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We did a Montessori for DD1 from 2.5-3.5y, then stopped because we moved and had to take what we could get for a year, and now both DD1 and DD2 are in a Montessori full-day program. I also try to incorporate some Montessori ideas at home (ones I like and that are relatively easy to do! ha)

For the littles, I like that it really encourages independence and practical life skills. For the older preschoolers, I like that they work at their own pace and have a 3hr block of basically uninterrupted time. I also like that the classrooms aren't a menagerie of loud bright colors/art/etc. The classes we have been in are all natural materials, have plants and animals and real pictures of people/places.

There are definitely things I *don't* like about Montessori (as with all curriculums that we've experienced...) but overall, we've been happy in those programs.

For the record, DD1 has done plenty of both Montessori and play-based and has thrived in each.

LO just started a Montessori preschool 2 days per week. I always wanted to send her to a Montessori preschool because the research shows that kids that go to Montessori preschools are ahead (slightly) academically, while other preschools don't really have much impact.

We haven't done anything Montessori at home. LO will be 3 next month and this is her first experience with it.

Since we just started, we'll see how we feel about it. I do like that the environment is very peaceful and orderly which I think is good for kids. I've seen her be more willing to pick up her toys and put things away before she starts something else, which is a big thing with Montessori, and she is becoming much more independent with things like going potty, eating, cleaning up after herself, etc.

We are doing a Montessori school, but mainly because it is the school that he was accepted into, and it had the best reputation. I did not seek out Montessori at all, and I actually have some concerns about it...but so far he seems to like it, and I do like that he is able to choose his own pace and that each child seems very respected in the class room.

@hilsy85: I love that. Each person is respected in the classroom. That is such a big Montessori philosophy. Peaceful and respectful. I love that the classroom is calm and peaceful and respectful.

@daniellemybelle: yes my older has become so much more orderly and helpful since starting Montessori!

@Mrs. Lion: Yes about going outside your comfort zone! LO wants to do EVERYTHING by herself now (part of that is just being 3 but school has fueled it) and so many times I am standing there cringing but always impressed by how she figures it out!

@winniebee: She can fold towels better than I can!

@Mrs. Sketchbook: How did your LO transition to a regular PreK? I think for the year before Kindergarten, when LO will turn 5 just a month into the school year, we may do a private traditional PreK to ease into a traditional school setting.

For those of you whose Montessori program goes through K, do you plan on keeping them there? I keep hearing about how K is the capstone year, and they really strongly encourage kids to stay, but I am torn about getting him into his ongoing school sooner, if we go the private school route.

@winniebee: it sounds like your place is very flexible...I don't know if ours is! When you accept a spot there, you give them a depost that is nominally for the K year...so I worry that if we left before K, they would a) not be helpful inthe application process, and b) we wouldn't be able to send DD there in a few years.

@hilsy85: ours does offer K, and we are considering it as an option for DD1, mostly because our public K here is really over-enrolled (25-30 kids/class). so i think we will keep it as a back-up option, but still considering private K-2 and public K-2. i think it will work out that we'll at least know if we were accepted to private K-2 before having to put a deposit at the montessori school.

my biggest concerns with staying in the montessori for K would be a) financial -- even the private K-2 would save us $8k a year! and b) there don't seem to be a ton of kids that stay for their K year. already, DD1 is the oldest in her specific classroom (she turned 4 in april...), although there are 2 other kids that are around her age, most of the rest of the class is 3-4. i'm not sure if another year as the definite oldest would be good for her to gain leadership (she'll have 2 younger siblings at home already!)...or if she'd do better in a normal K class with kids her age or (mostly) a bit older.

We ended up in Montessori because it was one of the two daycares closest to our home that she was accepted into, and I liked the feel of it better than the other one. When she was an infant and early toddler, the program was more "Montessori-inspired" but the school became true Montessori since we've been there and I can see a difference now at all age levels. She's in the preschool room now (ages 2.9 to 6, although there are way more younger ones). I really love how calm and welcoming the room is for the kids and also the emphasis on independence and practical life skills. We don't do too much at home, but I've noticed that if I ask her to "put away her work", she will actually do that, as opposed to asking her to "clean up her toys." So I may start to incorporate more Montessori-style things at home (like trays with activities, instead of just trying to leave toys out like we do now).

@hilsy85: I have heard this too, but for whatever reason, our program is really skewed towards younger kids (about half the class left this Sept for pre-K and K). I don't think ours actually does "K" even though they can technically stay until age 6. We will probably take our LO out after 2 years, and at that point either she will end up in pre-K, or we may move and she would go to a new preschool for a year. I feel like she'd be bored at that point.

@winniebee: @hilsy85: oh yeah, sorry that wasn't clear. We don't have public pre-K here either. DD1 is basically pre-K this year, just doing it at this Montessori school. My point was that I think most kids must NOT do K at this Montessori bc it seems like the pre-K kids are the oldest ones in the classes, even though there technically "should" be some kids in the class who are currently 5/6 (kinder age). It seems like the only 5-6y ones who stay are the ones who are redshirting K, not truly planning on skipping right to public/private school 1st grade.

We chose Montessori because it was the best infant program we toured. We stayed because I loved the core principles of "follow the child" and independence. When he was an infant/toddler his skills were out of this world! My son is in primary now and Im not sure how much he's benefited because he had a teachers aide who was pretty toxic for him. He's in a new room now and seems to be thriving, so I'm excited to see what his year brings.

I actually loved his experience so much, I left my public school teaching job to teach primary at his center. I don't love everything about it (IMO, the training program is a bit elitist and I feel like some academic aspects are lacking) but I find doing 90-95% Montessori is a sweet spot. I've done play-based in the past and think I prefer the Montessori approach slightly more - the "sensitive periods" are a real selling point for me!

@hilsy85: Our preschool is licensed only as a preschool so they don't officially offer kindergarten, but because of where LO's birthday falls, she could go for the 3 year cycle and many kids do (either because of birthdays or redshirting). In her class, there are 3s/almost 3s (LO is an almost 3), 4s and 5s. As you know, they do work at their own pace so regardless of age, if the child is ready for kindergarten level work they will present it to them.

Right now, I am leaning toward taking the year when she will turn 5 two months into the school year and doing a traditional PreK. I think it will make for an easier transition to Kindergarten. But we'll see!