How do children transition from Montessori to traditional school?

When Dr. Montessori spoke of 'education for life' she meant preparing a child for the myriad experiences he or she will encounter, both in and outside of school, which of course includes moving from a Montessori primary classroom into high school.

A child who’s been in a Montessori classroom since age 3 has had many years of daily practise in working cooperatively; negotiation with peers; being a leader or a follower, depending on the requirements of the situation; and learning how to learn. Self-reliance and dependability have had the maximum potential to develop as this child made decisions about what to work on, and paced him or herself with the activity. All of these are invaluable skills that will serve the child in high school, higher education, and the workplace.

The Montessori emphasis is on learning for its own sake, for developing knowledge and awareness of the wonderful world around us. It awakens the natural human desire to know and understand. Children aren’t encouraged to compete, or to work simply to achieve a reward or avoid a consequence. Instead, the child has an opportunity to develop internal motivation, another valuable attribute for high school and the years beyond.

If your child leaves a Montessori pre-school (ages 3-6) class to begin in a traditional primary school, this is a natural transitional point. All children will be new to the primary level and will be adjusting to changes in routine and method. Similarly, a child leaving Montessori primary at age 12 to attend high school will be leaving at a natural transition point. Again, all the children will be new to high school and the different routines and expectations there.

A child leaving in the middle of the primary years is likely to experience the most “difference”, both in teaching methods and classroom routines. In some cases you may find that traditional education is incorporating limited aspects of what happens in a Montessori classroom, so the level of change required may vary greatly, depending on the new school your child will attend.

Some differences your primary child might have to adapt to include remaining seated in class, working on a lesson or activity with the entire class or a large group, using books and paper but no manipulative materials, and having work choices made by someone else (often the teacher). There may be, generally, fewer opportunities for a child to make choices for him or herself in the new setting.

During a child’s final Montessori primary years, he or she develops a greater level of abstraction with academic subjects and moves away from using the materials. At the same time he or she will be guided in improving planning and organisational skills, developing familiarity with standardised testing as appropriate, and working to a deadline. These skills will assist with the transition to high school.

Montessori graduates typically say they have been well prepared academically, and have the ability to organise themselves and work independently.

Here are a few comments by Australian graduates in the late 1990’s:

"Many important subjects are easy for me, because of what I learnt at the Montessori school. Such as math. The materials that the Montessori system uses make division, addition, subtraction and multiplication a whole lot easier." (Charles Barnett)

"When it came to class work and learning from a single teacher for a set amount of time I found it a lot easier than I expected. There were a few things that I had taken for granted, such as having a relationship with your teacher instead of seeing them as some monster trying to cram knowledge into your brain. I found that unlike other students I was happy to ask questions not because I didn’t understand but because I was genuinely interested and wanted to know more." (Freya Jephcott)

"Montessori gave me the correct social skills so that on my first day in high school I was able to interact with a different range of people from years

seven to twelve. My skills in English were improved, thanks to the contribution of the teachers at Montessori as well as the materials that we had access to. This makes it easier to understand grammar, comprehension, book reports, goal setting and writing when explained by the high school teacher." (Scott Klajman)