Your view on montessori?

bretta

I'm thinking of setting up my own Montessori school. I'd appreciate parents views on the main priorities / concerns when choosing a preschool. e.g. Local, feeding into local schools, cost, facilities, activities available, etc. I would also appreciate advice from anyone who has already set up their own pre-school. Thanks.

Crea

I had a choice between 3 preschools. My main reason for picking one over the others was that it will have children in the class who will be going into the same primary school class as my son. The facilities and activities were also important. I good mix of learning and fun was something I was looking for where the children wouldn't be sitting at desks all day. The school I choose has an area for playing outside which I liked as well. It also has a bright and airy room, I eliminated one of the preschools because it was in a small room with not alot of natural light and it smelled slightly of damp.
So in short - a bright airy room with an area to play outside, a mix of learning and fun and a teacher who is friendly and genuinly likes children.
Best of luck with your endeavour.

cmurph

find your local county childcare office and give them a call , you are sure to get a mountain of info there , also the health board will send someone out and look over your place to see ifs its suitable
if you are building a premises the health board will do a pre planning meeting with you to see if ur plans fit in with childcare regulations.


there is also a grant you can apply for....alot of paper work but well worth it if you get it.
i got approved recently for 100,000 to build a playschool and afterschool service but i have had to decommit it as my local county council wouldn't give me planning:mad:

best of luck
caroline

crosstownk

cmurph wrote:

i got approved recently for 100,000 to build a playschool and afterschool service but i have had to decommit it as my local county council wouldn't give me planning:mad:

best of luck
caroline

My next door neighbour, where I used to live, had the same problem - couldn't get PP despite having plenty of space - it was down to the fact that she was in a housing estate and there were perceived to be traffic issues. Practicaly everyone on the road objected. Personally, I didn't see a problem - but it's a democracy, I suppose. Maybe the best thing is to apply for the PP before you put too much effort into other aspects.

@cmurph - you can have mine in your montessori if you'll collect and deliver them from Dublin

Crea

Crosstownk - on the other side of your arguement my mother lives up the road from a creche. The parents and staff park everywhere. The have no probs parking in front of peoples houses blocking driveways, they park on corners and on a few occasions have completely blocked the road. This is annoying for people on their way to/from work and school so that's probably why the neighbours objected.
Bretta - maybe include parking in your list

crosstownk

Crea wrote:

Crosstownk - on the other side of your arguement my mother lives up the road from a creche. The parents and staff park everywhere. The have no probs parking in front of peoples houses blocking driveways, they park on corners and on a few occasions have completely blocked the road. This is annoying for people on their way to/from work and school so that's probably why the neighbours objected.
Bretta - maybe include parking in your list

I can see why this would cause upset to residents, but it's only at certain times each day. If people parked properly then there would be no problem, but thats a whole other thread!

My neighbour had organised a pick up/drop off point in an effort to avoid the congestion. Another problem was that she didn't have a pre planning consultation with the residents.

EDIT - IIRC, she had a provision for staff parking - I could be wrong though.

undecided

I think the high scope curriculum was a major factor in my choice and a fantastic outdoor playarea.

My sons playschool sends home a copy book with different accomplishments that he makes.ie social interaction soothes another child who is sad It's like a little diary with one or two thing added per month I find this delightful and will be a lovely keepsake. Might be a nice idea.

bretta

Thanks for ye're views. They're a big help. I live in the country, so congestion or parking space won't be a problem, if i can get planning permission. I live about a half mile outside athe village where the local school is. Although i would be the nearest pre- school feeding into the national school, i wonder if parents would be put off by going slightly out of their way or if a quality service is enough to entice them to my (future) service. I'm also wondering if parents are more drawn to pre- schools within a full day care service, given that both parents are working in a lot of families.

dame

I was put off one particular montessori when I was handed the booklist of required items, for which we'd pay a good fee (along with the weekly fee) and they'd then provide these items for each child. The list included special pencils with rubber grips, crayons etc - which you'd assume the place would have anyway, and a complete set of early readers (as used in junior infants), a full set of junior infants workbooks, first sum copy, headline copy etc. In short it was the booklist of a child starting school. I felt that was ridiculous for a number of reasons. (1) The child will be in school long enough. (2) If she does all that now then she will spend her first year in school doing exactly the same stuff again, getting bored and frustrated. (3) Montessori is supposed to be about learning through fun play and activity, not sitting learning as they will when they go to school. (4) A book list for a play school/montessori is overkill and completely ridiculous, whatever is needed should be provided.

Things I would look for;
Modern, bright, spacious, clean.
Friendly and qualified staff (if you're doing montessori then have the specific qualifications, not all "montessori" places do).
Have everything provided that is needed, no booklist or essential equipment required to come with the child.
Snacks should be nutritious and healthy.
Plenty of different activities done each day (20/30 mins of one thing then move on, eg bead play, painting, clay modelling etc).
Outdoor play area with suitable play equipment.
Plenty of staff for the number of children attending.
Fees not extortionate.

Yes, I would prefer a montessori as part of an all-day facility because we both work. If running an all-day place you need to give the kids down-time too - a nap and free play time too, as well as the few hours of montessori.


My little brother attended a montessori that was a few miles away from us (out in the country) and the kids were all collected by a nice lady and buckled into their seats on a minibus, then returned afterwards. Maybe you could organise a pick-up service? If you're too far for people to walk to from the village then that might be a slight obstacle for mothers/grandmothers at home without cars.

dame

crosstownk wrote:

I can see why this would cause upset to residents, but it's only at certain times each day. If people parked properly then there would be no problem, but thats a whole other thread!

Yes, but it happens to be at the same times of the day when all the residents are heading to/from work/school. A facility like this in a housing estate should only be allowed if the parking is taken account of. In newer estates they plan them in when designing the estate and it fits in well.