I have questions about a Montessori school and the philosophy. The work given to the children is all about preciseness and getting everything correct in a room of 2.9- to 6-year-olds. Worksheets are an everyday thing, and all the children strongly resist doing them. I'm very concerned about the children's sense of self-worth and all the behavior problems in the classroom. What should a Montessori program be like, and why isn't it discussed more in the media? - Dissatisfied
Answer: First and foremost, worksheets are not part of Montessori preschool programs. These schools use Montessori materials, and the children work at their own pace at activities that they have chosen. Typically, the classrooms are noisy and highly social with lots of interaction between the children. There is a tremendous opportunity for the children to develop social skills.
The Montessori philosophy stresses the development of personality and the building of the intellect in the early years, and there is a huge emphasis on self-worth. The approach to learning is through hands-on discovery, and it fosters creativity.
Not all schools that call themselves Montessori have been accredited by the American Montessori Society (www.amshq.org) or the Association Montessori Internationale (www.montessori-ami.org. Such accreditation helps ensure that the highest standards of Montessori education are being followed.
Part of the problem with this preschool classroom might be that the school is not accredited or following the approved Montessori curriculum. It is also possible that the teacher is not trained in Montessori methods and is not following the Montessori philosophy.
Montessori programs are in public schools as well as private ones, and more is now being written about the program since there are about 5,000 Montessori schools in the United States. You might want to read more about Montessori on the websites of the two organizations mentioned in this answer.