[glhast]

I attended a Montessori from Kindergarten to 5th grade in the 90's.

I loved it. The teachers let me teach an art and drawing class in 2nd grade. Another student taught an algebra class (he's a brilliant cancer researcher now). I co-wrote, illustrated, and sold a comic book with another classmate in 4th grade during class time.

It allowed me to complete the curriculum on my own time and held me accountable.

Montessori was something I made my own, not something that was happening to me.

The transition out wasn't that bad. I did 5th grade again (June baby) at a standard private school. The biggest things: - I had never written a formal essay, or an essay outline. - I had never taken nor prepared for a real test

Like others here, I never really enjoyed school as much after Montessori.

For the right kid, it can cultivate curiosity, independence, collaboration, and a love for self managed learning. For the wrong kid, it can be an unstructured nightmare.

[boringg]

So I've been reading this and I'm not sure how I feel about it.

"Like others here, I never really enjoyed school as much after Montessori."

It's almost like school peaked as a child and then it was just disappointing after that. Not that I would say don't do the program because everything afterwards is less good but I am a bit split on it.

It also speaks to how powerful the program is to elicit such responses. And it seems from the small subsection of commenters on this HN thread (which is already a specific subsection of society) that there is a transition afterwards but people seem to be well adjusted for the most part.

From my own experience I can say I don't really think I enjoyed school (not Montessori) - and I'm realizing as I type this that in itself is unfortunate.

[glhast]

Right, and granted I don't have a "standard track" school experience to compare it with.

I'm considering both Montessori and non-Montessori for my own child right now too. FWIW the standard school looks fun too, albeit with more structure. I'm touring my old Montessori school in January. Curious to see how it's evolved in the last 20+ years.

It's likely that school just becomes more unenjoyable as "academic performance" takes the place of "child development".

[hackerfromthefu]

I think it speaks to the need for a follow-on equivalent system for high school and college.

[bawolff]

> The transition out wasn't that bad. I did 5th grade again (June baby) at a standard private school. The biggest things: - I had never written a formal essay, or an essay outline. - I had never taken nor prepared for a real test

I went to public school. Im pretty sure grade 4/5 is around where tests and formal essay writing started anyways, so that doesn't sound that terrible.

[mod]

We started spelling tests in first grade in the 1980s. We also read (aloud as a class) The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe that year.