Frequently Asked Questions

LMMH General FAQ’s

How much free time do children get in a day?

The children have 45 minutes for lunch and 1 hour for recess every day.

Are hot meals provided?

Children under the age of 3.8yrs are required to have a hot meal which parents order through Kids Kitchen. Many parents order a la carte meals with Kids Kitchen for children older than 4 years.

Are teachers available for parent communications?

Teachers are readily available to meet with parents before or after school by appointment

Where do they do gym?

Casa students enjoy Montessori music and movement programs every week in our large outdoor play spaces or in their classrooms (if weather does not permit outdoors).
Elementary students enjoy gym outings. Though the campus boasts a large space for outdoor recreation, we strongly believe that formal sport instruction is important. LMMH students are given expert instruction at topnotch facilities for golf, swimming, skiing, tennis and other sports. The students are bussed to facilities weekly to enjoy lessons at their individual levels.

What is the Casa program schedule like?

The Montessori work cycle for our Casa students is in the morning. The afternoon is shorter and consists of naps, quiet work and circle time.

What if the parents are not French-speaking?

Most of the students in our French programs do not have prior knowledge of French, nor are their parents French-speaking. There is an adjustment period for the child as would be expected however, within 4-6 months, students acquire the vocabulary and skills necessary to participate and communicate. Within a year, many are mostly fluent.

Montessori Elementary FAQ’s

Why do Montessori teachers encourage my young child to be independent?

Helping a child develop independence and self-sufficiency is a hallmark of Montessori programs. Children who are independent and make self-directed choices develop self-confidence and experience pride when they accomplish their goals.
In the Montessori classroom, young children are supported to become autonomous in caring for their personal needs and in taking care of their classroom environment. Children are given freedom of movement and choice over their activities in the classroom and are encouraged and supported to “do it for themselves.”
-Montessori students are self-confident learners who believe in their own abilities to accomplish a task. This confidence and self-reliance set the stage for all future learning.

How many students are typically in a Montessori class?

Unlike some private schools, which strive for very small classes, Montessori values the lessons of community that can happen when the size of the class is somewhat larger. A larger, multi-age class encourages students to rely on themselves and their peers as resources, rather than going directly to a teacher for support first. In elementary the students benefit from having a larger classroom as there is a lot of group and project work.

What about testing and homework? My child won’t manage in the real world if he/she doesn’t have experience with testing and homework.

While it may seem that within a Montessori classroom, testing does not take place, it actually does. Dr. Montessori built self-testing into the use of her materials so that when a student uses the materials in an incorrect manner, they are able to detect the error and may then self-correct. Additionally, the teacher in a Montessori classroom is constantly observing each student, taking notes and assessing the student’s progress and need for additional presentations or work. The teacher knows the child’s work so intimately from this experience that they can assess first hand whether the student has mastered the piece of work or area of knowledge and is ready to move on. This happens every day in a Montessori classroom. Additionally, while traditional forms of testing are not implemented in a Montessori school, we recognize that eventually our students will have to take tests as they move on to high school or college/university. That is why at LMMH we do the CAT test every year at the elementary level to get the students used to writing tests.

Without things like a rotational schedule of classes and homework, how will my child learn about time management?

In a Montessori classroom, time management is encouraged from an early age. In Year 3 (and sometimes earlier depending on the child), each child is introduced to a journal that they use to record their daily and weekly work, plan for the week ahead and outline what work remains to be completed. Students are responsible for completing this each week, and in doing so, time management becomes second nature to them.

Is technology offered?

At LMMH technology is introduced when it is developmentally appropriate. While today’s technological society requires us to be knowledgeable and adept at using technology, there is a specific time for this to be introduced to the child so that they can engage with it in an appropriate way. Additionally, because technology changes at such a rapid pace, we need not worry that our children will be unable to catch up. At the Elementary level, technology is introduced to support the acquisition of keyboarding skills as a path toward the utilization of the computer to complete work reports/presentations, which is required at the high school level. The students in upper elementary are also introduced to research and project presentations using the computer. Some of the programs they are introduced to are Power Point, Word as well as Google Slides, Scratch (coding) and many more as they are required.

In terms of sports, what is offered at LMMH?

The elementary student’s gym program is all about learning different sports. They attend 7 to 8 week programs with professional instructors and are divided by their level for each individual sport. The various sports that are taught at LMMH are; skiing or snowboarding (student choice), tennis, golf as well as others that will change from year to year such as; hip hop, badminton, soccer etc.

What happens when these kids enter the “real world” of education? How are they going to adjust?

There are a number of researchers who have tracked the outcomes of Montessori students in comparison with other groups of children and as they leave the Montessori environment. Overwhelmingly, they suggest that Montessori students can adjust with little or no trouble. In fact, research points to the fact that Montessori students are very well prepared for the “real world” and are able to adjust to new and different contexts easily. Please refer to a number of key pieces of research that support this notion including:
-Biello, David, “Students Prosper with Montessori Method”, Scientific American, September 29, 2006. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=students-prosper-with-mon
-Hughes, Dr. Steven, “Good at Doing Things”, found at http://www.goodatdoingthings.com
-Rathunde, Kevin (2003): A Comparison of Montessori and Traditional Middle Schools: Motivation, Quality of Experience, and Social Context; NAMTA Journal, Vol. 28, No. 3.b.
-Stoll Lillard, Angeline, Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius, Oxford University Press, New York: 2005.

Do Montessori teachers follow a curriculum?

Montessori schools teach the same basic skills as traditional schools and offer an advanced academic program. Most of the subject areas are familiar—such as math, science, history, geography, and language—but they are presented through an integrated approach that weaves separate strands of the curriculum together. While studying a map of Africa, for example, students may explore the art, history, and inventions of several African nations. This may lead them to examine ancient Egypt, including hieroglyphs and their place in the history of writing. And the study of the pyramids is a natural bridge to geometry! This approach to curriculum demonstrates the interrelatedness of all things. It also allows students to become thoroughly immersed in a topic—and to give their curiosity full rein.

Why don’t Montessori report cards come with a grade such as the traditional education system?

Montessori students typically do not receive letter or number grades for their work. Grades, like other external rewards, have little lasting effect on a child’s efforts or achievements. The Montessori approach nurtures the motivation that comes from within, kindling the child’s natural desire to learn. A self-motivated learner also learns to be self-sufficient, without needing external reinforcement. In the classroom, of course, the teacher is always available to provide students with guidance and support. Although most Montessori teachers don’t assign grades, they closely and continuously observe and assess each student’s progress and readiness to advance to new lessons. Most schools hold family conferences a few times a year so parents may see samples of their child’s work and hear the teacher’s assessment—and perhaps even their child’s self-assessment.

How is Montessori valuable for a university student?

The child-centered approach of Montessori, emphasizing independence and personal responsibility, is the type of experience that leads to an accomplished student who is comfortable with an independent approach to learning. Continuing a Montessori education provides consistent reinforcement that can prove to be invaluable to the first year university or college student. “Providing a Montessori education today may have added benefits for tomorrow. That is one of the reasons we selected Montessori for our child.” Doug McCann, Ph.D. Department of Psychology York University Toronto, Canada.

Wouldn’t my elementary-aged child’s social life be better in a larger school setting?

Research shows that learning social skills at the elementary age improves both academic performance as well as a child’s attitude toward school and about themselves and others. That being said, we believe that social skills should be taught and practiced with guidance just like any other skill. As they learn communication and cooperation skills, their level of emotional distress decreases and confidence increases. At LMMH we believe in setting up the students for successful socialization. Having a smaller population of students allows us to manage, direct and coach the students when they have a conflict with another student. At LMMH the students are taught to be respectful to all the students regardless of age, culture etc. After developing these necessary skills in our smaller, safe, and inclusive community, children in our elementary program are given the tools they will need to be prepared for the social challenges they will inevitably face in secondary school, university/college, adulthood, work, and life. At the same time, they will be in ‘training’ to handle the social life of high school and will easily adapt and make new friends with like-minded attitudes towards school.