Let me clarify

In the last few weeks I wrote two posts that are, now that I look at them, contradictory. On the one hand I wrote how strong and effective Montessori education is, on the other I wrote that my son (who goes to Montessori school) is no longer engaged in his work.

So Phil asked me, (I’m paraphrasing) ‘do you think that the Montessori system is attempting to engage your son effectively, or do you think there’s a hole in their process?’

Good Point. How effective can Montessori be if my boy just doesn’t want to do any work?

In defense of the school (any Montessori school):

When I wrote about my son not being the student that he used to be, I think I was too brief and didn’t give credit where credit was due. I was actually breathing a sigh of relief that we’re in the type of school that we are. While it IS frustrating, our situation isn’t as bad as most. I think they do more to close the hole that Phil asked about than most other curriculums.

A few examples.

First, part of the Montessori philosophy of learning is that the more senses that are touched during a lesson, the better that lesson is learned. So, most lessons (especially math) are taught using materials that the kids manipulate and work with. It does keep distractible boys better (not totally, but better) focused than text books and work sheets. So that’s good.

Second, a part of the Montessori teacher’s job, part of their training, is to be an observer of the children, to key in on where their interests are leading them and then hone in on that to engage them better. Each child is taught on an individual level. That’s good too.

My son is severely into mythology, I mean its serious, and they let him pursue that for a lot of his research reports and presentations, instead of, say, the war of 1812.

A lot of schools don’t have that flexibility, they’re locked up in a curriculum that leaves the poor teachers no flexibility at all to engage individual interests. Like a lot of private schools Montessori has the luxury of being more flexible in their approach.

So yes, they are doing a decent job of engaging my son.

All of that being on our side, our boy is better off than most. However, he still has to learn about the war of 1812. He still has to look up words in the dictionary, and (even though he enjoyed the research, and the presentation) he still has to sit down and write a few pages on Typhon and his battle with Zues. He still has to correct his grammar and spelling in his reports. All of this leaves him SOOOO BOOOOORED!

So when it comes to teaching boys (once they hit about 4th grade), Montessori does have the same hole that needs to be addressed. Sure does. I wouldn’t say that it’s as gaping a hole as in most other curriculums, but it’s there.