Description of this type of school/schooling method:
Dr. Maria Montessori developed the Montessori School. She designed educational materials and methods that allowed the child to learn best by doing. Montessori schools continue to follow her method. Teachers are trained to create learning environments that encourage the child to reason and cooperate.
Dr. Montessori believed in creating a classroom that had very little in it, where a child was free to roam, to explore, finding things out on his or her own.

Materials and manipulatives are specially selected to lead the child to inquiry. Throughout the early years, students explore their imagination, they learn how to research and reenact the past by bringing it to life through hands on projects. As the student gets older, more traditional curricula is added to enable the young student to transition into the adult world and function in society.

Advantages:
Innovative curricula

Specially trained teachers

Specialized materials used in child development

Less structured classroom setting

Challenges:
Tuition costs

Transportation to and from school

Active role in Montessori school--commitment to school meetings, committees and projects

Is your child best suited for this less structured environment?

Tuition/Costs:
$5,000/year or less
$10,000/year or less

Other comments regarding tuition/costs:
Some Montessori schools may have a tuition less than $5000--usually this is for pre-k and kindergarten classes.

Montessori schools will generally cost about $4000 a year (keep in mind that this is an average--if you live in New York or Los Angeles, you might pay more).

Most Montessori schools are culturally diverse and have assistance programs for financial aid and sibling discounts.

Additional comments or suggestions:
Two helpful site to get a general overview of a Montessori school:

www.montessori.edu and
www.AmericanMontessori.org.

To search other web sites type ?ntessori schools plus city name?or contact local parent league and parent papers for information on Montessori schools in your area.

Once you have chosen schools that look interesting, you will need to contact each school? admissions department for more information. Each school has it? own method, but in most schools, you make an appointment to be taken on a tour. You will get to see first-hand how teachers and students interact in the class. Imagine how your child would fare in these. Have a list of questions that relate to your child and his or her needs. If you are comfortable with the philosophy of the school and the school is interested in your child, you will be sent home with an application to be filled out. Don? be surprised at the questions asked or how in-depth your answers need to be (this will vary from school to school). Remind yourself that you are choosing alternative schooling so that your child will get more focused, individualized attention.
Once the school has reviewed the application and is still interested, your child will be invited to the school for a day of review. Each school has its own approach; usually your child will visit a classroom and participate in the daily activities under observation. Then a single staff member from admissions, or a group of staff will interview him or her. The school will then review the application and make the decision if your child will be accepted or not.