My son is almost 4 and has been in a Montessori school for almost a year. He is coming home daily and telling me that the lessons are boring and that he has to do too much work. I spoke with the teacher, and she laughed at that. She said he is stubborn and not progressing. I wonder how is it possible to be considered stubborn in an environment where you are supposed to have free will to choose your activity. The teacher says that he is not allowed to choose his own work because he does not do his "big work" first. In the beginning of the school year he seemed happy and was socializing well, and was even telling me that I was coming too early to pick him up from school, but the original teacher quit abruptly so a family member of the director has taken over the class. She is a strict disciplinarian, and does not allow the children to work together in groups. I am looking at other schools, and would really like to continue with Montessori, but I don't know whether I should consider a more play based school. The Montessori teachers tell me that my son stands out as a cooperative, quiet child with a good sense of order and a well developed sense of humor.
Thanks for your post. It sounds as if your son's trouble began when the first teacher left and the new one started. Is the new one certified in Montessori also? I guess I'd look into other schools for him.....are there other Montessori schools in your area that you can visit and see whether it's a better fit? Hope you can find one that fits your needs.....I'm sure you little guy will once again love school! Thanks again for your post.