“I love this school, but what happens next?” is a question asked by many parents who look ahead to the world of textbooks, tests, competition, and social hierarchy, wondering how their Montessori kids will fare as they transition on to the world of “traditional” schooling.

To respond to this question, the CMS Parent Education Committee called upon a panel of experts, a group of six Montessori grads ranging in ages from 13 to adult. The panel (see pictures) shared their post-Montessori experiences with a group of about 50 parents, students, and teachers on Thursday evening, Jan. 21. Panelists were selected for their longevity in Montessori (all had attended Montessori schools through at least the sixth grade, and two had attended through eighth) as well as their range of post-Montessori experiences. We were also fortunate to include one very experienced Montessori parent, whose three children (ages 14-18) have a collective history of 15 years at CMS.

Our moderator, Middle School teacher (and Montessori grad) Meredith Beaton queried the panel on a range of topics related to their transitions into “traditional” schools. The grads were reflective, humorous, and authentic as they shared their perspectives. One panelist commented that he felt homework helped to teach him time management and that required subjects in which he had little innate interest, taught him patience. One young panelist described her response to taking tests (as opposed to the more performance-based assessments used in Montessori); she stated, “I like the tests; they’re fun. It’s very simple. You learn, you take the test, you’re done!” Several panelists remarked on their astonishment (and dismay) when encountering students who just wanted to “get by” rather than really digging in to a subject. All commented on how Montessori helped them to become self-directed, creative learners who had developed a range of problem solving skills through their Montessori experiences. “There are many roads to go down to solve a problem,” one stated. “I don’t get discouraged; I just find another path.’

Some quotes from our grads:

“In Montessori you learn to seek out answers to questions you are asking yourself.”

“I learned the confidence to try.’

“You realize that you can make a difference.”

“Montessori taught me to be true to who I am.”

“I have great focus because of Montessori. I can put my head down and just work on something.”

The general consensus from the panelists was that the academic preparation in Montessori offered a strong foundation for the next level(s) of schooling. In some areas, they felt “much better prepared” than those around them; in some cases they worked to cover material that hadn’t been covered in the same way in Montessori, but all reported that they succeeded in doing this and in adjusting to new demands given some time.

In response to the question of how Montessori prepares one to compete in the “real” world, one panelist responded simply, “I am a litigator. Competing is what I do for a living!” Another noted that her children had not had difficulty competing when that was called for because they have such a strong sense of themselves due to their Montessori backgrounds.

Are there specific ways that the school can better prepare grads for the next phase of their educations? “Talk to them, and tell them, it will be different. Help them to know some of the things to expect, and then they will be mentally prepared.” In response to questions about sports (does Montessori provide enough opportunity for students to develop in this area?), several panelists stated that they had gotten involved in sports very successfully through their own efforts. One became a competitive swimmer, another a rower, a third was the captain of his school’s cross country ski team. Meredith (in a “shameless plug”) pointed out that CMS is now involved in developing a new Montessori Athletic Conference, which currently includes 12 schools focusing on the sports of basketball and soccer.

Overall, audience response to the evening was quite positive. “I learned a lot, and really appreciated the depth of the panelists”, one participant stated. Another stated that she appreciated the “authenticity” and individuality of the panelists, and the comfortable way our younger panelists participated among a group of adults. “That says a lot about the confidence of Montessori kids.”