Choosing the right pre-school, Montessori Emilia, progressive and traditional, Waldorf or Reggio

Admission Preschool – Montessori, progressive and traditional Waldorf and Reggio Emilia – the program that suits your child?

Types of schools to choose

When I sent my daughter to kindergarten, I wanted to keep the environment more than I could find. I chose a wonderful progressive program in my neighborhood. A few years later, when they were interviewing a girls' school selective ", the director of admissions did not say during the interview of my daughter, who is expected to draw circles, squares, triangles, rectangles. My eyes microphones open in shock and I said, "but my daughter does not know the tie." She looked at him and said our file (rather snootily), "Oh, yes, her daughter went to one of these schools play in the center. "

I was offended that the school we love so much this way. But it does. Meanwhile, I met a neighbor He sent his daughter to a residential area of the traditional nursery. She asked the same school as her daughter. When I told him that our daughters should be able to carry " said, "Erica can do it. spent a month in a drive way in kindergarten."

So when you choose a preschool for your child by type of school you choose, remember that ultimately there is a test if they want private schools or programs for gifted and talented. Even if you choose K public your child will be considered for placement in groups as soon as school starts. The children of the same test, regardless of where they went to kindergarten. Some schools prepare children and others not. Frankly, I would choose the same school, so we choose no matter what, because we loved it. But I would understand from the beginning that it would be a major test at the end, and if my kindergarten not prepare my son, it should be.

I will cover five of the most common nursery schools or philosophies – Montessori progressive, traditional, Waldorf and Reggio Emilia.

Whether you are looking for a church preschool or temple, a cooperative school, a public kindergarten or a private program – which may have taken one of these approaches to education.

Montessori

Personally, I like Montessori schools and encourage you to visit one and see for yourself. Not only do children learn, they learned not to start a new project until bring the equipment worked in the gap. My daughter has always been confused and wonder if it would have been if I had started a Montessori school. The goal of Montessori is to develop independence, self-esteem and confidence in children, while fostering learning at their own pace.

In a Montessori classroom, the main interaction between the child and the materials, not the teacher and child. In a first, the teacher shows the children the proper use of each set of materials. Then the child may have the materials used, place them on a mat and used as the master taught him. When finished, set aside before starting a new project. Emphasis in self-directed learning.

Once the teacher has demonstrated the use of materials, children work individually or in small groups. With this level of instruction individualized, children with learning delays or who are gifted often do very well in a Montessori classroom.

The materials used in a Montessori classroom are built around three axes. 1) practical life skills (folding shirts, tying) 2) sensory (treatment of geometric shapes, putting blocks in holes on the right), and 3) the language and mathematics (manipulation of writing paper Glass and numbers, accounts have long chains). As you can imagine, children learn a lot from this program – Numbers, letters, add, subtract, skills, information and more.

The Montessori classroom is very bright, warm and welcoming. In general, various learning centers where children can explore through practical materials, tactics. Classes are for all ages, usually 3-6, with older children help younger ones. Children are encouraged to work at their own pace and create your own foundation of knowledge. When they leave Montessori, who are cooperative, organized, respectful of the work of other children, and able to work independently.

Progressive (Aka development centered in children, the pattern of Bank Street)

This is the model I chose for my children and I loved it. Here the philosophy is that children need to explore and learning through simulation games art, and modules. Progressive class room is usually a set of "centers" where learning can done using open-ended materials. There could be a fantastic play area, a group of painters' easels, one block from the corner, groundwater, an area of puzzles and more. Posted by professors these environments in response to what they see that children are interested they move between areas and encourage children to continue their own projects and ideas in these centers. The game is considered the "work" of children and takes them seriously.

Here, there is a particular program children follow. Teachers follow the example of children, what children learn from year to year and between sessions in the morning and evening can be different. Children work at their own pace, learning through interaction among children play rather than between children and materials (eg, Montessori). At no time is prescribed for children must learn a particular skill. In fact, learning through specific education is poor. This explains why My daughter has never had a unit on "forms." Only not.

Social interaction among children is very important in a progressive class. There is much talk of "community." The separation between child and parent is considered a milestone in the development and much time and energy spent on this. The atmosphere is informal, children often call teachers by name and never found a uniform. The school is more relaxed about when the child should be clean.

Children who attend progressive kindergartens tend to be more independent, curious, creative and willing to ask questions. They often have higher test scores of problem solving and curiosity, but lower on IQ tests. If your child will be tested for private school or a talent show after attending a progressive school, you want to be sure that it has acquired all the skills tests will be evaluated.

Traditional

In the traditional classroom, there is a structured program with specific goals for children. The objectives are built around teaching children mathematics, humanities, shapes, sounds, shapes, problem solving, music and more. The conference about the water table is more likely to be achieved rather of teachers in the child leads. Here, the teacher teaches, directs, explains, and organizes each lesson. Children learn from them instead of starting their own explorations.

In these classes, all children can work in the same activity at the same time. For example, the action of grace, all can work on the application precut cardboard together to make turkeys. Emphasis will be on the end product process. If you go into a classroom and see a billboard displays twenty bucks, it is likely than in a traditional school. In this type of school, children can work with sheets of pre-school to learn math and writing. The emphasis is on school maturity.

There might be a period of free choice, but more emphasis on formal education. The children call teachers Ms. X or Y. Miss are the uniform or dress codes at these schools. In a traditional program, which will be strict to ensure that your child can use the bathroom before age 3. Studies have shown that children who attend mainstream schools are less aggressive toward peers, more task-oriented and do better on IQ and achievement tests. However, show less independence and initiative, his game is less imaginative and less creative.

Waldorf

Developed by Rudolf Steiner in 1919, Waldorf programs aimed at educating children – Classrooms are warm and intimate play C-reactive agenda, with strong dose of team spirit "Head, heart and hands." and the community. The teacher gets the same kind of kindergarten through eighth grade, leading to strong relationship in which the teacher really knows his son.

Practical learning, cooking, art projects, stories, songs, puppets, is dressed and play. Academics are not set in the early years, reading from kindergarten readiness and training from the first year itself. "The main lessons "are taught in blocks of 1.5 to 3 hours per day with each part of the course of three to five weeks. In this way, children experience programs of deep and clear as possible. The activities are extras in many schools are at the heart of the Waldorf philosophy – the art, gardening and foreign language. In the early years, many learning takes place through art in relation to lectures and rote learning. All children learn to knit and play flute.

In the early years, Waldorf schools do not use textbooks. In contrast, children have their own "main lesson books" which meet during the year, recording their experiences. Later, the manuals are in place for some categories such as mathematics and grammar. The ratings do not start before college. Instead, teachers write detailed reports on each child's development and progress. The use of electronic by children, especially television, is not recommended in Waldorf schools.

The schools of Reggio Emilia

Loris Malaguzzi founded approach Reggio Emilia in the Italian town called Reggio Emilia. Newsweek magazine praised the best preschools in the world in 1991. Their approach views children as competent, clever, curious, imaginative and inventive.

In Reggio Emilia schools, educators pay attention to the appearance of the classroom, which is often called the third "Professor." The goal is to create a room that is beautiful, cheerful, welcoming and encouraging. It exposes the child labor as well as collections leaves or rocks made after field trips. It is natural light, plants, mirrors, photographs and children's work to attract attention. Several centers are located in the classroom dedicated to play, theater, writing, sand and water exploration, mathematics, objects, blocks and science. Much thought is going to design a class of Reggio Emilia, in support of their multi-sensory learning.

After the teacher has a classroom full of possibilities, which invites children to take out the exploration and solve problems. By observing children, learns what interests them and use this information to act as a resource for them, making them questions, explore ideas, helping to create hypotheses and theories to the test. No pre-defined program. Teachers and parents are considered partners in learning with children.

Teachers document children's discussions, comments, and activities through articles, videos and photographs. This makes learning visible, helping parents understand what their children learn, teachers better understand children and the children see that their work is appreciated.

The long-term projects rise spontaneous play and exploration with children. They can last from several days to several months. In the interests of children, subjects decided projects (with participation of children). Teachers provide materials, books, challenges and opportunities for children to explore the topic. The scanning can be done through field trips, debates, drawing, sculpture, puppetry, shadows and dramatic play, and writing.

Combination Schools

Some schools use a mixture of the above approaches. You can find a program with the best of Montessori, while spending time in the separation and socialization a Montessori classroom is not pure. Some schools are highly structured and traditional progressive elements thrown into the mix and say they are a combination of school. This is not an approach combined truth unless teachers are evolving academic work in the interests of children.

How do you know what follows a teaching philosophy school?

Look at your materials. Ask when you visit. The most important thing is to watch. Many schools are very clear about who they are and what philosophy that follow. The other directors are saying they are a mix of progressive and traditional, but when you look you will see they are clearly one or the other.

That philosophy is best?

Children who attend a traditional school or Montessori is more likely to "graduate" to the types of skills private schools are looking for. Traditional schools teach the skills and equipment are suitable for Montessori children learn these skills independently. This does not mean that children attending a Waldorf school progressive or Reggio Emilia will not learn these skills through the program – a lot. But if your child does not, have not received a call from the manager to raise a red flag that the child can not draw circles and squares. They are more relaxed and we believe that children learn these skills when they are interested and willing stage of development.

Approach is not necessarily better than another. I recommend that you visit each school type and try to determine what type of program feels right for your child and your family.

To view comments from kindergarten materials preparation test, which can be used to test your child school admission, private beneficiaries of the gifted and talented program, and the group of public school capacity investment, see www.kindergartentestingwithouttears.com.

About the Author

Karen Quinn is the author of Testing For Kindergarten, a parent’s guide to getting your preschool child ready for ERB, Stanford-Binet, WPPSI-III, OLSAT or other IQ tests for private school admission and GATE or gifted and talented program qualification. She is a former kindergarten admissions advisor from NYC and is the inventor of IQ Fun Park, an IQ test prep kit (that feels like play) for children ages 3 to 6. Visit her at
www.testingforkindergarten.com.

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