A Tale of Two Classrooms
April 18th, 2011Okay, you’re going to get a little story from me - but you’ve come to expect that right?
So a couple weeks ago Jim and I got the forms for M’s next move in daycare. His centre has multiple programs to handle kids from 6 months to before/after school care. They cover it all. Right now he is in the 2-3 class and is facing his move to the 3-5 group.
There are two options. One is French/Music and the other is Montessori. We didn’t really have a strong feeling either way, did a little looking around online to see the Montessori “philosophy” and then just figured it was a wash regardless. It is a good centre.. whatever, right?
So I happened to chat with one of his current ladies at pick-up and she said she thought M would really like the French/Music room because of how much he likes singing songs. And that it is a bit more open in its structure. Understand that Mal is very quiet and reserved at school. He is one of their favorites (I am sure all moms think this.. but I’m SURE OF IT!), he spends a whole lot of the day playing in the train/truck corner, with the painting, or reading books. I like his current room because they have all the stations set up and then the kids pick what they want to do most of the day (with some obvious things like snack, gym/outside, walks, songs, nap/quiet time). M has started to get little friends now - especially another little quiet guy who is new and M kinda took him under his wing. Malcolm has been in this room since May so he’s now one of the oldest.
(I don’t tell a short story, do I?)
Cut to the chase here, Jenn.
So Jim and I agreed to tour both rooms since the coordinator and the head woman from M’s room thought Montessori would fit M best. We get to the room, the woman starts to take us around and explain some things. Here’s my understanding.
There are real life “work” zones. Everything has a certain way to use it and kids are given a lesson before left on their own. They have play mats for certain activities and up to 2 kids can play together. It stresses individual levels, advancement, and work time. They had great science experiments going on, the songs are based on lessons (not so much Old McDonald and his crew), and there were multiple tactile approaches to learning (see the number, feel the number, say it, see the three items next to the card for 3, etc).
The children there that day seemed happy and like they were having fun. I asked about ‘open play time’ and got a strange answer about ‘we call it work, but there are the stations” etc. I asked about other songs - but the songs were tied to lessons.
I loved the science area, the little stations were very interesting.. but then I asked the key question.
“Do you have any trains or trucks in here?”
“Um, no. No we have this city section with wooden blocks and…”
“Er, okay right! Thanks! I think we need to…” *runs out*
Jim and I got to the hallway and decided we should look at the French room. There were dress-up stations (not part of montessori), play blocks, cars, trucks, trains, crafts, books, and pretend kitchen (the kitchen in montessori had specific things: a pouring station, a little mini paper-cutter station, a stacking cups section.. no fake food, no apron, no pots and pans).
Now, Jim and I are exceedingly polite (despite what you might have heard). When we were in the Montessori room we asked questions, expressed interest in the little garden/science section, nodded and smiled. Now we looked around the French room and said to the coordinator “we think M would like to play with trucks and trains. That makes him happy right now.”
We asked why they thought he would like the Montessori room. They thought because it was a more quiet room, he liked individual play, he was more low-key that he’d like it. The French room was much more rambunctious. I guess what we then struggled with was the idea that he’d like the Montessori room better or if they’d find him an easier fit. I actually think M needs the push to be more rambunctious, to learn to deal with more loud spaces and open play activities.
It was only when we got in the car that we finally spoke frankly. We had both had the same reaction. The montessori room make us both depressed. We both said we would pull Malcolm from the centre before putting him in there because his greatest joy right now is trucks and trains. I have no desire to start in with numbers and letters. He already does that at home with us. I want him to play, to run, to sing Baa Baa Blacksheep, and to dress up. I know some friends who LOVE the Montessori program so I KNOW it is a great fit for some kids, but not for what we want M to get from daycare/preschool right now.
If we still had old-school elementary schools, I would think Montessori grade 1 would be an awesome alternative when seeking specific learning environments. But honestly I’ve seen my sister’s and mom’s ‘normal’ elementary classrooms and they are open and interactive and all those good things. So I think if you already have a good elementary school you’ll be accessing all the good things of Montessori.
Again, I absolutely think that there are some great aspects of Montessori. But it did not provide anything I want right now for M. I think what was the most interesting of this was how we went from neutral to negative just through one interaction. I think the woman who was showing us the room was very eager. She believed in her classroom. I thought that was great.
But she kept quoting Montessori from the early 1900s and I just thought “if it works (and I think parts of it do) then mainstream is going to take pieces from that.” Teachers want to make their rooms better.
And, really, approaches to childhood have changed a whole lot since 1900s. The children and childhoods that was based on have shifted and I want my philosophies to shift as well.
Finally. Trucks. Trains. No brainer.СувенириКартиниИдея за подарък
