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My son is just a couple months away from starting at his Montessori preschool. In preparation for this very exciting event, I spent some time the other day filling out paperwork and reading the school handbook. One of the documents I had to sign was a statement of my commitment to keep my son in the primary (3-6yrs) program for the full three-year cycle. At first I was surprised by such a document– I hadn’t ever heard of an explicit agreement like this from parents before. But, I was also very glad to see it.
The Montessori primary program is designed as a three-year cycle. Much of the material and exercises in the first year or two not only help the child achieve a direct, immediate goal (such as dressing and cleaning after themselves, or learning the sounds of each letter of the alphabet), but also serve an indirect purpose of laying the foundation for future work and learning. For example, the math material is a series of exercises that guides the child starting with the most concrete and basic introduction to numbers and quantity. Over the following three years the lessons build upon themselves, adding layers of abstractness and an increasing understanding of mathematical concepts, until the child is eventually able to add, subtract, multiply, and divide — with a deeply ingrained understanding of what those operations mean — using only pencil, paper, and his or her head.
There is also a social component. The mixed-age grouping is not accidental. Each child benefits from being exposed to those who are older, and younger, than they are. The younger children have role models to look up to from the very first day of class. They quickly learn how to behave and what is acceptable from watching the older children. They also see the older children working on the more advanced material, which piques their interest and curiosity. The older children, in turn, benefit from being mentors to the younger ones. One of the best ways to internalize knowledge is to explain it to others, and often an older child will help teach certain concepts to a younger child. The oldest children in the classroom naturally take on a position of leadership, which has been modeled for them by the children before them. This opportunity to lead can be a huge pay-off for many children and helps them build confidence and self-esteem.
Unfortunately, many parents will begin their child in a Montessori school at age 3, but then after completing the first 2 years they pull the child from the classroom and enroll them in the Kindergarten of their future elementary school. These children still reap benefits from their Montessori education, but they are robbed of that precious third year– the opportunity to complete the full cycle of activity with the classroom materials and curriculum, and the chance to be the leaders that they themselves had looked up to those previous years. They laid a foundation for something that was never completed. It can also have negative effects on the classroom dynamic if there are only a few 5 and 6 year old children who remain in the classroom as those oldest children to lead and serve as role models.
A Montessori education, even if limited, still has great benefits. Returning to the math example, I personally feel that the golden bead material alone (an early set of lessons in the math curriculum) would help many of us greatly increase our understanding of numbers and mathematical operations. However, without that third year, their education will be incomplete. Some of the efforts of the child and teacher, that indirect preparation, will have been wasted. Imagine the child’s education as a house– the first year builds a solid foundation, and the second and third years erect the walls and, finally, the roof to top it off. The foundation is still useful on its own, but the house becomes a home, and much more significant, if one is allowed to build it to completion. As parents, we should do everything possible to give our children the full Montessori experience.
The problem where I live is the lottery public school system – if you don’t get your name on the list before kindergarten starts, you stand a good chance of getting assigned to a school that is very far away or questionable in quality in first grade. Realistically a lot of parents in Montessori are choosing private elementary schools anyway (though those also have much longer waiting lists for first grade, too), but it does strongly affect the decisions of many parents I’ve worked with. It’s a major bummer. I don’t suppose any one has any cunning ideas to get around this problem?
I think that this is a problem in some places. But, often, its a scare tactic for local schools to push enrollment early – for TK or K – so they maintain their numbers.
Enjoyed the article. You tackled a tough issue with grace…
Jess L.– I do have ideas for getting around that problem, unfortunately they mainly involve opening many, many more montessori elementary schools and rebuilding our entire system so that parents don’t have to pin their child’s education on *chance* via lottery systems, etc. ; )
In all seriousness, I do realize that is a real dilemma faced by many parents, and each family has to decide how they will handle it. Mainly, I am trying to make a case for why it is important to finish the full cycle. It is then up to the parents to decide if those benefits are more or less important than getting into the child’s future school. There are times when staying in the same classroom for 3 full years is not an option. But, in cases where parents want their child to attend a traditional kindergarden simply because of cultural standards or so their children can both attend the same school, etc, I definitely urge them to reconsider.
Bobby and June– thanks =)
Thanks, Marcy, for the timely article on an important issue from the parent perspective. In terms of parents getting their children in to the school of their choice for first grade: In my experience admissions Directors at private schools simply need to have it pointed out to them from whence some of their most dynamic, self-motivated, cooperative and well-behaved children are coming (not to mention their most supportive parents) — you guessed it, the local Montessori school. As Head of a school in Portland for many years that went through 6th grade, I made a point of meeting with the admissions people at the private schools our graduates might attend. I pointed out that some of their best middle and high school students had come from Montessori, that those students had stayed in Montessori through 6th grade, and some of the ways the students had benefited from that experience. Apparently, they listened. One of the schools added extra spaces in 7th grade, primarily to lure Montessori graduates, to the benefit of the school. One Montessori parent who visited a local private school when his child was in 5th grade was told “off the record” that it would be best if he kept his daughter in Montessori for 6th grade and THEN applied at this private school! As always, our graduates are our best advocates, by being the self-motivated and self-regulated people they are.
Thank you for writing this and sharing it at this time of year. This will help us explain the importance of that third year of Primary to, not only parents of 5 year olds, but also families registering their toddlers and three-year-olds as well.
A jaded acquaintance of mine years ago told me I was beating my head against the wall regarding recycling in our isolated rural area. He said unless you make it financially painful for folks to NOT recycle, most will not do it.
That third year of Montessori is SO critical that our little school adopted another school’s policy of charging a “not too insignificant” amount right up front, making it financially painful to ignore. I can’t remember the name given for that fee, but in the first serious meeting with parents upon submitting an enrollment agreement, that fee is explained in detail.
Upon the child’s third year, that sum is deducted from the tuition up front. It seems to be making an impression! And a difference.
Years ago, our family made a job-related move from MI to VA. One of our daughters had just completed her third year in Montessori. Her younger sister, being quite verbal and precocious for her age, had actually started the Children’s House at age two, and had two years under her belt prior to the move. Had we remained in MI, she would have been in the primary for a total of four years.
To my eternal sadness, that daughter was never able to complete the Children’s House. The guilt prompted me to do what our former directress suggested: start a school in your new area. And that is exactly what came to pass. That school (not for profit) existed for 18 years.
The baby of the family had four years of CH, and later went on to become an AMI primary directress. The daughter that got short-changed (in my mind) went on to re-open that old school along with another mother. Her baby sister was her children’s first directress.
The first daughter to attend way back in MI later went on to get her AMI elementary diploma. She is returning from a three year teaching stint in Europe to co-teach the growing elementary class along with another alumna of the former school.
There are times when childbirth has seemed like a cake-walk compared to birthing a school…but, oh, has it ever been rewarding to see the outcomes.
I have the opposite problem where my son’s Montessori school is pushing for him to stay in the primary class for a 4th year. He will be 5 and 3/4 at the start of next school year and is currently doing his 3rd year in the primary class. The elementary program is for 6-9 year olds, so we are told that he would stay in the primary class for a 4th year.
This seems very odd to me as I have always heard of the “3 year cycle.” But I imagine it must be an issue for the late-fall/early-winter birthday kids. Do you know how this is typically handled?
Dear Sarah Kellogg,,
I am aMontessori Kidnergarten teacher in Switzerland and I can understand why a teacher suggests a fourth year when needed.
If you think about it:
3-4 years old = 1st year
4-5 years old = 2nd year
5-6 years old = 3rd year
6-7 years old = 4th year
I tend to see the fruits of a child’s time in my classroom between the age of 6 and 7 years old. So when a child is just 6 years old after 3 years and still has areas in their development to mature before going to the first grade I would also encourage the parent to stay one more year. The public kindergartens here also “hold back” children who need more time before entering the next plane of development at school.
Perhaps this is more natural here in Switzerland due to the older age when a child goes to the first grade. I believe children are younger in the states when they enter the first grade.
If your Montessori school has a Elementary program then I would trust their judgement as it sounds as though they want your child to have more chances to practice his leadership and social skills that way he can enter the next grade as a strong and confident student. Why not give a child more time to build them self up when the educators feel that would be best?
There is a good chance the child make more leaps then steps while in the 6-9 elementary classroom and then is back “on track” entering the 9-12 elementary classroom.
Society needs to stop looking at a child’s birthday as the most significant piece of information about them and follow the child’s development and needs as the guiding principal.
I hope this helps you get a perspective from the other side. I wish your family all the best with this decision.
Kind regards,
Corinne