OMG, they have to walk upstairs???
So many little things and changes pop up at the beginning of the school year. While they may not seem like that big of a deal to kids (especially if they’ve been in their school for a while), for parents it’s a sign of time passing too fast.
When I was 5, my parents enrolled me in a Montessori program. At that age, you obviously don’t grasp the difference between that and a typical classroom, but I remember the long reading periods and the one‑on‑one lessons. Teachers used hands‑on materials, games, and toys to introduce academic concepts.
Once I entered elementary school, my learning experience shifted dramatically. Classes became structured, centering around worksheets, whole‑group instruction, and a set schedule. Independent, self‑paced learning was rare, and the day revolved around the teacher directing the entire class at once.
As a parent, I’ve chosen the traditional route for my own kids, but several friends have opted for Montessori programs instead and have had a wide range of experiences. It made me curious: What exactly defines Montessori education today, and why do some families swear by it while others move on?
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When our then‑zoned elementary school closed a little over a year ago, the ripple effect was immediate. Our parent group began exploring every possible alternative, from moving to another county to researching private schools to digging into charter and magnet options. Watching that scramble unfold made me realize just how many educational paths families navigate today. It raised a bigger question about why so many different school models exist and whether choosing one during the elementary years truly shapes a child’s long‑term experience; ergo, this post.
In our metro area, there is an overabundance of school options; which for a parent isn’t a bad problem to have. When parents choose a school, they’re choosing more than just a building. It’s a community, a childhood environment, and the place where our kids will spend more than 1,000 hours each year.
Public, private, charter, and magnet schools all function differently, and knowing what sets them apart makes it easier for parents to determine the best fit for their kids.
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This book came out three years ago. I didn’t jump to review it because at the time, our kids were only 5. That’s a bit young to start worrying about achievement culture. Now, even though high school and applying to colleges are far off, there are still big parts of this book that speak to child development; both academically and personally.
The book also gives more nuance and research to our education system, and sheds more light on that pesky Gen Z: Cautionary Tale thing. It’s a great book to start your school year.
Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic-and What We Can Do About It by Jennifer Breheny Wallace.
After a great first week back to school, our kids will jump right into iReady standardized tests to set their baselines for the year. From i‑Ready diagnostics to Amira reading fluency, spelling screeners and even gifted screeners, it feels like the expectations are already high.
However, schools emphasize that these tests aren’t about pressure or performance. They’re simply tools to understand where each child is starting and what support they may need to thrive throughout the year.
Early and frequent student testing isn’t unusual. American students are tested more than students in any other developed country. Recent comparisons show that the average U.S. student takes about 112 required standardized tests before graduating high school, far above international norms. In grades 3 through 8 alone, children often sit for 20 to 25 different standardized assessments each year, not including practice tests or test‑prep weeks. And unlike other countries, the U.S. layers federal, state, district, and benchmark tests, creating an unusually dense testing schedule.
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Child(ish) Advice 