Answers to Frequently Asked Questions: Q1. Why is it necessary to put your child in nursery school? A. It isn't. Although most children are ready at age three for some sort of program with other children, not every child is. The point is to know your child and what works for your child and for you and your family. One of the main reasons that parents do put their children in nursery school, however, is simply for the social experience. It's a very easy & regular way to get them together with other children. Q2. Why do you recommend sending a child to a Montessori nursery school rather than a non-Montessori nursery school? A. We don't necessarily. We recommend sending a child to a school that has a lot of great material of various kinds, that has teachers who love & understand kids, and that encourages both socialization and the ability to get satisfaction out of the work that they do. That might or might not be a Montessori school. Q3. What do you want children to get out of school? A. We want them to find friends that they love and we also want them to find activities & work that they love & take satisfaction in. Q4. So, what is Montessori anyway? A. Some of the aspects of Montessori education are: (a) Structure the environment, not the child. (b) Teachers are observer first, then teachers. (c) Early learning is sensorial, a literal hands-on experience. (d) All Montesori classrooms are divided into certain areas. Click here for further explanation on the Montessori Method. Q5. What is the difference between a Montessori & a non-Montessori nursery school? A. Montessori schools will probably have more materials that appear to be specifically "learning" materials, e.g. math & reading or pre-reading materials. Otherwise it's not always clear what the differences are. Schools can vary pretty widely within the categories of "Montessori" & "non-Montessori" so you might well find schools between those categories that are more similar than schools within these categories. Q6. What is the difference between this Montessori school & West Side or Metropolitan? A. We have a good relationship with both of these schools, but the truth is that we haven't observed either of them in about twenty years. But even if we had, I'm not sure that what we think the differences are, are as important as what you think the differences are. You really just have to go see for yourself. Morningside did not make a decision to become deliberately different from West Side & Metropolitan. We just did what we were happy & comfortable with, & so evolved into the kind of school we are now.

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions:

Q1. Why is it necessary to put your child in nursery school?

A. It isn't. Although most children are ready at age three for some sort of program with other children, not every child is. The point is to know your child and what works for your child and for you and your family. One of the main reasons that parents do put their children in nursery school, however, is simply for the social experience. It's a very easy & regular way to get them together with other children.

Q2. Why do you recommend sending a child to a Montessori nursery school rather than a non-Montessori nursery school?

A. We don't necessarily. We recommend sending a child to a school that has a lot of great material of various kinds, that has teachers who love & understand kids, and that encourages both socialization and the ability to get satisfaction out of the work that they do. That might or might not be a Montessori school.

Q3. What do you want children to get out of school?

A. We want them to find friends that they love and we also want them to find activities & work that they love & take satisfaction in.

Q4. So, what is Montessori anyway?

A. Some of the aspects of Montessori education are:
(a) Structure the environment, not the child.
(b) Teachers are observer first, then teachers.
(c) Early learning is sensorial, a literal hands-on experience.
(d) All Montesori classrooms are divided into certain areas.

Click here for further explanation on the Montessori Method.

Q5. What is the difference between a Montessori & a non-Montessori nursery school?

A. Montessori schools will probably have more materials that appear to be specifically "learning" materials, e.g. math & reading or pre-reading materials. Otherwise it's not always clear what the differences are. Schools can vary pretty widely within the categories of "Montessori" & "non-Montessori" so you might well find schools between those categories that are more similar than schools within these categories.

Q6. What is the difference between this Montessori school & West Side or Metropolitan?

A. We have a good relationship with both of these schools, but the truth is that we haven't observed either of them in about twenty years. But even if we had, I'm not sure that what we think the differences are, are as important as what you think the differences are. You really just have to go see for yourself.

Morningside did not make a decision to become deliberately different from West Side & Metropolitan. We just did what we were happy & comfortable with, & so evolved into the kind of school we are now.