Submitted by John Zimmerman (not verified) on October 22, 2008 - 10:41pm.
My wife and I did the research over the summer in Saint Charles and Batavia. We will definitely be sending our little girl to Montessori at 15 months. It was very impressive how they educate children on social responsibility at a young age. The 2-3 year olds were all around a small table having breakfast together drinking from glasses, and eating from bowls (dry cereal). They then washed their own dishes at a small sink (play modeling). The 5-6 year olds were playing in a room putting maps together - capitals of states, and there was one girl beating a nail with hammer in a block of wood. :) Kids were playing in the playground as well. The schools allow them to learn how to be an adult but it does not restrict them from playing. Kids will be kids no matter what. That's the beauty of it.
We have a friend that was a Montessori teacher for years (now a business owner of child learning products) and watching her little Benjamin grow up is incredbile. The kid is 4 and can do incredible feats. Speak bits of German, Russian, Chinese, Spanish and he understands the logic and rules of pronunciation. I have to admit. It freaked my wife and I out at first - this genius kid - but looking at it after a few days, we realize the potential a child has during the key education years of their lives. Kids are only sponges for so long.
A second aspect of this is child care. If you compare cost, Montessori and daycares cost about the same. Why not get some real value out of your money and educate your kids at the same time? Good luck. The real message is: visit one or 2 and get a feel for it. We liked 1 that we visited and loved the 2nd one.
Re: Montessori Schools
My wife and I did the research over the summer in Saint Charles and Batavia. We will definitely be sending our little girl to Montessori at 15 months. It was very impressive how they educate children on social responsibility at a young age. The 2-3 year olds were all around a small table having breakfast together drinking from glasses, and eating from bowls (dry cereal). They then washed their own dishes at a small sink (play modeling). The 5-6 year olds were playing in a room putting maps together - capitals of states, and there was one girl beating a nail with hammer in a block of wood. :) Kids were playing in the playground as well. The schools allow them to learn how to be an adult but it does not restrict them from playing. Kids will be kids no matter what. That's the beauty of it.
We have a friend that was a Montessori teacher for years (now a business owner of child learning products) and watching her little Benjamin grow up is incredbile. The kid is 4 and can do incredible feats. Speak bits of German, Russian, Chinese, Spanish and he understands the logic and rules of pronunciation. I have to admit. It freaked my wife and I out at first - this genius kid - but looking at it after a few days, we realize the potential a child has during the key education years of their lives. Kids are only sponges for so long.
A second aspect of this is child care. If you compare cost, Montessori and daycares cost about the same. Why not get some real value out of your money and educate your kids at the same time? Good luck. The real message is: visit one or 2 and get a feel for it. We liked 1 that we visited and loved the 2nd one.