I am the Head of School mentioned in this review. I cannot disagree with this reviewers account of things more.
We strive to be a shining example of the Montessori method. Children are allowed to go to the restroom and to their cubbies without an adult. They can fill pitchers and empty buckets without an adult. Occasionally, they can carry a message to another classroom without an adult. They are not confined to their classrooms like cages or jails. We give the children freedom tempered with discipline.
The toddlers, of course, are not given this freedom, because they are not ready for it. They have everything they need in their environment.
The reviewer, however, was referring to a Primary classroom. The children in this classroom are 3-6 years old. (Occasionally a child will enter at 2 1/2 years old.) The reviewer refers to a child in the Primary classroom as 18 months old. She mentioned this child to me, and I told her this particular girl was three. I am not sure why she would write something that she knew was not true, unless it was out of anger.
I can only guess that she was upset by comments that I made in an effort to comfort her, not offend her. It is hard on parents the first time their children go to school. It can be nerve-wracking to see your children given freedoms you may not give them at home. The bond between children and their mothers is strong. Parents worry about their children. We respect that and try to make this special time easy on both the child and their mother. We give parents articles, websites and books as references. We realize parents do not have the training that our teachers have. This, of course, does not make them stupid, it makes them a new parent at school. A parent that we are trying to make comfortable.
As for the serious comments made by the reviewer, I cannot emphasize how much we love these children. We do not leave them alone. We would never endanger them. I invite anyone who is considering enrollment, to come and see our school for yourselves. I look forward to meeting you.
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