Montessori School of Hong Kong vs. Highgate House School

[SSAVC]

Thanks Neha. I too have applied and have been to an intro. Was just wondering what experiences people with children at the school might have had.

 

[Neha]

Carang send her son for 1 month there and she said he loved it but she discontinued as she lived far

 

[angeltam]

Hi Julie,
I am very interesting in all you are talking about, would you please send me the articles.
I am having a 22 months old daughter, we started flash card with her since she was six, but now she is studying in Montessori school.

Angel

There are 2 interesting articles - One from Waldorf Education, a Family Guide (with an obvious bias towards Steiner Education) and another callled ' Montessori and Steiner, 'A pattern of reverse symmetries' - by D. Coulter. Another objective comparison is made in a book called 'Early Childhood Education', by Tina Bruce. I am trained and qualified in early childhood in both Montessori and Steiner Education and am one of the founder members of Highgate House School and Knapton Montessori School, UK. Please contact me if you would like copies of the articles or would like to discuss aspects of both educational philosophies.

Julie

 

[joannek]

AngelTam, I have personal experience w/ both Montessori & Waldorf (my daughter at IMS from 18mths-3yr old, and Highgate House from 13mths to present, she's now 3.5 years old ) if you google "Waldorf vs Montessori", several articles pop-up, amongst which, I found these 2 quite interesting & appropriate (from my own experience with Montessori & Waldorf). so in case Julie couldn't reply to you, pls check these out:

this is the one by D.Coulter mentioned by Julie
http://www.kindlingtouch.com/pdf/montandsteinerart.pdf

and this one is also appropriate
http://www.jnorth.net/mindmaps/personal/parenting/parenting research/Waldorfvs.Montesorri.html

what i did was, i started my daughter at Highgate mother/child playgroup when she was 1, twice a week. at 18mths, when IMS first started their toddler group, I also enrolled her, also twice a week. when the time came for her to get into nursery, i chose Highgate over Montessori. Do pay a visit to both schools, & you'll get a feeling. Do enroll your child to both, then you'll see the difference. i read those articles before i had enough experience to know the difference & not REALLY know what the articles meant. now i FULLY understand them.

 

[Neha]

But isnt it confusing to do 2 systems at one time. What u learn at Highgate is not the same as IMS.

 

[joannek]

i wanted to have the experience of both such popular methods. i wanted to know what the fad is about with montessori, and meanwhile staying at highgate cos both my daughter & i like it so much. and i think it also depends on what the home environment was like. i could see good influence on my daughter from both methods. but in the end, when the time come to choose, i chose the waldorf way.

in fact, if the Montessori way was done in a gentler manner at IMS, i think the 2 methods may compliment each other.

 

[joannek]

one more thing, a lot of waldorf teachers are actually montessori trained also. i'm not saying that you can become a waldorf teacher after being montessori trained, but usually they started as montessori teachers then also became passionate about the waldorf way.

part of the training of teaching at waldorf schools is, teachers are requesting to think of all the students in their class at the end of their day. if he/she fails to remember one of their students, it may mean that he/she is not paying enough attention to that child in that day at school. i only wish all teachers would do that. i will mean so much of the kids if their teachers are so devoted.

 

[mrsbee]

others have said, the teachers are dedicated but once they realize the lack of transparency and criminal activity that the school engages in, most leave immediately.

Hi,

could you please send me a message regarding the "criminal activity that the school engages in"?

we're looking a montessori in hong kong but we live in shatin. IMS is too far for us. Do you have any good suggestion?

:thanks

 

[fennho]

where is this waldorf and how soon do we have to register our kids?

 

[spockey]

Thanks Joannek for the articles.
Although either schools' not in our options as they are too far away, it is a necessary read for parents needing to make that choice.