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Preschool Prep Series: The Montessori Method
The Montessori Method
Part Two
By Tara Swords
That's not the only criticism of Montessori's philosophy. She was just as controversial in her day as she is now, and nay-sayers argue that all the positive reinforcement makes children soft – unprepared for the inevitable hard knocks of real life. Goldstein sees it in a different light. "If you develop a healthy self-concept first, it's easier to take those hard knocks when they come," he says.
Kendall Witmer's father says his daughter is very happy learning the Montessori way, and will likely stay in her school for at least three more years. "She seems to want to go to school and loves school everyday," he says. "I remember when she first started working with the beads and counting them, she always wanted to show them to me."
To Goldstein, that's what counts. "[Montessori] treats the child with total respect," he says. "They become self-sufficient in personal needs but also in working by themselves without having an adult sit with them all the time."
While Montessori schools are often private, many are, in fact, public. When examining tuitions, Goldstein emphasizes that costs vary greatly from school to school, as do the ages they will accept. But, says Goldstein, all agree on one pivotal thing. "What we're going for is mastering," she says. "When the child learns to master something, you should see the glow on their face. That's what we call the Montessori joy."
