Your child went to a Montessori preschool. They attended a Montessori school for kindergarten. Unfortunately, your time with a quality Montessori education is running out. As a parent who is genuinely hopeful that your child will continue to love learning, approach learning challenges independently, and be able to learn at their own pace throughout their educational career, you can’t help but wonder how you’re going to take that Montessori style into their later years at school.
Keep your child in their current school. Many Montessori kindergartens are linked to other schools, from private schools that take them through their elementary school years to other institutions. If you want to continue your child’s Montessori education or maintain their current philosophy of education for as long as possible, the best way to do it is to keep them in their current school. Those schools are designed with a Montessori philosophy at the forefront and will help build your child’s confidence and appreciation for education all the way through. As your child grows past elementary school, look to see what middle and high schools are affiliated with your school or where the majority of those students typically attend after leaving the Montessori school. Those schools will offer you the same high quality of education you’ve come to expect from your current institution.
Seek out a private school that follows your educational philosophy. Every school is different, and all of them have different methods for handling the various aspects of a child’s education. Do some research before you send your child off to school. Find a school that continues to encourage independent learning to help improve your child’s odds of success. Private schools often offer smaller class sizes, more one-on-one attention, and a more hands-on educational style that is in keeping with the Montessori tradition. If possible, take the time to tour the school and even watch a class or two to give you a better idea of what your child might be getting into.
Look into homeschooling opportunities. It’s not all about sitting around the kitchen table while Mom reads from a book anymore. There are plenty of online homeschooling programs, umbrella programs that allow you to work with a current school system, and curriculum that will help you home school on your own. In many ways, homeschooling is a great follow-up to a Montessori education. It allows your child to continue to work at their own pace, to explore the information that is of greatest interest to them, and to experience hands-on learning whenever you take the time to put those projects together.
Appreciate your child’s foundation and use it to help them succeed with their new school. No matter where your child goes, that Montessori foundation won’t be wasted. They’ve spent at least a year learning to love the learning process. They’ve embraced countless opportunities to explore independently, to engage in hands-on learning, and to seek out more information when they don’t understand enough about a given subject. They’ve learned how to work hand-in-hand with a teacher and how to take an active role in their own learning process. All of these are skills that won’t let your child down in later years. Their Montessori education has provided them with a fantastic foundation, and any school you choose from here will simply build on their current educational experiences.
Looking for more information about the solid start that a Montessori education can offer your child? Contact us today to learn more about what a Montessori education can do to set your child up for success throughout their educational career, no matter where their learning may take them.
