Traditional Daycare or Montessori - What's Really the Difference?

I would start with a good daycare setting. Maybe around three yo go for
Montessori or another preschool. Let her just get used to other kids and
enjoy being a baby.

As a preschool teacher, I do appreciate the theory and activity of a Montessori program. If it were me doing this research, I'd find some resources on Montessori theory before making any decisions. There are plenty of websites online that can provide you with materials.

I think your statement about one style focusing more on independent learning and the other being more play-based is probably true. However, every teacher and program runs their classroom differently, and so you might find a Montessori teacher who is a bit more flexible in their approach or a very rigid daycare teacher. Or, vice versa. So here, observation of the classroom is key. A teacher's personality can have the biggest influence on the group and the 'tone' of the classroom.

One plus I have found with Montessori programs is that their teachers have gone through a training of at least a year to become certified Montessori teachers. They do require program participants to have a Bachelors degree, and so you are getting a teacher who has specifically trained to be a teacher. This is a job they desire, and they have a lot of educational background. In contrast, some daycares don't set such a high bar for their teachers. (I'm not knocking daycare teachers, by the way, but admitting to a common practice of hiring lesser-qualified applicants because they can pay them less and keep childcare prices lower.)

If you are interested in either program and have toured the school, ask the director about going in to observe the prospective classroom. First, without your daughter, if they allow. You might find the program wanting and then, why bring her along? This is your decision, anyway.

One last thing to add: I don't really know how much you can prepare a child for preschool. When children enter my program at age three, I am prepared to help them move through the day with the group, (eating snacks and lunches at scheduled times, coming together a couple times a day for group activities and stories, etc.), develop their fine-motor and self-help/care skills, teaching them to negotiate how to be in the group together and practicing skills for finding positive ways to get their needs met within the group.

I'm also of the opinion that 2 years old is still a great time to be at home (if you like), or with a loving home-care provider in a small group. Your daughter can learn much of what she needs to know in this sort of an environment, too, and with a smaller group, the teacher can be far more present and better focused on helping her throughout the day. Be sure, though, that this is a home care program with the structure of a daily routine and planned activities. Older toddlers need a lot of support when dealing with the daily work of being within a small cadre of other children. I run a small program and have found that we have a lot of peace-- and I can better support this group than my previous larger ones-- because I've got fewer voices to tune into and more ability to be present. This especially helps my littlest ones, who need a lot of support transitioning from their home to the community environment.

I'm sure other parents will chime in, and I hope some of what I've shared helps. I'm sure you will make the best decision for your family--you seem like a very thoughtful mother!:)

The concept behind montessori is allowing children freedom (to a degree, there is still quite a LOT of structure) within a "prepared" environment.

Here's a cut/paste from wiki to save me some typing

"The Montessori method involves a curriculum of learning that comes from the child's own natural inner guidance and expresses itself in outward behavior as the child's various individual interests are at work. Supporting this inner plan of nature, the method provides a range of materials to stimulate the child's interest through self-directed activity. In the first plane of development (0–6), these materials are generally organized into five basic categories: practical life, sensorial, math, language, and culture. Other categories include geography (a child's perception of himself in space), history (a child's perception of himself in time), and science (interactions with the natural world)."

So in a montessori classroom a couple things are always found:

Prepared environment - look here for some of the materials one finds in a classroom:
http://www.nienhuis.com/index.php
http://www.montessorird.com/index2.php?cPath=1&osCsid...

Multiage - instead of a 2yo room, 3yo room, etc... one finds kids age 2-6 in the same room (and later grades 1-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12). Typically the older kids teach the younger children and the younger children model after the older children (one reason why montessori kids tend to pick up *good* habits at preschool instead of biting/ hitting/ tantrums/ etc), but in actual practice if a 4 year old has never done a "map work" -geography- and a 3yo HAS... the 3yo teaches the 4yo how to do the map work... to the teaching and learning from others is actually more fluid. And the whole 90% of what one teaches is really very true.

Schedule

Montessori schools aren't free for alls... but are broken down into group/ teacher led/ child led/ snack/ cleanup/ & play times. These transitions are typically pretty "fixed". In my son's school there was a couple minute warning between each transition with a first bell (hand bell) ring, and then the actual transition time. The schedule does the whole consistency thing (which as parents, we need no explanation), and the time warning allows children to wrap up what they're working on and transition smoothly. For my own son (who would get *intent* on what he was working on, this was a godsend. Because if he wanted to be doing mapwork, or outer space work, he could do it ALL day... and learned he just needed to put it away for awhile and could come back to it during the next worktime). In my son's school the schedule looked like this: Arrive, circle time, works time, snack & playground, works time, playground time, teacher led time, lunch and playground time, circle time, works time, snack & playground time, teacher led time, playground time, works time, playground and pickup time (3pm). Kids could start at either 9, lunch & play time at 12 or 1... and could half day (with or without lunch) or full day.

And Hazel saved me some work: ditto everything she said.

Montessori is a method, but each school is independently operated so there is a lot of variation just as Hazel stated. I would recommend finding the two or three that are most convenient for you and touring them with your child. You will know what looks and/or feels right for both of you when you get to experience a little of it.
Good luck.

My daughter (now 7) was not emotionally ready for school until pre-k. I knew that. My son (2) LOVES his daycare.

I checked into both and seeing the schedules... The only thing I saw different was the amount of money.

My son is very outgoing and independant. He has so many little friends... Even a little 'girlfriend' that he holds hands with in daycare. You can find a good daycare. You just have to visit some to get an idea first.

Keep in mind that there's a broad range of styles/philosophies in preschool or daycare providers. There's even a range of style/philosophy in Montessori places. Most places will have a brochure or booklet that describes their mission, their techniques, their rules. Collect these from a number of places and read them carefully. Ask a __lot__ of questions if anything isn't clear. Don't presume you know what a place stands for and/or allows without checking it out in advance.
Good luck.

Totally, like other moms have said, visit the places that are convenient and affordable for you, then go with the one that you like best. I know this seems like obvious advice but, there you go. Personally, I've heard some weird things about Montessori schools (like they didn't turn up the heat in the winter, or the director was really nasty), but I'm sure that depends on the particular establishment. Visit the schools, and go with your gut! My daughters have been very happy going to a traditional daycare part-time. I think the most important issue is once you choose a place, to stick with it so the kids have consistency and stability. Good luck!

All three of my children went to a montessori preschool when they were 2 (and stayed there for 2s, 3s and 4s before going to kindergarten). The 2s program is really like going to school. There were 10 children in the class and they had various scheduled activities through the day including circle time, work time (where they get to choose an activity to do like painting, washing pumpkins, doing a puzzle, having a snack, building with blocks etc....) Each of the work time activities are very educational even though they may not seem like that. Montessori fosters independence. So, for instance, snack time involves multiple steps of getting a tray and a napkin, pouring your own juice/milk, eating, and then cleaning up after yourself.

They also had music, gym, nature, etc...

I've never used a daycare, so can't really compare it. I assume daycare has longer hours, kids of various ages, and not as much academics. More just entertainment.

We loved montessori preschool. Great experience and really made my children very independent and they were definitely well prepared for kindergarten. My three kids all have very different personalities and all three thrived there.

There are several styles of daycare, not just Montessori vs. "traditional", and you really do need to visit the schools to see what each is like. I visited about 8 different schools when selecting one for my daughter (age 3 1/2) and saw at least 5 different styles of learning. Some promoted almost complete independence, which strong emphasis on creative play; others were much more structured but still based on creative play; others were more like classrooms, with children doing lots of worksheets, etc. etc.

Where I live, preschools do not start until age 2 1/2. Before then, it is just a daycare setting, where children are basically just playing - it is not the same as a school, so I have to admit, your question confuses me a bit. If you mean for her to have a more social environment with other children, then yes, 2 is the right age to put her in a daycare, which is a more social environment, but not a school. I don't think daycares really differ much, but schools / preschools certainly do. And you definitely have to take into account your child's personality when choosing a preschool, as the right fit is going to make the difference between her hating school and her loving it.

I have two kids and have had them in both settings. I really think it is more about how you feel about the center than how they teach. For me the issue was more which I was comfortable with, the feeling I got meeting the teachers and in how the place was run. Visit each, with your child if possible, and see how you feel and how your child does in the setting. Most preschools I have been in will let you do that and you will get a good feel for how your child might fit in. I loved the Montessori we went to, a true Montesorri method, and my kids also learned to be independent in a traditional setting because of the teachers. I really think a lot has to do with the teachers and the school. Go visit - it is the best way to decide.

I'd keep her home with you as long as possible - just get out and about doing interesting things with her. Get a membership to the local children's museum, go to story hour at the library, go to parks, sledding, etc. Lots of people put out a Montessori shingle and most have no clue what that means. Read up on Montessori - my daughter went to a real one and it was fantastic for her - she is also like your daughter.