@younis, based on progression ng bata in terms of working with the materials and adapting to the prepared environment ang content ng reports. Nevertheless, kahit walang grades, you will be able to assess your child's progress through the reports, if the reports are made by a competent and Montessori-trained directress/teacher. Sa school ng sons ko, may orientation about the Montessori method sa start ng school year. Every semester, the school holds parent development seminars. Most seminars are geared towards fostering awareness about the Montessori method. Also, there is constant interaction through e-mails, text messages and short discussions between parents and teachers, aside from the twice a month school reports/journals. In short, there is a lot of opportunities to know how your child is doing in school so far. For me, it is better than just seeing a number or letter on a report card because parents do not really know the details and how the grade or rating was arrived at. I prefer the narrative report.
Every semester, parents are invited to observe their children in class. During the first sem, we just observed. Second sem, we actually get to "work" with our child in class and by doing so, we would know just how much progress the child has accomplished. Ibang-iba ang demeanor, system of working and behavior ng mga anak ko last sem when I observed them vis-a-vis last week when I worked with one of them (next week pa yung sa isa kong kid).
How did I personally come to know the progress of my sons? Verbally, their vocabulary developed beautifully and there was an explosion in their expressive language, they now speak in complete sentences, they could comprehend simple stories - I "test" their understanding while reading a story to them, they could follow simple instructions and narrate to us how their day went, etc.
Socially, they became more outgoing and bibo. They also have friends in school. They are not intimidated by older kids because in school, they have classmates who are 2-3 years older.
In the practical life area, I can say they've improved a lot. They know how to remove their clothes, button their shirts, untie their shoe laces, etc. Marami pa. Basta ang basis kasi ng Montessori, being well-equipped in the practical life area is as important as developing a child's academic skills. Marunong nga magbasa, magsulat and all, pero kung kailangan pa rin subuan, bihisan, hindi marunong magligpit ng gamit, etc. ang bata, hindi siya well-rounded.
In the sensorial development area, the focus is to refine and develop their fine motor skills. Where before they can only hold a pencil using the wrong grip (I forgot what it's called). Now, they can do it using the tripod grip.
Academically, they're starting to learn phonetics and practicing writing.
Montessori has a strong cultural arts program and I am quite amazed that my kids know the parts of the human body, the different systems (circulatory system, skeletal, muscular, etc.), the different continents, land and water forms, planets, etc. Not just know the names ha. They could explain the concepts in their own way and when quizzed, for example, as to where is the Philippines, they know it is in Asia. They know that Asia is the largest continent, etc.
Over all, I am quite happy. Ang goal ko kasi kaya ko sila pinag-preschool ng maaga is for them to develop social skills, be more independent and develop an inherent curiosity about the world. Nakikita ko ang mga iyan sa mga anak ko sa ngayon.
The reason it's expensive is because of the special training of the teachers and the materials - these are imported and do not come cheap and several of them are unique to Montessori. You could not find the materials in toy stores or in the mall. The directress recently went abroad to undergo training.
