Montessori preschools... Any thoughts?

I know it's early, but the local Montessori preschool's waiting list is really, really long so you have to get in insanely early (hence why I'm looking into it now, when Emma is only 9 months old!). Has anyone had their children at a Montessori preschool? I have a general idea about the aims/goals/curriculum, and have ordered some books to read about it, but wondered what the mums out there think.

The *only* thing that bothers me at the moment is that they require children to attend AT LEAST two full-day (8.45am to 3.15pm) sessions a week, in order to "progress through the Montessori curriculum). Kids start at age 2.5, and to me, two full days a week sounds like a LOT of preschool for a 2.5-year-old to handle, at least in my eyes.

My mom is a preschool teacher, but not Montessori, and the 2.5-year-olds at her preschool go for three 3-hour sessions a week. So that's the experience I'm coming from...

Give me your thoughts on Montessori preschools! :)

'Tis in Toddler Times.

And my views have changed a bit. Not advocating Steiner. (Broke up with boyfriend so don't have to pretend to like hippy stuff any more!)

Thanks, Nikki, will wander and stick my head in over there. Sarah Beth, I LOVE your "vacation" counter!!!

believe me, I need the countdown!

WARNING: LONG POST

I can't give you a mothers perspective, cause I haven't had my baby yet, but I can give you a fly on the wall perspective. I did a years early childhood study last year and spent three weeks doing work experience at a montessori preschool in Christchurch. And because it was my first preschool work experience, I was very 'just watch and observe' instead of being asked to do much. So I did get to just watch and take it all in. I really like the structure of montessori and the fact that different aged children are given different opportunities to learn and interact with their peers some of the time and the other aged children during other times. I noticed that four year olds can sit and listen to a story for a lot longer than two year olds (And I've seen in other pre-schools they plonk them all in together for a story then become exasperated when the two year olds become restless after five minutes) (ONE preschool I went to in Christchurch was AWFUL, no smiling, no laugher, constant emphasis on disciplining and picking up on bad behaviour instead of encouragement and role-modelling good behaviour) Woah, I just got off track. But I liked the montessori that I went to. I liked the way the four year olds had their extended learning time for reading and writing (Didn't get to see much of what the curriculum for that was) but I did notice that most of them really looked forward to more challenges and feeling good about being a bigger kid and having that transition type period before school.

Oh man, I actually had a typed out list of things to ask when going into preschools.   I think I wrote an essay on it too! But can I remember an of it? I have the worst pregnancy fog today!

I think when I was a student I would have looked for more technical things like their behavioural management strategies, their sun-safety policies, and you can ask to see all of these things. They have HUGE folders full of interesting things. The one thing I really liked looking at was each individual pre-schools philosophy statement. Gives you a good summary of their main goals and aspirations for the children there.

But now that I am pregnant and will have to think about it from a mothers perspective I think I would look more towards the atmosphere of the place, whether the children look happy, and definitely whether the staff look happy (One place I went to had management problems which in turn made the staff bitter and resentful, which they in turn took out on the children (very subtley, but still noticable). I would definitely try and sit in on a few sessions and just watch the flow of things. Some days they have really bad days when some of the kids are tired and sick and through no fault of anyones, the day can be a total shambles and sometimes gives off bad vibes to prospective parents.

I've forgotten heaps of my studies! I'm pretty sure the people who already have children would know a lot better than I do about what the really important stuff to look out for is. (doing work experience for three weeks doesn't quite compare to being a parent) (as I'm sure I will be finding out REALLY soon) Heh.

Sorry if none of that made any sense.

Hi,
I am a trained early childhood teacher, not montessori so i am not going to give my opinion on weather the curriculum is better than other providers, all i am going to say is.. go in and visit, the staff make the centre what it is, don't chose a montessori centre purley because you like what they stand for, policy and charter are great in theory but you have to like the staff and environment, which you should be able to tell by spending a very small amount of time in a centre. Go with gut instinct, if you walk in and like the feel of the place its probably right for you. You can always go somewhere else after starting if you find the curriculum isn't what you're after.
Good luck