Four years ago when I was getting ready to open Community Montessori I structured the program around two things: the Montessori philosophy, and offering a flexible schedule. I had been in the Montessori world for 10 years at this point, every school I worked at, or even knew of, only offered 5 day schedules. I know from my experience that more time spent in the classroom is beneficial. However, I had a 16 month old and was working part-time. I felt that he would still benefit from being in the classroom part-time. Ended up that a few other parents that I knew felt the same away, and CMS was born.
It can be hard as a parent when you want to spend time with your child but also want them in school some days. Or if you work part-time and want your days off to be with your child. It has been a trend at CMS that children start 2 days per week, but are soon adding days. I think that this is a good transition for the child and parents. It gives everyone a chance to ease into school life.
As a teacher I will always recommend that families have their child attend as much as they can. I know that it might take longer for the chid to adapt to school if they are only attending 8 times per month. Think about when you started a new job or began a new hobby. The more time spent the easier it is to feel at home, know how things work and what is expected.
If a part-time schedule is what works for a family, I would recommend consecutive days of enrollment. The Montessori materials are interactive and your child learns new concepts when they spend time working with the materials. When they attend consecutive days your child is able to practice concepts with momentum.
As enrollment approaches I am sure that many families will be taking this into consideration.
