Boy he is all grown up!

My son just finished his last day of school for this year, but this year it is something different.  He is moving on to Grade 1.  For him the kindergarten doesn't make sense, he has been going to an amazing Montessori school for the past 3 years and learning the Casa program.  No JK or SK for him.  He had a 3 year Casa program that taught him all the same and more.  Sure we didn't have a big graduation with caps and gowns, but we have amazing memories and wonderful report cards.  We have teachers who loved him so much, he really did touch the hearts of his teachers, and he had a few head ones over the 3 years.  They are sad to see him go, we are sad to see him go, but we know next year will only be better.  And we do still have his little sister in the class for the next 3 years!


He has gone on field trips that I went on when I was in grade 6, they do nature walks, he studied Monet and even recreated a few of his paintings.  He has learned in these 3 years what I learned in the first 6 grades of elementary school.  There were things he did that I don't understand, still even after being shown and reading online.  Take the binomial or trinomial cubes, do it, click on the links and tell me if it makes sense.  Okay don't because if it makes sense to you all you are going to do is make me feel stupid!


He learned decimals, multiplication and division, linear counting.  They taught geography (my almost 6 year old knows more places on the map then I do), history, science, art, music.  He can write in cursive.  I could go on and on, but I won't subject you to my "see how amazing my son is" speech.  He is no smarter then his friends in our neighbourhood, he is just different.


Most of all the last 3 years have taught him respect for others and objects around him.  He respects his environment.  He is so helpful and considerate to his sister and fellow classmates.  All the kids are, they are so well behaved at school it isn't even funny.  I still can't figure out why I can't get him to be like that at home.


It taught me that he is growing up and independent and to just let him do things on his own.  He knows how to use real scissors and has since he was 3.  They have real scissors and real glass in the class and no one is freaked out by it.  If one child breaks or spills something by accident another will come over and clean it up.  They just get up and help, no questions asked, no comments made. 


I am so proud of the boy he is and I look forward to future years so that I am able to see more of how he develops himself.


I really didn't mean for this post to be about how fantastic Montessori was, but it has, because it is.  Seeing how it has shaped my son over the last three years, and my daughter over the last 3 months has blown me away.  I will forever and always be a believer in the system, because it just makes sense.  I was never an amazing student.  I never got straight A's.  Many times I didn't understand what was being taught to me, because I have never been one to do as people say because that is what they say.  I question a lot, and that is why when I first toured his school I was sold, because the way they taught made sense.  It made sense to me, a grown adult and it made sense to the kids who were there learning it.


Some of the cool characteristics and benefits of the Montessori method:

• Three year age span of children within the classroom - Older children teaching younger children, sense of community and builds self esteem.
• Self correcting materials within the environment - Children learn through their own errors to make the correct decision versus having the teacher point it out to them.
• Individual learning takes place within the environment - Montessori recognizes that each child learns at a different pace and allows that growth to take place.
• Children are quiet by choice and out of respect for others within the environment - The Montessori classroom allows children to return to the "inner peace" that is a natural part of their personalities.
• There is an emphasis on concrete learning rather than on abstract learning - Children need to experience concepts in concrete "hands-on" ways
• It is a child-centered environment - All the materials are easily within the child's reach and placed on shelves at their levels. The tables and chairs are small enough for the children to sit comfortably while the pictures and decorations are placed at the children's eye level.
• The children work for the joy of working and the sense of discovery - Children are natural leaders or "sponges" and delight in learning new tasks. Their interests lie in the work itself rather than in the end product.
• The environment provides a natural sense of discipline - The "ground rules" or expectations of the child are clearly stated and are enforced by the children and the teachers.
• The environment is "prepared" for the children - Everything in the room has a specific place on the shelf. Children are orderly by nature and having the room set this way allows them to grow in a very positive way.
• The teacher plays a very unobtrusive role in the classroom - The children are not motivated by the teacher, but by the need for self development.

So yes I am a proud mom, just like every

Now on to deal with the next 2 months of summer... wonder how long before I hear "I'm bored"!?