5 Reasons to Choose Montessori Education for Your Kids

We’re almost a month into the new school year and starting to get into our groove. We had some difficulty getting into our top choice school. I had my heart set on my kids going to a Montessori school, but it turns out so did a lot of families in my area. We were stuck on a waiting list and with a lottery system. 

Thankfully, it all worked out, and we found out practically at the last minute that my son was IN!

Prior to looking into education options for my children, I knew only a little bit about Montessori education. As I began to research more about it and speak with families who involved, I grew to love the Montessori philosophy. 

If you don’t know much about Montessori education and are interested in learning more you can read about it HERE.

I’m in love with the philosophy, the teaching practices, materials, and just the overall vibe of my son's new school. As you can probably guess, I feel like we made a great choice and I cannot be any more grateful that we were able to get in.

Are you wondering why we chose this route rather than going with a more traditional school?

It really all boils down to one simple fact: I know my kids.

I know that the public school system would not be a good fit for either of them.

I know what types of environments they will learn best in and sitting in a desk for hours on end will not suite either of them. I’m not knocking desk sitting at all--in fact, I am actually the type of student who can sit in a desk and take notes and be perfectly fine with that.

That is not who my son is though.

While my husband and I discussed our hopes for our children’s educations, it was really my job to go and seek out the options available to us. We aren’t able to afford private school without taking out a second mortgage, but we refuse to do that. As I explored our options, I kept gravitating back to Montessori or similar type schools.

In our brief experience so far, here are just a few of the reasons I love Montessori education:

1. PACE

My child is free to move at his own pace and won’t be held back if he is moving faster or slower than the rest of the class. He is free to master a concept on his own time and has some control over how and when he completes his work. It’s giving children freedom of choice while also teaching them to be accountable for the outcomes of their choices.

2. INDIVIDUALISM

Montessori doesn't promote conformity and it does discourage (aka doesn’t allow) commercialism of any kind. I have always disliked children’s items that are covered in characters and all of that hoopla, although I have given in (reluctantly) over the past few years on a few items. Montessori solves that issue once and for all. No battles in the morning because it’s simply not allowed. It’s also less distracting and doesn’t continue to promote materialism and consumerism to our kids.

3. PARENT PARTICIPATION

They encourage (require) parent participation. Honestly, this is one of the most important things to me. I want to be involved in my child’s education. I want to volunteer, help out and get to know the teacher. That seems natural to me and I can’t imagine not being invited into the classroom, yet I've heard from parents at non-Montessori schools who say they either aren't allowed into the classroom or they are only allowed in under specific circumstances. Since parent participation is a requirement for all families, I feel like my child's school lends itself to attracting parents who are highly invested in their child’s education and want to be a part of the school. Therefore, the school forms a community for families as well as for the students.

4. MORE THAN ACADEMICS

I love that academics are a part of the classroom environment, but that is not the ONLY part of Montessori education. In fact, Montessori philosophy places a strong focus on life skills, social skills, and being a part of a community. I like that children are encouraged to be independent and to learn do things for themselves. This not only builds their skill level but also their confidence. Win and win! Plus, these are concepts I have personally been trying to work on with my children at home, so it’s nice to have the extra support at school too!

5. A CALM AND SAFE SPACE

The classroom at my son's school is so inviting! I wouldn’t mind sitting in there all day myself. There are no overhead, glaring florescent lights and no desks all set up in neat, straight rows. Instead there are house plants, natural light, rugs, coffee tables, stations, bean bag chairs, and other touches of comfort. The classroom smells good and there is usually music playing in the background. The classrooms all have a calming force that you can pick up on by just walking in.

It feels conducive to learning.

It feels safe.

Now, I’m not saying that other schools do not offer some or all of these same concepts. After doing my own research, and considering what was best for my family, Montessori education won! I’m so glad it did. I feel at home there, and so do my kids, and that is so important. My son loves his school and is excited to go every day. I can’t ask for anything more.

I’m not going to be all Pollyanna about the school and think that everything is going to be rainbows and butterflies forever. I’m just happy that we’re having a good experience so far and it really is all that I hoped that it would be. 

I am so excited to continue our kindergarten journey and to see what the rest of the year has in store for us!

I've had several people ask me what I love about Montessori education and why I chose it for my kids, so it seemed like a good time to share just a few of my reasons for choosing it and why I think it is a good fit for my family. Honestly, it hadn't occurred to me until recently that others might be curious! 

Now, I want to know...what type of education did you choose for your children? How did you make that choice? Did it work out the way that you had hoped? Share your experiences in the comments!

Did you enjoy this post? Check some of these other posts as well:

UPDATE to Riding off to Kindergarten

I was so excited that I could hardly wait to share our follow up to Riding off to Kindergarten.

If you didn't read my first kindergarten post (and also our first post to this blog and our most popular post), you can read it HERE. If you have been following along on our family saga, then you will be excited to hear the news!

Just to recap, my son, Hank, is starting kindergarten this coming year and we've run into several obstacles getting him enrolled into our FREE and OPEN  public school system. Our first choices were the local Montessori schools, but we neglected to take out a second mortgage, send him to 4 years of private preschool or know the right people.

So the public school system it was.

With our neighborhood school not being a good fit, I diligently researched our other options, only to be rejected repeatedly by schools due to lack of space. As I opened the letters one by one my heart dropped.

How is it possible that my son doesn't have a place to go to Kindergarten?

How is it possible that education is so accessible and free in our country yet, I can't enroll my little guy in a class that is only in session for 3 hours a day?

Most alarmingly, why does no one bat an eye when I call attention to this issue at the district office?

Has this really become status quo?

Not only has this been an issue that has greatly touched my family this year, but it has called attention to a MAJOR problem that I didn't even know existed.

Watch out public school system....this mom is going to be a part of you for over a decade. I'm determined to advocate for change, be a voice for my son and other children, and to help parents navigate this confusing and disheartening system while embarking on a huge milestone in their lives.

I bet you are wondering why I'm writing a follow up right?!?

Well, we did get some news.

We are still on the waiting list at the Montessori schools (although significantly far down the list), but we FINALLY found out that we got into our top choice of the public schools in our area. It's a tad further away than the others, but this is more than made up for by the wide array of activities and programs that they offer. Not to mention that on their website, they boast about their high level of parent participation.

Win!

We drove by the school last week and walked around the kindergarten area. It's really cute with a garden and inviting classrooms. The school has murals all over the walls and it just has a warm and comfortable feel. I'm really excited for my son to go there. The school offers a perfect kindergarten schedule too with an early 7:30am start and then out at 11:30 so children have a nice balance to their introduction to elementary school. And, I love the fact that this schedule also allows us plenty of afternoon time together.

The kindergarten schedule is significant for my family as my son's changing schedule has been a difficult milestone for us this year. In preschool, he only attended three mornings a week, so we still had weekdays to do activities and meet friends. With him going to kindergarten Monday through Friday this coming school year, it seems like a lot of time away from home. As a family, this may feel difficult in terms of some of our favorite activities, including hiking and and dirt biking. This has been particularly troublesome for my husband who is not off on weekends and has counted on his free weekdays to spend time with our family. Like with everything else in life, we will adjust and it will become our new normal. It might just take some time.

Meanwhile, this summer we are still working on some reading skills, learning about nature, dirt biking, and spending time together as a family. It's bittersweet with our son riding off to kindergarten, but now we have a place to be excited about and he is look forward to attending—we all are! It's amazing how much lighter I feel now!

I'm sure as the summer comes to a close and the first day of school comes and goes, we will be met with new anxieties and worries. Until then, I'm going to keep enjoying my family and we will cross that bridge when we come to it.

Do you have a story about a difficult or worrisome situation that turned out to be ok in the long run? How did you cope with the waiting game? Leave your answers in the comments!

Have you been following along on our book club? In July, we've been reading The Trouble with Boys: A Surprising Report Card on Our Sons, Their Problems at School, and What Parents and Educators Must Do by Peg Tyre. Be sure to follow along every Tuesday! 

Follow us on Facebook for updates, and be sure to stop by our Etsy shop too!

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Book Club--Part I: Why we're reading "The Trouble with Boys" by Peg Tyre

Welcome to the first installment of the Mom2MomEd book club! This month we will be reading The Trouble with Boys: ASurprising Report Card on our Sons, Their Problems at School, and What Parentsand Educators Must Do by Peg Tyre.

Tyre is an investigative journalist who interviewed many parents, children, teachers, and educational experts to conclude that the current educational system used in much of the United States is simply not addressing the needs of boys. In fact, she posits that the system as it is actually hinders boys and is causing many of them to fall further and further behind academically. She discusses the problems identified by parents and teachers, what is and isn’t normal “boy” behavior, and what can be done about the growing challenges faced by many boys in school today.

Malea: 

I first came across the book in graduate school when I was assigned to read and respond to several chapters in a course called “The Art of Teaching”. I enjoyed the book so much that I borrowed it from my professor. At the time, I was also tutoring a 5th grade boy who was having nothing but struggles academically.

His teachers were frustrated with his classroom behaviors.

His parents were frustrated with his inability to perform academically.

The boy was frustrated with all of the pressure being placed on him at home and at school, yet he was not capable of “fixing” the perceived “problems” himself.

I used quotations around “fixing and “problems” because while this boy did have real challenges, it seemed to me that the biggest “problem” was simply that he a was a boy--a very normal boy--facing expectations beyond what most boys his age could realistically achieve.

I remembered the book last week when McKenzie was telling me about some challenges she has faced as a mom of a very smart boy who wasn’t “performing” academically on assessments in pre-school. It seemed like a good time to revisit this book and to introduce it to McKenzie.

Plus, I am the parent of a boy as well! My son’s early academic challenges and “problems” were similar to what McKenzie and her son have experienced and I hope that we’ll be able to share insights from our own experiences and from this book to help you with your own children, whether you have boys or girls, as you navigate their educations.

McKenzie: 

During one of our Mom2MomEd meetings I had to stop and vent some of my frustrations to Malea in the hopes that she would tell me that I wasn’t crazy!

My son is super smart. He can rattle off details about prehistoric animals, identify the parts of a plant, and tell you all about what you will find in the atmosphere. 

However, if you ask him to sit and write or practice reading he will look at you as if you are trying to poke his eyes out with a hot needle and he'll completely lose it.

It makes me crazy! So crazy that I even went as far as to convince myself that something was wrong with him. Then, I started thinking about how difficult it will be for him in school and how teachers are going to get frustrated and label him as defiant.

Following some pretty frustrating sessions of trying to get him to focus, I gave up. As soon as I had the ear of someone who would listen and get it (Malea) I had to let it all out. That’s when Malea told me about this book and also that my son was normal!

We knew that it was not only timely to read The Trouble with Boys, but also that it likely would be immediately helpful to my situation. We ordered it together right then and there.

Since I have a younger son (5 years old) and Malea’s son is older (17), it’s reassuring to know that she really gets it. Plus, she has raised a pretty awesome son so I can’t help but respect her advice!

(Edited by Malea to add: Awww, thanks! Your kids are truly wonderful! Don't let their spirited natures be forced into boxes they simply don't fit into!)

I’m excited to read this book and learn some new skills that will help me in parenting my son (and my daughter too!). I’m also eager to have the opportunity to reflect and help you by tying the topics and lessons into your situation and life as well!

Check out our other posts in this series:

• Post #2: Introduction through Chapter 3
• Post #3: Chapters 4 through 6
• Post #4: Chapters 7 through 9
• Post #5: Chapters 10 and 11
• Post #6: Coming soon!

Please join us for our first book club by joining along as we read and post about The Trouble with Boys by Peg Tyre here on the blog. Or follow along on Facebook HERE. 

Be sure to grab a copy at your local library or click HERE to order from Amazon. 

Please note, the Amazon link is an affiliate link.

No such thing as one-size-fits-all education

Despite the opinions of some highly vocal people on Twitter and other social media, I do not think the public school system is evil. I don’t think private school is egalitarian. And, I don’t think charter schools, homeschooling, or any other system of schooling are 100% right for 100% of families.

I have homeschooled my son for the past 9 years, and it has worked wonderfully for the two of us. It was easily one of the best family decisions I have ever made.

But, does that mean it’s right for your family?

Not necessarily. 

McKenzie and Todd both wrote recently about their frustration with kindergarten registration (HERE and HERE) and both mentioned that they don’t plan to homeschool anytime soon. It simply doesn’t fit their lifestyle at this time. And, maybe it never will—time will tell. 

I pulled my son out of public school—a terrific school with amazing teachers, by the way—because the system simply wasn’t working for us and I couldn’t afford the other options available, no matter how amazing they seemed at the time. 

One of my dearest friends started out homeschooling her daughter, then added homeschooling a group of siblings her family adopted, transitioned them all to private school, and currently has the oldest enrolled in a charter and the younger three in public school. 

Many of my friends have always homeschooled. Others have always public schooled. Others have only ever sent their children to private schools, charter programs, or alternative non-homeschooling programs. Some have started with one model, tried something else, and tried yet something else. 

The point is, we all have unique families with unique needs and we all move through various seasons in life, whether individually or as a whole with our families, and no one situation is totally right for everyone.

I truly wish all public schools were created equally, addressed the needs of all students, and resulted in highly educated, well rounded, happy and thriving young adults. Unfortunately, that is not reality. 

As you can see in THIS post, my own experience with my son and the public school system varied for his first several years of formal education. And, while we had a great experience at the last public school he attended, it turned out that homeschooling was the best option for us. And, over the last few years, we’ve even moved into unschooling. 

But, at the same time, I have stayed connected to multiple educational models through my own teaching and tutoring experiences and meeting other parents both inside and outside of the homeschooling world.

I have taught at an elite, but public, combined junior and senior high school in Queens, New York, a vocational college catering to recent adult immigrants from Asia and the Caribbean, and a private Christian college. I have spent thousands upon thousands of hours tutoring students of all ages and widely varied backgrounds in a number of subjects and skills. And, I have become an exceptional trainer in my most recent non-teaching jobs.

Why am I telling you all of this? 

Because I want you to understand that the mission of Mom2MomEd.com is NOT to tell you that you must educate your children in any one way. We wish to work with you to find methods and opportunities that best fit your family’s needs—even if that means different methods for different members of the same family!

While we’ve been posting quite a bit about parenting and family life, we also are heavily focused on education and over the next few months will be rolling out both educational and family materials for use as stand-alone items or in conjunction with mentoring from Mom2MomEd.com. We are also developing mentoring and coaching packages, planners, and even some curriculum! 

We would love some of your input as we get underway—what are your biggest struggles as parents when it comes to raising your children or dealing with educational issues? If you were to seek out help in these areas, what would you most need? 

Please leave a comment on this post, use the comment form on our blog’s sidebar, or email us. We’d love to hear from you!

Or, find us over on Facebook and drop us a note there!

Be sure to join us on Facebook and here on the blog in July as we read The Trouble with Boys: A Surprising Report Card on Our Sons, Their Problems at School, and What Parents & Educators Must Do by Peg Tyre.

Pick up a copy of Tyre's book at your local library or from Amazon HERE. We'll get started on July 5th!

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