San Francisco, CA
Belvedere Montessori
Parents at this school would recommend this school to other parents. |
Review this preschool |
neighborhood: Cole Valley · Telephone: (415) 564-3173
General Approach to Learning
| Play-based | |
| Play-based with some structure | |
| Predominantly teacher-led instruction | |
|
|
Montessori |
| Waldorf | |
| Co-op | |
| Reggio-Emilia |
source:
Social Skills & Work Habits
| OVERALL RATING (4.2) |
|
| This school has increased my child's: | |
|---|---|
| Ability to listen and follow directions |
|
| Ability to sit still for longer periods of time |
|
| Ability to be a part of a group of children |
|
| Self-sufficiency and independence |
|
| Awareness of others’ feelings |
|
| Cooperation with other children |
|
source:
Curriculum and Teaching Approach
| PLAY-BASED | PLAY-BASED WITH SOME STRUCTURE | MOSTLY TEACHER LED | NOT FORMALLY IN CURRICULUM | CONDUCIVE ENVIRONMENT | ||
| Language | - | |||||
| Oral language | - | - | - | - | n/a | |
| Nursery rhymes, poems, songs | - | - | - | - | n/a | |
| Storybook reading | - | - | - | - | n/a | |
| Emerging literacy skills | - | - | - | - | n/a | |
| Cognitive Development | n/a | |||||
| Math and number sense | - | - |
|
- | - | |
| Time & space | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Sci. reasoning/physical world | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Music | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Visual arts | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Physical activity | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Other subjects taught | n/a | |||||
source:
Parents' Comments
Parent #1
While most of my answers were 'teacher-led instruction' there is often a balance going on. While some kids might be writing in their journals being 'instructed', others may be playing in the garden looking for slugs. This being Montessori, the teachers follow the pace of the individual child. The kids also cook quite a bit in the classroom.
Parent #2
Older children keep daily journals in which they copy a new sentence each day. But these sentences are often the director's own quirky reflections about the day's news or other matters and are not really appropriate material for the children. They seemed chosen to amuse the parents, not inspire the children.
Parent #3
The days at Belvedere Montessori are so action-packed, the teachers' focus is on keeping everything on schedule and crowd control, not on engaging students one-on-one. We love the daily field trips though it makes us a tad nervous knowing the director refuses to carry a cellphone even though the parents offered to buy the phone and pay for the service plan. Stay-at-home Moms in the neighborhood have commented that when the kids are on the playground, there is little interaction with the teachers, who sit on the sidelines and do their own thing.
Parent #4
One thing that is certain is that the director has a routine for the children. A routine with daily activities that I, to this day, can not figure out how she packs so much into one day. Unless is pouring down rain, the children physically walk to a local playground (not just a fenced in play yard) EVERY DAY. After having our son in this environment, I can't imagine him being stuck another preschool in one building looking at the same four walls all day. The weekly routine includes: at least one major field trip, a daily playground jaunt, knitting, music, library visits, swimming, cooking, dancing, gardening, art and of course free play for example.
Parent #5
These kids get more physical activity than at any other school of which I am aware. They walk, swim, and play for hours every day.
Advertisement
Being Savvy Today
SavvyPicks: A Few of Our Favorite Parenting Books
Being the parent of a small child is nothing if not perplexing and ever challenging. Just when you think you've got the routine down, that little one decides to grow and change and test you -- so you need some new tricks, fast! Where do
Montessori? Waldorf? Play-based?
What school type is right for your child? Is one model better than another? What does the research say?
View an example from the Savvy Source guide to learn more.
Today's “Preschool’s Out” Activity
At some point, all little boys (and some girls) become obsessed with trucks and "crashing." My son (read more)
| Comment (1) |
This Week's Poll
Off the Beaten Path
Plan fun activities to do in:
Advertisement
Preschools Activities Savvy Parenting Books, Toys & More My Child's Development
About Us Feedback Privacy Policy Comment Policy News Blog Partners Sitemap
© Savvy Source for Parents 2006 - 2008



