Montessori -vs- Waldorf schooling

[BIG_DADDY]

Well it's time to start looking for a preschool. Been to a number of Montessori schools and was pretty impressed. I have also heard good things from parents who sent their kids there. I have a friend raging about this Waldorf system now. I still need to check that out. What I am looking for is anyone who has experience with either system as both are available to me. What I noticed right off the bat is that the inoculation rates in these top schools is very low. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[tooge]

Originally Posted by |Zach|

I don't think any of this is wrong and all I have to base this on was my public school experience in Blue Springs but...

If a student was committed to excelling, those opportunities were there for them. In AP classes and all kinds of accelerated paths and special support.

Not to mention that when kids get to college they all start over anyhow. My dental school appication process never involved any highschool transcrips, only college. And, speaking of kids getting acedemic scholarships, I'm not sure of the math, but 5 to 10 grand a year spend on a private school would pretty much take care of college by the time a child graduates no?

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by tooge

Not to mention that when kids get to college they all start over anyhow. My dental school appication process never involved any highschool transcrips, only college. And, speaking of kids getting acedemic scholarships, I'm not sure of the math, but 5 to 10 grand a year spend on a private school would pretty much take care of college by the time a child graduates no?

Well it is supported in a roundabout way.

You get your degree faster.

While someone may not get your HS transcripts if you did college class A in HS and when you got to college you got to start with Class B rather than A then you are getting that value and step up out of it. The validation of that is on the colleges end.

[MOhillbilly]

my parents sent me to a private school. I will never forgive them.

[Chiefnj2]

It depends on the school. Montessori is an approach to schooling. Different schools will run the program differently. I know someone who sent their son (age 4) to Montessori and pulled him out after half a year. The child was learning a lot but wasn't having fun. Every morning was a battle to get the kid dressed and off to school. He pulled him and put him in a regular program and the kid now loves his new school.

[eazyb81]

Originally Posted by tooge

Not to mention that when kids get to college they all start over anyhow. My dental school appication process never involved any highschool transcrips, only college. And, speaking of kids getting acedemic scholarships, I'm not sure of the math, but 5 to 10 grand a year spend on a private school would pretty much take care of college by the time a child graduates no?

If they were never pushed in high school, why do you expect they would suddenly be able to handle more demanding college classes that require intense studying?

I went to public school and barely had to open a book to get good grades, but college was a rude awakening. I had to essentially teach myself how to study and take notes at 18 years old. My younger brothers are in private school and have homework every night that is preparing them much better for the rigors of college.

[Chiefnj2]

Originally Posted by MOhillbilly

my parents sent me to a private school. I will never forgive them.

I hate to break it to you, but juvy hall is not a 'private school'.

[Reaper16]

Looking back, I would be pissed if I had gone to a private school (in some fantasy universe where my family could have afforded it). There was plenty of opportunity for me in public school, especially with our district's gifted kids program. And the social oppurtunity at public school is something I wouldn't want to have missed. I turned down the Missouri Academy (spending your junior and senior years of highs school at college, dual-credit the whole way, invite-only, big international presence) because I didn't want to lose those last two years of high school with friends. I don't regret it.

KCNative is dead-on with the importance of parents. My expectations were excellence from the very beginning. And I will always be thankful for my mom teaching me to read so early; I was reading at age 2. That gave me such a head start that I didn't need to go to preschool (and I could have skipped a couple of grades if they'd have let me). Parents -- teach your kids to read as soon as you can.

[BIG_DADDY]

Originally Posted by Fat Elvis

Public schools aren't going to come close because people who send thier kids to private school are typically more invested in their kids education. If you're spending 5-10K/year, you're going to make sure your kid succeeds in school. Free ride education means that a significant number of parents have thier kids in school because they are required by law.

It isn't necessarily because a school is better; it is the amount of investment (timewise, not dollarwise) that will predict how a kid will do in school.

Come on man. I remember some of the teachers I had in the public school system should have been institutionalized not teaching kids. Were there good one's sure. There were also some really bad one's who would never come close to making it in a good private school and did more damage than good. At the very least they were a complete waste of time. You're telling me you honestly don't think there in another standard in a good private school?

[BIG_DADDY]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

I think the main problem with public schooling now is that there is too much focus on catching the slow/unmotivated kids up with everyone else, rather than pushing the bright kids.

.

Absolutely

[MOhillbilly]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

I hate to break it to you, but juvy hall is not a 'private school'.

i love this place.

[Fat Elvis]

Originally Posted by BIG_DADDY

Come on man. I remember some of the teachers I had in the public school system should have been institutionalized not teaching kids. Were there good one's sure. There were also some really bad one's who would never come close to making it in a good private school and did more damage than good. At the very least they were a complete waste of time. You're telling me you honestly don't think there in another standard in a good private school?

We obviously had very different experiences in public school. For what it is worth, my step-daughter currently goes to a private Catholic school and her mother and I are trying to get her out of there because the teachers suck.

[MOhillbilly]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

Looking back, I would be pissed if I had gone to a private school (in some fantasy universe where my family could have afforded it). There was plenty of opportunity for me in public school, especially with our district's gifted kids program. And the social oppurtunity at public school is something I wouldn't want to have missed. I turned down the Missouri Academy (spending your junior and senior years of highs school at college, dual-credit the whole way, invite-only, big international presence) because I didn't want to lose those last two years of high school with friends. I don't regret it.

Who was your 6th grade teacher?

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by BIG_DADDY

Let me give you an example of just how good the Christian school is. 3 years ago when my cousins kid graduated everyone graduated and went on to college except for 2. Many of them had scholorships. My cousins kid already had enough credits to cover more than a year of college. I would challenge any regular public school to even come close to those numbers.

Heh. We graduate quite a few kids every year with those kind of numbers from the school where I teach. Lots of kids graduate with over 16 AP courses under their belts.

We have 20+ national merit scholars every year as well.

So yeah... suck it.

[NewChief]

FYI: Maria Montessori was a committed socialist.

[MOhillbilly]

Originally Posted by BIG_DADDY

Come on man. I remember some of the teachers I had in the public school system should have been institutionalized not teaching kids. Were there good one's sure. There were also some really bad one's who would never come close to making it in a good private school and did more damage than good. At the very least they were a complete waste of time. You're telling me you honestly don't think there in another standard in a good private school?

it depends on the funding in the private school compared to public school district. It makes a huge difference imo in the amount & quality of teachers and material.