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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)?

#251
post #157

I attended a Montessori in the Midwest until third grade. When I entered the California public school system, I was in some ways years ahead of my class (especially in reading comprehension). I coasted through every gifted program they threw at me until high school. Montessori gave me a huge advantage at one of the most critical stages in my development. I wish I could have been there longer.

It is interesting if you look at the data on this. Your advantage from Montessori school by third grade is well documented, but then you typically see that by high school the traditionally schooled kids catch up and the Montessori kids come back toward the average, even if they are still in a Montessori school. Obviously this all depends upon the individual child (which is, of course, a big component of Montessori ph…

I'd be interested to see the data. Also to commenters opinion - coasted after montesorri afterwards until college -- so many gave them and early boost and not necessarily need to keep the work ethic in high school which would bring them back to average per your comment -- (alternate theory)

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

#252
post #231

My children are both going to Montessori schools in Netherland. One to primary school, the other to secondary. And not because we absolutely need to have our kids in a Montessori school, but simply because the primary school is very close to our home and seems like a decent school (though they've had a few issues a couple of years ago), and the secondary school is the only one in Amsterdam that offers 4 hours of prog…

I'd be curious how the Montesorri is implemented in Netherlands vs North America. As mentioned it does come down to how each school runs their program with some consistencies across the board.

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

#253
post #198

We put our 2 oldest kids in Montessori. The oldest one loved it and thrived in Montessori and stayed in it until we started a Charter school to avoid the local Middle School. The second one HATED Montessori and we had to move him out to the local elementary school. In the end it came down to personality. The second kid had a personality that just wouldn't work in a Montessori environment. He would do what he wanted t…

> He would do what he wanted to when he wanted to and would refuse to be redirected in any way, shape or form. In what way did a kid with this disposition like traditional school more? Did your kid respond better to a more rigid structure? Or was it something else?

It was the rigid structure.

Until he was a junior in HS he refused most guidance and advice about school and learing. Then, one day, the light came on and he did a 180 on his schoolwork and life planning.

Now studying for the MCAT to become a neurosurgeon with a minor in CS where before he was a C student.

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

#254
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…

So I've been reading this and I'm not sure how I feel about it. "Like others here, I never really enjoyed school as much after Montessori." It's almost like school peaked as a child and then it was just disappointing after that. Not that I would say don't do the program because everything afterwards is less good but I am a bit split on it. It also speaks to how powerful the program is to elicit such responses. And it…

I think it speaks to the need for a follow-on equivalent system for high school and college.

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

#258
post #222

Earlier quoted context omitted.

that’s sound awesome! what school was that?

A tiny school outside of an Air Force Base in Mississippi --- the school got DoD funding for all the students from the base attending.

that should have been a research project on how to do school properly :-) I bet some phd in education could easily have published a research paper on this.

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

#259
post #231

My children are both going to Montessori schools in Netherland. One to primary school, the other to secondary. And not because we absolutely need to have our kids in a Montessori school, but simply because the primary school is very close to our home and seems like a decent school (though they've had a few issues a couple of years ago), and the secondary school is the only one in Amsterdam that offers 4 hours of prog…

I'd be curious how the Montesorri is implemented in Netherlands vs North America. As mentioned it does come down to how each school runs their program with some consistencies across the board.

I have no idea how it's implemented in North America, but from what I can tell, there's a big emphasis on kids making their own planning. My kids are terrible at planning (no surprise to me), so they receive help with that.

Of course being part of the Dutch educational system, they have to follow the same rules, meet the same criteria and receive the same funding as other schools. I've been told that their approach is somewhere halfway between true Montessori and a regular school.

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