Amanda's Question: What do you think about Montessori (2)

A few years ago, I had a neighbor who loved her children very, very much (Doesn’t this sound like a once upon a time? Well it’s not a fairytale.) She loved her children so much that she and her husband wanted to share their love. So they adopted a tiny infant, a little girl so sweet (in pink dresses). This little girl, however, did not develop the same as their other children. This little girl was very, very active and did not take instruction well.

The parents decided to enroll her in a Montessori school, thinking that the Montessori methods would do well for their dear little girl. Well, two weeks later, the little girl was withdrawn from school. (That’s not the end of the story. But the end isn’t really illustrative of the main point). It was not by any means the school’s fault, and it wasn’t the child’s fault. There are very many different types of schools and very many different kinds of children and families. The thing is to find the best fit. The Montessori school was not a good fit for this child. This particular child needed much more than what most schools could do.

Now, the Montessori system is a very good fit for other children. I’ve seen children do wonders who were educated in Montessori schools. I’ve seen children do wonders from other schools also. So, when you ask what I think of a method of instruction, or a school, or a whatever. I’m enough of a special educator and pragmatic enough, and have had the idealism routed out of me, to think: for whom and for what purpose. I would consider our family’s background and culture. I would recognize the strengths and needs of my child. I would think about our family’s philosophies about school and the world. I would consider the possible interactions between home and school. Furthermore, I would think about what was taught. I would also think about how our values, objectives, and approaches aligned with the school.  

I would look for a good fit. That’s what will give your child the best opportunities. So, if you choose a Montessori school or the public school down the street, that’s fine. If your child is making progress and you and your child are comfortable and happy, I think that’s great! But if your child is not making progress and you have concerns, then that’s when parents pick up the phone and call me.

So this really isn’t about Montessori schools at all. It’s really about the choices that parents make for their children’s education, whether it is private or public school. Sometimes parents don’t have options. Sometimes they do. If they do, then they need to research very thoughtfully, making the best decision for the best fit possible. And still there is no guarantee.  (By the way, this was a true story.)