Pre-school: At what age did your kid start? & Montessori?

[Loves Vintage]

First, I was really surprised to learn that it appears to be the norm here for kids to go to pre-school starting at age 3, so two years of pre-school and then K. Curious if this is the new norm everywhere.

Second, there are a few options here, with very different schedules: town pre-school (which kid can only get into via lottery, unless special needs), pre-school in a daycare setting, Montessori, Goddard. Curious if anyone has experience with Montessori? Also, curious if any teachers here might have comments on Montessori? From what I can tell, everyone seems to think the town preschool is preferred, though I am not sure why, other than the teachers have degrees and it's free (but with a very awkward schedule for parents that work!)

We've got a while before we have to make a decision; however, I was just really really surprised that age 3 is the norm! Anyone else surprised by that?

 

[soocool]

Re: Pre-school: At what age did your kid start? & Montessor

D started at age 4 (she is 19) and went to a Quaker nursery school in the area (Wrightstown Friends) and it was the most wonderful experience for her. I thought of starting her at 3 and then thought where would I send her the following year since they would be doing the same thing 2 years in a row at this school. Nothing could have topped that for her in my area IMO.

 

[fieryred33143]

Re: Pre-school: At what age did your kid start? & Montessor

DD will start what they're calling Pre-k3. Which is really just preschool. She starts on Tuesday.

It seems to be the norm in my area to enroll LO in preschool at 3. Most of my working mom friends switch from traditional daycare (where they play all day) to preschool which offers a little more structure and specific subjects of learning. We decided to enroll DD in preschool because unlike my SAHM friends I can't do many play dates during the week. She spends most of her time with grandma at home and even though she's getting plenty of love and play time she really needs to learn to be social and how to share and wait her turn, etc. We could have gone with daycare but I liked the curriculum and structure of the preschools.

No experience with Montessori.

 

[Haven]

Re: Pre-school: At what age did your kid start? & Montessor

I believe Pink Tower teaches or taught in a Montessori school. She recently posted in Hangout, if you want to go over there and give her a shout-out.

I believe different school environments benefit different children, so without knowing your child I can't really comment on any of the particular educational philosophies and whether they might be best. My best recommendation would be to read up on Montessori and Goddard, and spend any time you can observing the different schools, to try to decide which might be best for your LO.

Good luck!

 

[meresal]

Re: Pre-school: At what age did your kid start? & Montessor

C is going to start Mother's Day Out in January, and he will be just a few months shy of 3.

MDO is only 2 or 3 days a week, and from apprx 9am-2pm on those designated days.

 

[Enerchi]

Re: Pre-school: At what age did your kid start? & Montessor

Each of my 3 kids went to 2 years of 3 days / week preschool. They had a 3 year old and a 4 year old program, then the went to JK in the regular school program. It wasn't a Montessori based preschool and they were no further ahead in terms of learning but they did enjoy the socialization and made friends... and gotta say... Mom enjoyed a few hours of being down 1 child! By the time my 3rd was in that program.. I actually had 2 whole hours ALONE!!! Can't put a price on freedom!

 

[qtiekiki]

Re: Pre-school: At what age did your kid start? & Montessor

We started DD at 2.5 (now 4), and DS is starting tomorrow at 2.5. They only go 3 days a week. Our preschool is based on High Scope, similar to Montessori but a newer philosophy. I didn't looked into the type of preschool it was; we chose it because it's in DH's office building and we get priority enrollment over non-employee/public. My only criteria/concern was really just that they can socialized with peers. My DD is doing great. Everyday I learn that she knows something that I didn't know she knows.

 

[ponder]

Re: Pre-school: At what age did your kid start? & Montessor

DD#1 started MDO at 2yrs last fall. At first she just went one day a week but she loved it so much that I upped it to two days a week in the spring. She just started 3 year old preschool last week (tu/wed/thurs) and DD#2 started MDO (will be 2 yrs in Nov.) on Tu and Thurs. The preschool is a church preschool (common in our area). They follow our public school districts pre-k curriculum and I have no doubt that she will be more than ready for kindergarten when it's time, even though I could red shirt her. Public pre k is impossible to get into unless the child is handicapped, significantly economically disadvantaged, or adopted at a late age.

I am constantly amazed at what she comes home with. New songs, things she learned and the amazing crafts they do. I keep saying that these women (her teachers) are incredibly brilliant and a little crazy to do some of the things they do with the kids. DD#1 is very excited to learn to write all of her letters, although she can already write her name and most other letters. Next year the focus switches from letter recognition/sounds/writing to early reading.

Starting at three is pretty common in my area, but in no way a necessity. My SIL kept all three of her kids at home until kindergarten and all three were considered advanced/gifted.

 

[lucy.lucy.80]

Re: Pre-school: At what age did your kid start? & Montessor

Hi LV! I think 3 is the norm around here in southern NY- however my daughters preschool told me parents sign their kids up before they are even born!

My daughter just turned 2 and starts pre school next week (9 hrs a wk)... i was unsure about it but the school by us had a 2yo class and after going for a tour i felt more comfortable with the idea- being a SAHM my outgoing daughter has been craving social interaction with kids her own age so think it will be a good learning and social environment

Thats wondeful that you have access to a free pre school! perhaps you can visit the different schools to learn more about their lesson plans and environment to see which would be the best fit for your daughter? it sounds like the schools you are considering vary in teaching philosophy which may be easier for you to compare and contrast

 

[packrat]

Re: Pre-school: At what age did your kid start? & Montessor

We have a few different ones in our area. Head Start is one, and I'm not sure what ages they take. The one my kids went to and where I work as a para now has a 3 and 4 year old program, and then a 4 and 5 year old program right across the hall. My kids did the 4-5 program one year and then went to Kindergarten. Both programs have all day openings and then half day openings, either in the morning or afternoon, and the school district has the little mini bus come around and pick the kids up/drop them off if the parents live in town.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Re: Pre-school: At what age did your kid start? & Montessor

B is 3 (will be 4 later in the fall) and starts NYC public preK next week. He'll go to kindergarten next year b/c the age cut off is Dec 31 (so he'll be 4 when he starts kindergarten next year).

We are all a little nervous, but hoping that it goes well. I think that he's ready for the little more daytime structure preK will offer, but i think it is going to be a little much at first since it's a full day program. Hoping that he's ready...

I went to Montesorri as a child when I was 3 and when I was 4, but it was only a half day program and then I had half day kindergarten and then started full day in 1st grade...I wish we could do that for B b/c it was great, but since I have to work right now, we need full day care and there isn't really a feasible halfday preK and halfday nanny option for us...

 

[PinkTower]

Re: Pre-school: At what age did your kid start? & Montessor

Hello,
I'm a Montessori teacher, and a Montessori parent. I think some of your questions will become non-issues once you visit the schools during open house and afterward, when you and your child go for an interview, or some sort of one to one time in the classroom with the teacher. Typically, we do this right after the dismissal time. Often, the interview is in the spring, so I know that the child will be more mature for the start of school in the fall. My daughter is in college now, but I still remember her Montessori interview so fondly. She was turning three in July, so she was only 2 and 1/2 at the time of the interview. I would say, 90% of the children don't want to leave at the end of the interview.

There are a few things that come to mind which can give you insight as to whether your child is ready. First, the little ones only stay for a 3 hour morning work cycle. Our morning runs 8:30 to 11:30, at which time the morning children go home for lunch. So, the school day is not overwhelming.

The child should be independent in the bathroom, and able to wash hands. The child should be ready to comply with simple requests. For example, the child who is not ready will pull their hand away, or cry when asked to do something they don't wish to do. The child should have enough basic language skills to verbalize their feelings, rather than cry. The child should be able to sit on a circle and attend for a short period in a small group. Children in this age group are in a sensitive period for order, and the child should be able to use a material and then return the material to the shelf before selecting another work. This is learned, and presented in role play with the child, so I don't mean the child should innately know how to clean up, of course. But, the child needs to be beyond the stage of pulling everything off the shelves as a toddler would do.

Good luck with your search.

 

[ponder]

Re: Pre-school: At what age did your kid start? & Montessor

Hi LV! I think 3 is the norm around here in southern NY- however my daughters preschool told me parents sign their kids up before they are even born!

This made me laugh because it is so true. Last spring an early morning storm woke me up. The power was off so I checked my phone for the time. I also checked FB, it was 5am. A friend of mine had been sitting in her car since 3am waiting for the preschool to open at 7am to enroll her son. Some people had been there since the night before. All i could do was shake my head. This was a church preschool in a suburb. And people wonder why we (as a society) are so stressed out.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Re: Pre-school: At what age did your kid start? & Montessor

Our daycare has a preschool program for ages 3-5 and our son started when he was three and he goes five days a week. The educational and experiential component is built into their day, interspersed with outdoor play, nap times, and snack/lunch times. Its great, beyond great, and he loves it so much. I am also amazed at how much he has leared! Counting, colors, the meaning of stop lights, seasons -- I can go on and on. Things we have not taken the effort to teach him at home.

I was a Montessori kid myself and we thought about going that route but opted to keep Hunter in the program he is already in for consistency and because the Montessori was not a full day program and it wouldn't work for our lifestyle. Also our local Montessori is affiliated with a religion and they wear uniforms... pedagogically it was not a good fit.

But based on my recollection of Montessory (I went until Grade 3) I think some of the basic principals have trickled down into other educational environments, at least our daycare program. A multi-age group, a large room with different stations, child guided choice of activities sometimes in the day, learning through play and exploration. Those are the things I recall about my early education at a Montessori program and those also are mainstays of our son's preschool/daycare.

 

[DivaDiamond007]

Re: Pre-school: At what age did your kid start? & Montessor

My son is 4 and just started preschool this week. He'll go 5 days a week for 2.5 hours in the morning. The school we chose is not Montessori, but operates on similar principles. So far so good for us!

 

[chunkyfacetlover]

Re: Pre-school: At what age did your kid start? & Montessor

My daughter started Montessori at 3 years old, but I could have started her at 2.9. I choose Montessori because I liked the philosophy and the way she could go from room to room and play with what captured her imagination as opposed to a more rigid format.

We recently moved to a new town (from city to country) and after interviewing over 15 preschools, including a Montessori, we decided to go with a very small preschool in our town center. We had orientation yesterday and our daughter didn't want to leave and she was hugging her teacher already. I was impressed with their attention to reading and the Handwriting without Tears program that they follow. There is also a good balance between early reading, writing and play.

My advice would be not to necessarily go with Montessori. Interview different types of schools, whether a nursery school, state run program or Montessori. Look at the environment, curriculum, accessiblilty to outdoor playtime, studen-teacher ratio, class size. I really liked that our preschool puts on a production every year and the children get to choose between voice, theatre and dance as well as regular play, math, reading and writing.