I'm not sure if I spelled it correctly, but.......what is a montessori school? It seems like everywhere I go, I drive by a "Montessori" school, but I have no idea what that is......?
I seached and here's a page that gives you some info on them- http://www.montessori.org/?defaultarticle=&defaultnode=162&layout=29&pagefunction=Load%20Layout&formfields
the kids i babysit for go to a montessori school. i guess it helps develop their mind more using tools in the classroom and stuff. im not 100% sure what it is... but they love it. i volunteered during one of their parties helping kids make crowns for the spring day. it was pretty cool. the teachers are extremely nice and have a hint of hippy and granola in them. plus the school has a terrific view of cathedral ledge. peace
Montessouri ..I never spell that right and I went to one, lol (give me some credit, I was only a 1st grader at the time). In a nut shell.... they stick a bunch of kids in different grade levels all into the same class setting and let them learn in a fairly unstructured environment with items that look suspiciously like toys. Like all schools, there are some good and some bad. I went for one year and still brag that I learned cursive writing and multiplication in 1st grade. The education is generally superior to "normal" school and the interaction with different age groups can be beneficial by keeping the kid's views from becoming too narrow.
I've never visited one, but i get the impression that the basic philosophy is learning through play; taking real-life situations, and putting a lesson behind it, much like what happens in homeschool. That's why the learning tools (toys) are so visually appealing. The child picks one up and starts discovering things about it without someone pointing to each part and forcing them to memorize the functions. Kids hold the information much better that way.
I went to a montessori school when i was 4. It just supposedly helps you develop skills...like their focus is on that unlike other places that just babysit the kid. I remember I loved it there and we did alot of stimulating things. One big thing was that we were to do the different tasks given like clean rocks but with the cleaning like putting away everything that we used and cleaning the tools. I mean it sounds very simple but it shows you processes and allows you to move at your own pace. But i did have to take a "test" to see if I would be accepted. Not sure really what that was about...never did ask but it was a fun "test".
