford it...haha... [/quote]I think so... I haven't dared to really calculate total cost per mth yet. I foresee boy's pre-school education may cost as much as his uni education! :shock:

[quote]Erm, actually, I think I more ngiao about pure Montessori..That's why until now still cannot find one...haha...I can't even accept MFC leh...I've been to lumiere...not very full Montessori as it is, uniform, segregate kids, etc...but the environment is good! Cheerful kids, got garden for kids to water plant after meal some more...but the transport is a problem, unless Take sch bus lor...but sch bus takes about an hr, because has to go round and round to other estates...he will be first to take bus and last to get down.[/quote]Sounds like you really like Lumiere?

Even MFC isn't up to your std ah? :shock: For me, after suffering so many disappointments with other so-called Montessoris, I thought MFC is very pure already :lol:

jul04:

I dunno what's the \"educational impact\" if you go for PCF then send your DS2 to a Montessori playgroup for \"enrichment\"? I think YKidz charges $220 for a 2h playgroup for 5 weekday sessions. That's doable?

[quote]No lah, add up still about the same I think? And Montessori education is nurture a child in a holistic way? I dunno how to express in words, but I think if put in PCF with Monte enrichment, can be done for the academic part lah, but I think Montessori isn't about academic only right? [/quote]I agree! That's why I've been nit-picking on all those schs with academic Montessori only. I want all-round, the whole philosophy, not just Phonics & Maths

[jul04]

buds:

Not mine..

Where did you pop out from??? :shock:

[buds]

Told ya that i'm always.... around. :evil:

[smurf]

jul04:

Erm.. I dun think they move the kids to another class. I thought they stay with the same class all the way, & as they get more advanced, they just do more advanced work. After all, they're mixed age group & are already all progressing at different paces. :? I must remember to ask this on Thu

They do. I asked before. Or maybe I heard wrongly.haha...

jul04:

Haha co u said they don't emphasise that much.. so I thought must be a lot of prayers & bible studies then counted as religious

No lah, kids only, some more it's preschool.

[jul04]

buds:

Not mine..

Since you live in Woodlands, this doesn't help ME :rant: :lol:
[quote]That's why from the beginning i've shared with you to scrap the one hour
ones, cos not enuff time to do anything[/quote]Yeah I remember, but you also said 1.5h can sort of squeeze in enough activities so I went for the 1.5 h trial :heartbroken:

[quote]the sessions can be done as per your readings
on the method in those books. Every week is a new fun session! :love:[/quote]Yeah, but where?????

[jul04]

smurf:

jul04:

Erm.. I dun think they move the kids to another class. I thought they stay with the same class all the way, & as they get more advanced, they just do more advanced work. After all, they're mixed age group & are already all progressing at different paces. :? I must remember to ask this on Thu

They do. I asked before. Or maybe I heard wrongly.haha...

It's ok, I can always ask on Thu. Gd thing you brought it up though, coz I assumed they don't do that

[lil_jade]

jul04:

Exactly my gripe abt the 3 CCs that I visited 2 weekends back! :x Personally, I believe they segregate by N1, N2, K1 & K2 bcoz they are not \"true\" Montessoris. It does take rigorous training, experience & a certain talent to manage a class of 20+ kids! And to do solitary or small group \"directing\"? Very very difficult.

I noticed at MMI that their teachers are all very young. I doubt they have the experience to control a large group of kids. The reason the 3 CCS gave me for the segregation of ages is to faciliate group learning.. smaller group size, more personalised attention etc. & I immediately went on \"red alert\". I thought, \"Aha! You're a fake Montessori! You wanna get away with teaching the whole class at the same time using what thematic learning approach n u wanna convince me that it's better for my child???? :spank:

Jul04,
So true Montessori should not have segregation? Hmmm, the Purple Train at Woodlands civics center charges $550/mth for 3-hour session, but I remembered very clearly that they do separate the kids according to age, cos they have separate classrooms. So that's not a true Montessori then? :roll:

Somehow, I concur with you that it seems we parents are the BEST Montessori teachers to our kids! 1-1 attention, whole day affair....

BUDS!!!!!!!!!!! :?: Are there any book like \"Dummy guide to Montessori\"???

Materials - wise, I was surfing those China Taobao website (yeah, really bo-eng) and I saw those Montessori equipment (1 big box)... and the SMH forum does sell as well... Will those suffice? It's around $200++.. Cheap or not? Not the $1000++ jul04 mentioned....

And I was wondering, can I say Montessori is a learning methodology? As such, we are able to teach various other subject matters such as Chinese or any other language, science, etc using this methodology? :roll: