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Ask HN: Anyone go through Montessori education until age 12 (end of grade 6)?

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Re: Ask HN: Anyone go through Montessori education until age 12 (end of grade 6)?

#181

Post by gautamdivgi »

epolanski wrote: post #174
SQueeeeeL wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Damn, that part about being excited to learn and share knowledge with your peers only to be shouted down dredged up some memories. Most American schools are so regimented that any exploration of knowledge is actually sneered down. How did our communities let it get so bad...

Everything is about standardized tests, american schooos are depressing, and as an european who studied at OSU, but had other friends who went to MIT and Ucla and other famous universities, I think americans immensely overrate the quality and difficulty of american universities. To us, it was impressive how simple tests and exams were, I saw ridiculous things like professors uploading test exams which contained like…

It all comes down to money. If professors make the subject hard, they don’t get students. No students is less money for the University and less opportunity for the professor to scope out potential thesis candidates.

There are some professors who make it hard. Generally those who have tenure don’t care and put down a shitload of work on students. Also, if you have a well funded lab that pays well you will have a lot more students willing to deal with a harder course.

Normal students want to zip thru and get to living. It’s sad - but its a tragedy of college being so expensive. It’s hard to take a risk on academic (mis)adventures that can crater your financial standing for life (yup for life - student loans cannot be written off during bankruptcy).

Re: Ask HN: Anyone go through Montessori education until age 12 (end of grade 6)?

#182

Post by blacksmith_tb »

epolanski wrote: post #174
SQueeeeeL wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Damn, that part about being excited to learn and share knowledge with your peers only to be shouted down dredged up some memories. Most American schools are so regimented that any exploration of knowledge is actually sneered down. How did our communities let it get so bad...

Everything is about standardized tests, american schooos are depressing, and as an european who studied at OSU, but had other friends who went to MIT and Ucla and other famous universities, I think americans immensely overrate the quality and difficulty of american universities. To us, it was impressive how simple tests and exams were, I saw ridiculous things like professors uploading test exams which contained like…

Widely true, though as an undergrad in the US I (fairly unusually) wrote and orally defended a 120pp anthropology thesis; as a Masters student in England I wrote a 40pp thesis that was worth only 20% of my overall marks, but sat in an exam hall and handwrote essays for three days (for 70%) while being proctored by a fellow in a robe wearing a sword... In general my British peers were better-spoken and better-read than most American students, but not actually better academically I don't think. I don't think most education produces consistently good results, but it makes a space for some people who are motivated.

Re: Ask HN: Anyone go through Montessori education until age 12 (end of grade 6)?

#183

Post by epolanski »

blacksmith_tb wrote: post #182
epolanski wrote: post #174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Everything is about standardized tests, american schooos are depressing, and as an european who studied at OSU, but had other friends who went to MIT and Ucla and other famous universities, I think americans immensely overrate the quality and difficulty of american universities. To us, it was impressive how simple tests and exams were, I saw ridiculous things like professors uploading test exams which contained like…

Widely true, though as an undergrad in the US I (fairly unusually) wrote and orally defended a 120pp anthropology thesis; as a Masters student in England I wrote a 40pp thesis that was worth only 20% of my overall marks, but sat in an exam hall and handwrote essays for three days (for 70%) while being proctored by a fellow in a robe wearing a sword... In general my British peers were better-spoken and better-read tha…

It's how most exams and tests work and the emphasis on those (rather than learning) being the goal ruining it all.

American universities definitely have their great courses, but the fact that so much depends on money, makes teachers focus on funding first, publications second and teaching is very low on the priority and so is actually making sure students "understand", rather than "know".

Re: Ask HN: Anyone go through Montessori education until age 12 (end of grade 6)?

#184

Post by rr808 »

SQueeeeeL wrote: post #91
huevosabio wrote: post #55

I did Montessori from kindergarten until grade 6 (age 12), in Mexico. I really, really like it. I think it reinforces the kids natural curiosity. In middle school, my first year out of Montessori, I was shocked at how little other kids cared about learning. I remember the teacher discussing something about astronomy, and I raised my hand to comment on some fact I had read, and what followed was mockery by my peers an…

Damn, that part about being excited to learn and share knowledge with your peers only to be shouted down dredged up some memories. Most American schools are so regimented that any exploration of knowledge is actually sneered down. How did our communities let it get so bad...

> Damn, that part about being excited to learn and share knowledge with your peers only to be shouted down dredged up some memories. Most American schools are so regimented that any exploration of knowledge is actually sneered down.

Actually I always thought most Americans share what they know, even if they aren't experts. Usually people from other cultures are more reserved and dont do this.

Re: Ask HN: Anyone go through Montessori education until age 12 (end of grade 6)?

#185

Post by rr808 »

I sent my children to regular public elementary school. They loved it, was a great environment. They are now confident, curious, smart & successful high schoolers with loads of friends. The local Montessoris around here are 20->30k a year, a waste of money.

Re: Ask HN: Anyone go through Montessori education until age 12 (end of grade 6)?

#186

Post by spooky_action »

krn1p4n1c wrote: post #65
conductr wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just want to point out this sounds more like a private->public pros and cons list. I’m not doubting it at all, just not sure if it’s due to the Montessori method. Most Montessori’s are or are operate similar to the private setting.

There's definitely a strong overlap in that sense. Probably also because these institutions tend to have smaller class sizes which allow better teach/student interaction and more time. Public schooling in the US could do this too, but has been hamstrung for decades. In math the kids definitely leveraged the binomial/trinomial tools, beads and other tactile methods to have a better understanding of the concepts of mul…

By IB do you mean international baccalaureate? Do you recommend that over standard curricula?

Re: Ask HN: Anyone go through Montessori education until age 12 (end of grade 6)?

#187

Post by mod »

bawolff wrote: post #176
glhast wrote: post #137

I attended a Montessori from Kindergarten to 5th grade in the 90's. I loved it. The teachers let me teach an art and drawing class in 2nd grade. Another student taught an algebra class (he's a brilliant cancer researcher now). I co-wrote, illustrated, and sold a comic book with another classmate in 4th grade during class time. It allowed me to complete the curriculum on my own time and held me accountable. Montessori…

> The transition out wasn't that bad. I did 5th grade again (June baby) at a standard private school. The biggest things: - I had never written a formal essay, or an essay outline. - I had never taken nor prepared for a real test I went to public school. Im pretty sure grade 4/5 is around where tests and formal essay writing started anyways, so that doesn't sound that terrible.

We started spelling tests in first grade in the 1980s. We also read (aloud as a class) The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe that year.

Re: Ask HN: Anyone go through Montessori education until age 12 (end of grade 6)?

#189

Post by spooky_action »

chasd00 wrote: post #17

I have a lot of experience with public Montessori, wife taught as a middle school Montessori teacher for the past 3 years and both my kids went through the same school. My youngest is still there at grade 5 and my oldest is in 7th grade at a traditional middle school. My wife has taught traditional high school for about 10 years and then did a summer of training to be a certified Montessori teacher. One thing we lear…

How did you determine that Montessori wasn't right for your oldest?

Re: Ask HN: Anyone go through Montessori education until age 12 (end of grade 6)?

#190

Post by matthewowen »

KerrAvon wrote: post #169
matthewowen wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Gotta put your kids through the damage of school social dynamics so that as adults they'll be equipped to interact with other people who were also damaged by it.

This is not how it works, though. Your damage compounds with the damage of others, it doesn't negate it. Kids who go through Montessori, Waldorf, etc, have a much better foundation for dealing with damaged people. If you start from a place of self-respect and expect the same of others, you can recognize when others aren't going to reciprocate and you can cope with that.

I mean, for what it’s worth, I’m not being serious :).
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