蒙特梭利國際學校

dadmumkids

請問有沒有人聽過位於天后的蒙特梭利國際學校小學好不好?

bloglo110

好，你可以去佢的open day了解多D。

elmostoney

反而係小朋友suitable否. 個人以為montessori 唔係個個啱, 我個女都考左, 收左, 諗左一星期, 最後放棄.  我個仔都會轉去佢地幼稚園, 希望佢ok可以上埋小學.  如果小朋友fit montessori, 讀出來可以好勁, 但呢d真係因人而異.

funnymommy

elmostoney - may I ask why you think your son is suitable for Montessori but not your daughter? What sort of characteristics do you think you need to be successful in Montessori? I am thinking about my sons and whether they are suitable or not, and I would be interested to know your opinion. By the way, from another thread, you said your children went to Best Concept Montessori. My 3 1/2 year old son goes there but he just started so I don't have an opinion yet about its suitability.

elmostoney

我個仔本身好專注, 有好奇心之餘亦有動力去探索, 而且唔怕失敗.  我個女完全相反, 佢有機會有ADD, 好容易分心, 怕難怕失敗, 如果佢唔想做個樣野, 老師唔迫, 佢真係唔會同你做又或好抗拒.  我擔心montessori 比佢自己安排時間, 結果佢拖拉住物都做唔到, 而且個個小朋友有機會同時間做唔同野, 佢咪更分心? 所以佢考左小學後, 我都諗左一星期, 雖然我自己好鍾意montessori, 但係都要因人施教.  我唔敢講佢一定唔得, 但係就非常睇個老師, 我覺得有d搏, 所以都係留返係而家間學校.  對佢來講structured learning比較好d.

dadmumkids

我一直很喜歡蒙特梭利的教學理念, 學校剛錄取了我兩個孩子,他們性格各有不同, 希望學校能發揮他們所長.

其實在香港的國際學校學位並不是那麼多, 有些學校如英基就偏向選擇外籍的小朋友, 孩子能考入此校我很高興, 不過沒有中學連接, 到時又要頭痛.

有沒有家長可以分享此校情況?
或者有沒有此校的家長可pm我作聯繫?

謝謝!!

lw1123

我個女啱啱in完鴨脷洲嗰間，但已經有 victoria AM offer, 唔知邊間啱佢。其實邊類型嘅小朋友啱montessori 嘅教學方法呢？

bloglo110

你都可以visit，個人認為校舍細，空間感不足。另你可考慮dms.

elmostoney

主動學習嘅小朋友比較啱montessori. 如果要人多d帶住, 又或老師比多d guidelines, 咁就差d.

dms中環校舍我覺得ok啦, 都係全indoor，如果入到IMS天后或海怡，起碼佢地有outdoor. 不過最重要唔係校舍，係老師！我重來唔睇校舍選校，我個仔讀左３年montessori，如果大家以校舍揀校，呢間一定唔入流，但係我個人意見，我認為作為幼稚園，教細仔，真係超哂班．如果唔係為左入IMS小學鋪路，等佢涵接得好ｄ，我都未必會轉我個仔入去IMS讀最後一年casa.更豪華嘅超級校舍，冇好嘅老師配合，都冇物發揮．如果真係要講校舍，係港島區,西環間casa del bambini　優勝．

elmostoney

濕疹仔，你講個間係ICMS? 我可以話，如果你當普通英文幼稚園讀都ｏｋ，小朋友會開心，但如果你想小朋友接受montessori教育就唔好入呢間．不過呢間ICMS又幾得意，好多小朋友申請英基都抽中，有得面試．

ChungTang

回復 elmostoney 的帖子

I'm considering to send my kid to the montessori primary but the information about IMS is very limited on line.  it's good to see that there are some parents here have some comments toward IMS primary.  i haven't arranged a visit to the IMS school yet, but can anyone tell me what is the recent school fee and debenture price for IMS?
Also, IMS claims they are running the montessori IB and montessori PYP.  do you know what's the differences to normal IB and PYP??  montessori encourages student to learn on their own pace, but at the same time, IB/PYP got a certain standard needs student to be able to achieve.  So how can IMS get the balance in between the 2 different educational methods??

elmostoney

chungtang, just curious.  how old is your child?

I don't think  IMS is IB/PYP. According to their website, "The group chose the Montessori Method over the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (IB PYP)."  Perhaps you are mistaken.

Personally, I don't think IB/PYP is superior to any other methods in any way.  I truly can't understand what is all the hype about it.

IMS debenture is $75,000.  School fees for full day is $12000~$13000/month.

ChungTang

回復 elmostoney 的帖子

it is written that - IMS will review regularly to the highly respected IB/PYP n will get in tune with it. I personally also dont think IB/PYP are more superior to other ways, but it is just being more clear to me of what IB is trying to bring the kids to, i mean the aspects they are targeting the kids to get achieve (as what i can read fr the IBO website). im just simply not very sure has IMS set the min target for student at each different level to get achieve, or they just allow student to work on their own pace, n wont push student to move up to the next level until the student get ready or feel comfortable to do.  cox i couldnt see a very detiled course outline at their website, so does the AMI site.
maybe it is still to early for me to deside for my kids. He will only start his n class after this summer, n most likely i will let him to continue the montessori school.  i put him in school as early as 1 year old, in both montessori school n also a normal IS school. it is easy to tell his difference of attending the 2 schools.  i agree that u say whether a kid can suit into the montessori schooling is highly depended on his character. my boy is the kind of kid never need to push, very academic, n take initiative to learn new tasks.  the montessori teacher alerts of his ability n let him to try the teaching material which is even beyond his age.  nfor the normal IS school, my son is just not that get into it n always trying to get the attention fr th teacher to show him some new things, while the other kids are just enjoying song singing or being happy to play with the repeated toys or games. may be my boy learns a bit too fast n he get bored easily. im struggling whether should put him in the montessori kindy or the normal kindy, as i also need to consider about the sibling priority for his little sister, yet it is still to early to tell if the little sister can get along with the montessori method.

elmostoney

Montessori's casa has a very clear program, but how much a child achieves highly depends on the child.  For sure, the teacher will teach every aspect of all the Montessori material.

As for primary, more self-motivation is necessary because they use less tools.  If you have any questions, join the school tour.  

I think by saying that, IMS is trying to make sure that it is not too out of sync with IB/PYP, but it doesn't make it a an IB school.  And frankly, after what I have heard from many friends about what they do in PYP/IB primary, I hardly think you miss too much by not doing it during the kindergarten and primary (esp early primary) years.  What they claim to be self-exploratory way of learning is implemented by many schools - which is probably the most important IB feature for the early years.  It is not a unique approach and is adopted by many non-IB schools.  Only for IB, they have other criteria, e.g. something about using mother tongue and other areas.  Most important, the school needs to pay a hefty annual maintenance fee to the IB organization.

funnymommy

Elmostoney
I agree with you entirely. I did the IB Diploma Program many years ago, and I had no difficulties at all changing from GCSEs to IB, without ever having heard of the IB until I was 16. I think if you come from a sound primary and secondary education, then you are definately capable of taking advantage of many streams of education.

I also don't understand the obsession nowadays with IB. IB emphasizes whole child development, inquiry based learning instead of rote learning, activity (played) and project base instead of textbook based, developing intellectual curiosity and community service. As many elementary teachers told me, this is exactly what school should do anyways, whether or  not they are IB accredited.
I also applied for IMS, but we applied late so havent gotten an interview yet. My 4 year old son is in an IB school currently. I am not sure that there is really that much difference between the two.
I think instead of worrying so much in the Primary years about IB or Montessori, the more relevant question should be which school is best at implementing and putting into practice the goals of a curriculum, which school has caring, loving teachers who put the children first and have a stable teacher population (in many IS, the teachers change every 2 teachers).

elmostoney

funnymommy, so glad to have someone who holds similar views about IB.  In my days at an American public high school, projects, community services, experiments, after-school sports, even music and a foreign language were ALL encouraged as part of the curriculum (though not required) if a student wanted to have a fair chance with a good university.  It's just...not so special.  What IB is asking children to do now is just putting down all these as requirements, but I tell you - it's been out there for YEARS.  Only in HK, emphasis has always been placed on grades and exams and pretty much nothing else, so now this IB "thing" has become the latest fad, imho.

funnymommy

Elmostoney, what will you decide for your son? I have learnt a lot from reading your posts. Have you decided whether you take ICA or IMS for your son? As you stated yourself, it seems that IMS is one of the few truly bilingual IS, with a great focus on Mandarin. One point you could consider - I was once told that an issue with Montessori is that the Montessori method is highly structured and planned out in detailed. So to the child, he may think that there is an element of free choice (you can do activity A or activity B) but in fact, the Montessori curriculum is rigid in that there is a list of material that each child needs to cover by a certain stage (so in fact, you have to do activities a - z,), and there is a prescribed order to a majority of it. On one hand, thats great because I sometimes wonder if the IB is too vague and too focused on soft skills (like environmental awareness and cultural diversity) at the expense of the core basics like literacy and numeracy. On the other hand, is it too regimented?
Very happy to have the opportunity to share with other moms

elmostoney

The problem with IB, as I gathered from many different sources (parents, students, and former teachers), is that it aims to achieve too much with very little guidance to the teacher.  So teachers teaching the same subject to two different classes of the same level may have VERY different expectations.    In other words, it could be quite unstructured - unless the school steps in and coordinates an IB curriculum centrally (and some schools are going in that direction).  

You are right in that Montessori is quite structured, but to a highly motivated child, it will not diminish his curiosity.  A good teacher will also allow room for a child to explore.  I really like the fact that Montessori lets a child  work at his own pace.  Lately, my son is very much into math. The first thing he does in school is usually math or take his biscuit.  He is able to focus for a long stretch of time.  If I put him in a regular school, he will have to go with the flow  - math time, reading time, golden (play) time.  What if he wants to do more math?  What if he wants to read more?  A normal school won't allow him to set his schedule, and will instead, ask him to break his concentration and move on.  What if his "discovery" lies in his lengthy work and thoughts?  

So I still haven't decided yet.  ICA is also a great school.  I know the teacher has been doing adjustments with the children.  Those who are capable and want to do more are given something that suits their need.  Those who need extra help have been getting some one-on-one attention.  So in a way, they do customize.  So I have schedule to meet up with my daughter's teacher to discuss how the class will be run and how my son can benefit. Keep my fingers crossed.

stephentcw

Hi there. May I know any comments to various Montessori school? Such as ICM, IMS or else?

Many thanks!