Choosing a Montessori School

Over the past few months, I've hinted on the blog that we were second-guessing our decision to enroll Kale in the Casa 1 (2.5yrs - 3.8yrs) program at a new Montessori school. Kale will by 2.3yrs. in September - two months shy of the preferred start age, but we thought Casa 1 would be the best fit for him.

About two weeks into his summer camp program in June, I started getting a nagging feeling that we'd made the wrong decision about September. Kale was having such a hard time with the transition to camp and I knew he wasn't getting the attention he needed because there were so many more kids there than there were in his classroom. I could see him looking lost, searching for someone to reassure him, and it broke my heart. I started to get really nervous about how September would go, knowing he was going into a classroom of twenty-something kids.

Around the same time, I ended up meeting a parent who had decided not to return to the September school because of really terrible experiences. It was not the first time I had heard someone having a negative experience with the Director and the conversation reaffirmed by concerns.

At this point, I visited another Montessori school (I know - we're lucky that we have so many to choose from!). I liked it, but wasn't convinced it was the perfect fit either.

Meanwhile, Kale was starting to settle into the summer program and he and I both LOVED his teachers. Wendy and Michelle were godsends and when I found out they taught together at the school we had him registered for in September, I started chatting with them more and gained their perspective about which class (Casa 1 or Toddler) would be most appropriate for Kale.

Kris and I knew we had a big decision to make. We talked a lot about what was important to us and ultimately decided to take him out of Casa 1 and enroll him in the Toddler program.

The following is a list of factors we considered. I thought I would share it in case others are trying to make a similar decision. If you came here just for the list, I apologize for the long introduction (believe it or not, this is the condensed version)! Here you are:

1. Licensing, accreditation & affiliations. There is no central authority that licences a school as a Montessori program. Therefore the important information to attain when choosing a school is the accreditation of their teachers and staff members, either through MACTE or AMI. Both schools we were looking at had AMI accreditation. Questions to consider: 

• Are teachers accredited with MACTE or AMI? 
• Does the school have a reputation as an authentic Montessori school?

2. Class size. This was a big one for us. Montessori schools in our province are governed by the Day Nurseries Act, which dictates the ratio of employees to children and group size. In the Toddler class, this means the ratio is 1 to 5, with a maximum of 15 children. In the Casa 1, the ratio is 1 to 8. Questions to consider: 

• What is the teacher to student ratio? 
• How big is the class? 
• What is the age range?

3. Teachers & Administration. When we went for a tour back in January, we had an opportunity to meet with the Director of the school. I had heard a few negative things about him, but I thought he seemed professional and clearly cared about his school. Later at an Open House, we met the teachers from the Casa 1 program and did not get a warm feeling from either of them. They didn't interact with Kale much and I felt like we were pulling teeth to get any answers to our questions form them. Michelle and Wendy, on the other hand, were warm and quick to interact with Kale and he immediately bonded with them. Questions to consider: 

• Do you feel comfortable with the Director/Administrator? 
• Do you feel a connection with the teachers? 
• Do the teachers seem to connect with your child?

4. Location. This was another important factor for us. The school he went to last year was on the other end of town. The two new schools we considered were both within walking distance. The school he will go to is two blocks away. Questions to consider:

• Are you willing/able to drive your child to and from school every day? 
• If you can't pick up your child if they're sick, is there someone close by that can?

5. School size. We'd like to keep Kale in Montessori as long as we can afford it. The school he was in last year and the other school I toured this summer only go to grade 1, whereas the school he's going to in September goes to grade 6. Questions to consider:

• What programmes are available at the Montessori school? 

6. Cost. Another big factor for us. While all the fees for Montessori schools in our area are around the same, the Casa 1 program offered a half day option for a decreased fee. This is the program we had signed Kale up for originally, and so had to accept that we would have to pay more for the Toddler program, which only had the full-day option. Questions to consider: 

• What are the fees for half day and full day? 
• What do the fees include (i.e. lunch, snacks, uniforms, etc.)

7. Classroom & Space. The school he went to last year and the other one I toured this summer are both fairly small with a very small outdoor area (although both are close to parks, that are frequented by the classes). The school we chose is actually very, very big (maybe a bit too big?) and has a huge outdoor space. The classroom is spacious and all the toilets and sinks are child-sized.

• What is the outdoor space like? 
• Is there a big space (i.e. a gym) indoors that kids can use if the weather is bad? 
• Are the materials in the classroom age-appropriate? 
• Is the classroom clean and organized? 
• Are the materials in the classroom Montessori? 

What things did you consider when choosing a Montessori school for your child? Were some things more important than others? Was there one thing that won you over? Did I miss anything in my list? I'd love to hear! 

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