So now that I’ve enrolled my child in a Montessori program, what happens next? They can’t stay in Montessori forever can they? Eventually they’ll have to go to public school, right? If they do go to public school, how are they going to do? What challenges will they face? Will they be on grade level? What other options do we have?
They can’t stay in Montessori forever can they? Eventually they’ll have to go to public school, right? What other options do we have?
Unless you have a Montessori high school in your area (and yes, they do exist), then eventually your child will leave their Montessori school for somewhere else--the somewhere else, though, can vary depending on the child and the family’s flexibility or goals. Public school is always an option and if there is a high quality one in your area, then it’s a valid choice. In addition, there are other private schools, magnet programs, charter schools, online schooling, and homeschooling.
If they do go to public school, how are they going to do? What challenges will they face? Will they be on grade level?
The easy answer--that it is different for everyone--is obvious and, while true, does not tell the whole story. What your child learns in a Montessori system is something that goes beyond the academic minutiae of what is being taught by the common core. Your child is not only developing an academic foundation that can be built on no matter what system your child ends up in; but, more importantly, your child is developing the real-life awareness of HOW to learn that enables them to be successful in nearly any system available to them. It is the ability:
to utilize their resources;
to approach a challenge with the knowledge that the solution is there and discoverable by them;
to know that whatever the problem is, their willingness to try and to never give up, means that eventually, they will succeed; and
to embrace their gifts and their challenges equally--knowing that it is a combination of both of these qualities that creates the eventual success.
It is these qualities that makes me confident in knowing that our graduates will be able to handle whatever situation they face after they leave Montessori. They have a respect for others that helps them adapt to any situation. They have a solid academic foundation that enables them to understand any concept in any area. And, they have a “can-do” attitude that allows them to approach things they may not immediately understand with a positive perspective.
It is this, more than anything else, that helps Montessori graduates succeed. Yes, the academic foundation is considerable; but it is their willingness to try anything, to approach anything, that is the reason we can say with confidence our graduates are able to find their place in any academic system.
