How critical is it to choose an academics-based school for pre-school versus a Montessori-style pre-school?

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oxford asks:

Can anyone shed some insight on how Montessori programs stack up?
My child has tested in the high range ( 136 average with 141 high and 127 low) on Wppsi last month while in the process of looking for a pre-school/pre-K programs (she turned 4 last month). The score has my husband and I baffled and rethinking possible options.

Our child has been reading fluently since age 3 and we have been looking into mostly Montessori schools - upon friends' recommendations that children are not held to an "age" but go at their own speed....but after receiving results of the test and talking to others, we question if we should not be looking at more traditional schools with a higher academic focus......( We still aim for a happy, balanced child!)
How do Montessori programs stack up, and, will my daughter miss an opportunity to capture a critical learning "stage" if she's not in an academic setting for the next 2 years???
Thanks -
Caught off-guard....and feeling under educated in preschool education!

In Topics: Preschool

> 60 days ago

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Development... writes:

Thanks for reaching out. This is a great question, and the answer is not simple. My understanding is that high potential learners do better in schools that accommodate individualized learning and room for challenge and acceleration. You could find this in both academic and Montessori programs. A school match also depends on the social emotional needs of your child as well as their learning style. Here are resources on our site to get you started. I also suggest contacting the National Association of Gifted Children. A URL and an article about Choosing a School is also listed below. Good luck. From, the Staff at Education.com

http://www.education.com/reference/gifted/

http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Selecting_School/

http://www.nagc.org/default.aspx?id=206

> 60 days ago

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