I love the Montessori school I am at (mainly because of the parent network that I have formed) but there are some things I am really unhappy with and some other things that have been brought to my attention by other parents whomn have older children in other cycles.
Here are my issues.
I help out with reading in the my DD1’s class every tuesday. It seems that I am the only one who is changing over the readers and then the children have the same reader for the rest of the week (as no-one changes the readers over until the day I am there) I am also the one putting children up levels when they need to go up. I also have had to supply my daughter with books to read at school as her teacher wont.
Every tuesday I watch my daughter spend the 1st hour of the morning crafting or colouring in (apparently colouring in is considered a handwriting activity) Even though she can write but puts up such a stink about learning how to do it properly I think they let her go. And keep going on about how she just turned 5 and she doesn’t need to be writing properly yet even though she has completed 3 terms (30 weeks) of school. I am unimpressed about all this crafting first thing in the morning when I feel that it should be dedicated to doing academics and when her work is done she can craft to her hearts content. (Am I being unrealistic in having this expectation at a Montessori school)
On the + side she has gone really far in Maths and that is only because I have sat with her and helped her to do it. She is now doing long multiplication which I think is great but I am also totally frustrated.
My little Miss is extremely happy at school. She gets up and gets dressed and never complains at all about going which I think is a major plus.
It has also come to my attention that there is a Major Bullying problem which is not being addressed. Also recently the staff of our open plains zoo complained to one of the parents that our school (while have the smartest kids) also were the worst behaved children on the camp. There is one boy who seems to be the ring leader and others that follow. They write rude words on other children’s work and torment some of the girls about their bodies and private parts. (which I think is totally unacceptable) and parents who have complained but have been told to be patient because these children are from a ‘public school’ not we are working with the parents and the principal of the school to improve the children’s behaviour.
So does one quit while there ahead or do I wait and see if things improve or do I quit the school and bring Miss S home to homeschool and also not give miss A the Monte pre school. (Which I really want her to have)
I thought you might be jumping the gun a bit until the last paragraph. That behaviour is COMPLETELY unacceptable and I would be strait down for a meeting in person about it. Making fun of body parts is NOT ok in school at any grade level. It is stamped out in kindergarten kids between age 3-5 and that’s the end of it. I have to be honest my kids get a pretty good but not great education and I wouldn’t let them keep going if there were ANY behaviour issues at all around them. Tat would be the one thing that had me bringing them home fastest. The children at their school are delightful. Always the best behaved and most polite group at any sporting event or excursion. That’s why my kids are there.
Drawing is a wonderful activity for writing development. It really is :yes: it does amazing things to finger muscles, hand eye coordination and the kids love it. It isn’t long before they want to label their pictures and see a need to write and spell. This one you can be patient on, there is no real disadvantage to picking up writing skills later provided she is drawing or using pencils regularly to ensure the muscles are there when she needs them.
The reading is a concern. I would address this one with the teacher AND place a note up asking for other parents to assist in changing the readers. They should get a minimum of 2 books a week and realistically a new book every 2 days will ensure success for all children. I have been in this situation myself and I drummed up some helpers and then changed readers myself if I couldn’t. It was hard work and I don’t recommend it. Are you the one deciding when the children should be moved up a level? Or are you just moving them because they run out of books? Are they still being tested for levels 4 or more times a year? If not decide if its just this teacher or the school as a whole that is the problem. A year of poor teaching isn’t the end of the world a school without heart is a big problem! :yes:
I think its time to speak up about your concerns. Their response to your words will tell you if you should leave or not. Don’t be concerned about what your next child misses out on. They gain as much at home with mummy as they ever can in any school environment.
Kimba15, have you made a decision or gotten any feedback from your school? It seems like a tough situation. Like Manda, the bad behavior is the scariest thing to me. If it weren’t for that, I’d probably say that you paid your money and might as well finish out the year. Your daughter is learning, if not as fast as she might at home. You know you can teach her more than she’s learning there, it sounds like, and that’s frustrating, but if it’s not killing her desire to learn then it’s not drastic. But if she’s learning bad behavior from the other kids or being bullied, that has to stop. Although it sounds from your initial post like that’s not a problem in your daughter’s class, just in the school overall? Can your younger daughter do preschool there even if you decide to homeschool your oldest?