This one is a home-based Montessori, run by a Srilankan couple, Miss S and Mr. A. It has excellent reviews, and we've met them a couple of times and really liked them so far. It's a small setting of only 12 children, which was what I was looking for.
So what made me pick a Montessori vs a traditional preschool? Here are some of the reasons:
- Montessori classrooms are much smaller than traditional preschool classrooms. It's something I prefer for this age group (3-5 yrs) because really, the kids only need ~3 hours of learning (play-based) and rest of the time is daycare time, which could be avoided if both parents are not working full-time. When there are more kids, the teachers are spread too thin, coz toddlers, in general, are very demanding. At least mine is. Larger classroom sizes also increase chance of illnesses during the flu season and winter months. I've heard that kids don't fall sick as much at this particular school because of its small setting.
- The schedule is not very rigid and a lot of it is child led. I've been in traditional classrooms before and so much time is spent just doing things like potty, eating, clean up, etc. Those things are important, but here, children are already potty trained and go when they need do. Most of them bring their lunch (some eat what is provided in school) and eat in the 30-45 mins of time and can go out and play if they are done earlier (versus the traditional preschool they have to remain seated until all kids are done and tables have been cleared of). Kids also clean up all their messes and a general rule of the classroom is to keep it neat and tidy, just like it was when you arrived.
- There are no toys (plastic junk) in Montessori classrooms. There are areas for learning practical life aspects, maths (like numbers using spindle rods), sensorial areas, an art area, and a few others. Kids gets focused uninterrupted time to complete whatever task they have undertaken, and they get plenty of time to self-correct and self-assess. I have seen the daughter do this during the trial period, and could see many changes in her at home because of her time in school. One thing she is really good at is puzzles. Once she begins, she focuses on finishing it, and does not like to be interrupted. This development came after she finished her trial at school.
- Montessori teachers are much better (in my opinion). They are gentle and loving with the kids. Most of them stay in the same place for years (unlike other places where teacher turnaround is huge) and are very good in their own classroom.
- The classrooms are multi-age and all kids benefit from it. The older ones can mentor the younger ones, while the younger ones get the support they need when trying something challenging for the first time. It's much like a home environment with parents (here we have a teacher) and kids of different ages.
A Montessori can be run poorly, where a lot of freedom without proper direction is given and where there are conflicts in the classroom happening. Hence, it is important to get lots of reviews from parents whose kids have attended in the past (which I did), interview the teacher(s) and observe classroom in session.
It also depends largely on how your child's personality has shaped up so far. In our case, the daughter hates strict routines. She has been a free bird and has had the choice to do what she wants with her time. She also does not sleep or wake up at a fixed time. Books say babies and toddlers love routine, but we have not stuck to any particular routine strictly. And based on that, I think this kind of preschool setting will work best for her. Ofcourse, we will know more as time goes by :)!
So here she is, my charming sweetie-pie...stepping into a world of learning, play and fun! I wish for her to enjoy her time, make new friends, learn to be kind and compassionate, discover her passions, learn to think independently and deeply and act bold. My wish for her is to graduate from preschool as a self-directed and confident learner, ready to take on Kindergarten and Elementary! Bless you, and love you, my child! {would love to add your blessings too :)}
The preschool and lunch bag are Skip Hop Zoo brand, Owl style for the girl who loves blue :). The backpack just has a pair of clothes and a cotton jacket, and it will stay in school. On a daily basis, she just has to carry her lunch bag and a bottle of water.
Update on Drop-off:
I'm glad to report that there were no tears today at drop-off (love her confidence). She knew she would be going to school today and has met Miss S a couple of times before. She also has her friend A from her previous daycare coming here so she had a friend already when she reached. She was welcomed by all the kids, and it was one of the kids birthday so it was an exciting day. She did want a big hug from me before I left, and I'm glad she asked for one :).
Update on Pickup:
We will be doing only half-days for a couple of months. We will switch her to full time in September or October, and even then, we will bring her home in the afternoon atleast one day a week, if not two. Hubby and I take time off routinely just to keep the kids with us at home, and I might also do part-time again as the situation demands. So today, she went to school for 3 hours. It was PERFECT! She did some art and some alphabets, rest of the time she spent getting familiar to the place. She got to eat chocolate cupcakes (her favorite) and her lunch that we packed from home. She was expecting me right after lunch, so when I picked her up, she said "mumma I like Miss S soooooooooooo much" - music to my ears, I tell you. There will be some tough days ahead and days when she will hate going to school, but I feel the first connection that happens between a child and her teacher is very important. The liking has to be there from the beginning, it can only get better from here. And today was a wonderful beginning....as good as it could be.
Once home, we asked her if she was hungry. And she said "I ate soooooooo much in school". Miss S fed her well and for a picky eater that she is, we are glad that we found a person who has agreed to be flexible with us on meals and has said that she will slowly transition her into eating independently. Huge relief on this front!
When we got admission to this school, the daughter was supposed to start mid-August. My friend A was doing preschool activities with her every morning since the last several weeks. Since he was going to leave this week on a month long trip to visit his family, I was in a dilemma. I had the choice to just keep her home but she was driving my parents crazy and also getting bored with no activity/company during the day. I happened to call Miss S on Monday and she said there was an opening from this week onwards if I wanted to start her...and so we picked today, mid-week, for her to begin. It all just miraculously lined up - her admission (she got the last spot for this year) and her start date. It's as if it was meant to be.
As for this mumma, it's still hard for me to leave my kids with anyone other than family. Our home is our small little heaven - perfect for us. It's hard to leave the kids out there, trusting them to find happiness in the little things they do, make friends, get some cuddles in when they need them, learn to accept failure, grow emotionally and mentally strong. I've thought about skipping preschool altogether and homeschooling the kids. Its possible, but I would have to give up my work, which I am not ready to do yet. The traditional preschools were giving me a headache and I was very nervous about sending her to one of those. I'm so glad we chanced upon this place at the right time....I'm hopeful she'll do great! And if it all works out, in a year's time, the little brother will join his big sister at the same school (yep, already put him on the waitlist)!!!!
