Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where do Casa di Mir students go after they graduate? How well do they transition from a Montessori environment to a more traditional school setting?
   
   
2. Are there any famous or successful people who were Montessori educated?
   
   
3. Do you do standardized testing?
   
   
4. Can you be flexible about the age for starting Kindergarten? Can children skip grades?
   
   
5. Does your curriculum meet state standards?
   
   
6. We're interested in the teaching of values, which we feel is missing in traditional schooling. What values are part of your program?
   
   
7. Do you have a dress code or uniform?
   
   
8. How much homework is assigned?
   
   
9. Do elementary students get experience with testing?
   
   
10. Do elementary students get Art, Music, and Physical Education?
    
    
11. Why does the school maintain a non-competitive atmosphere?

These are questions that we hear frequently from both current and prospective families.

About 50% of Casa graduates go on to private schools and 50% attend their neighborhood public school. Virtually all of the Casa di Mir graduates applying to private schools are accepted to their first choice school. Casa graduates that attend public schools are regularly placed into honors or accelerated classes.

Montessori children are unusually adaptable. They have learned to work independently and in groups. Since they've been encouraged to make decisions from an early age, these children are problem solvers who can make choices and manage their time well.

They have also been encouraged to exchange ideas and to discuss their work freely with others and good communication skills ease the way in new settings.

• Almaden Country School
• Almaden Preparatory School
• Alsion Montessori School
• Archbishop Mitty
• Bellarmine College Prep
• Bowman International School
• Girls Middle School
• Harker
• Hillbrook
• Holy Spirit
• Notre Dame
• Old Orchard
• One World Montessor,
• Pinewood
• Presentation
• St. Andrews
• St. Frances Cabrini
• St. Lawrence Academy
• Valley Christian

A new study, Outcomes for Students in a Montessori Program, A Longitudinal Study of the Experience in the Milwaukee Public Schools compares the academic outcomes of two groups of students who graduated from the high schools of the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) during the years 1997-2001. The first group includes students who completed the 5th grade in Montessori programs at MacDowell and Greenfield schools during the years 1990-1994. The second group was a matched sample of graduates from the same high schools who did not attend Montessori schools.

The MacDowell and Greenfield Montessori programs were established as public magnet schools in the mid-seventies and have consistently striven toward a high level of Montessori practice. This study represents a convergence of interests on the part of AMIUSA, the American branch office of the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI), and the leadership of the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS). The immediate interest of the MPS was the desirability of increasing the number of Montessori schools within its system. AMI-USA saw the necessity of high quality research, designed to address mainstream issues of accountability. Both organizations believed it was essential to document and evaluate outcomes for students who had participated in the MPS Montessori programs. NCERI (The National Center on Educational Restructuring and Inclusion, the Graduate School and University Center, The City University of New York) was engaged to conduct this study.

This study supports the hypothesis that Montessori education has a positive long-term impact. Additionally, it provides an affirmative answer to questions about whether Montessori students will be successful in traditional schools.

• Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Founders of Google.com, credit their Montessori education for much of their success
• Jeff Bezos, financial analyst, founder, AMAZON.COM
• Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Nobel Prize winner for Literature
• Katherine Graham (deceased), owner/editor of the Washington Post
• Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis (deceased), editor, former first lady (John F. Kennedy)
• Sean 'P.Diddy' (formerly known as Puffy) Combs, RAP mega-star
• Anne Frank, famous diarist from world war II
• Prince William and Prince Harry, English royal family
• T. Berry Brazelton, noted pediatrician and author
• Julia Child, famous chef, star of many TV cooking shows and author of numerous cookbooks
• Elizabeth Berridge, actress (Constanze in Amadeus)
• Kami Cotler, actress (youngest child on long-running series The Waltons)
• Melissa and Sarah Gilbert, actors
• David Blaine, a magician as well as endurance artist and advocate of "street magic."

• Stephen J. Cannell, TV writer-producer-director (The Rockford Files and many others)
• Patty Duke Austin, actress
• Cher Bono, singer-actress
• John Bradshaw, psychologist and author
• Yul Brynner (dec.), actor
• Marcy Carcy, TV producer
• Bill & Hillary Clinton, former president/senator, NY
• Michael Douglas, actor
• Shari Lewis (dec.), puppeteer
• Yo Yo Ma, cellist

• Jean Piaget (dec.), noted Swiss psychologist, made his first observations of children in a Montessori school. He was also head of the Swiss Montessori Society for many years
• Mister Rogers, children's TV personality, strong supporter of Montessori education
• Alexander Graham Bell (dec.), noted inventor, and his wife Mabel founded the Montessori Education Assocation in 1913. They also provided financial support directly to Dr. Montessori and helped establish the first Montessori class in Canada and one of the first in the United States
• Thomas Edison, noted scientist and inventor, helped found a Montessori school
• President Wilson's daughter trained as a Montessori teacher. There was a Montessori classroom in the basement of the White House during Wilson's presidency
• Alice Waters, restaurateur and writer, is a former Montessori teacher
• Bruno Bettelheim (dec.), noted psychologist/author, was married to a Montessori teacher.
• Erik Erikson (dec.), noted anthropologist/author, had a Montessori teaching certificate.

There is much controversy and publicity about standardized testing of students, especially with the implementation of the STAR testing system (Standardized Testing And Reporting) and the Academic Performance Index (API) comparing public schools throughout California.

Casa di Mir's view is that standardized testing is only one tool in the assessment of a student's or school's performance. The Montessori philosophy of meeting the individual needs of each child is emphasized rather than "teaching to the test" in order to raise the test scores. We want our students to learn the skills of test taking.

Casa di Mir students are tested starting in grade 4 with the SAT Edition 10, using the "complete battery" of tests, which includes math, language and reading, as well as science, social science, listening, using information and thinking skills.

Casa di Mir students are taught test-taking skills over the course of the year. This assures that they will be well prepared for any system that requires testing.

Casa di Mir does not discriminate in acceptance of students based on test scores or intelligence tests. We are very proud of our students' test scores. They reflect students working above grade level and above the national average in all subjects. They are a composite of children of all abilities, learning styles and talents. We feel they reflect the quality curriculum all students can enjoy at Casa di Mir.

Montessori offers a huge breadth of academic instruction in each classroom. We prefer that children stay close to their peer group for social and emotional development. They can be easily accelerated academically.

Yes. Our teachers have reviewed the state guidelines and assure that our students cover the basics. We find that our students, depending on individual readiness, generally surpass the expectations of the state curriculum.

The love of learning is the core of Montessori values. Speaking and acting with kindness, integrity, and respect is our top priority. Children and teachers develop a "Code of Living" or social contract to create an environment conducive to work and growth. Children are engaged in the process of developing internal discipline. Universal spiritual insight and growth are addressed, but we are a non-sectarian school and do not teach any particular religion. We are not a Christian school. We do not discriminate on the basis of religious affiliation; rather, we value our diversity. Some of the other values integrated into the program at Casa di Mir are citizenship, responsibility, independence, cooperation, team work, tolerance for differences, peaceful resolution of conflicts, and compassion.

Smoking by anyone is not permitted at any time on school property. Use or possession of drugs, alcohol, or tobacco in any form may result in immediate suspension or expulsion. The same is true for physical or verbal aggression, stealing, or destruction of school property.

We request that students wear clothing with appropriate styles, messages, and graphics for young children. No violent images or inappropriate words are allowed on shirts or other personal items. No bare midriff shirts or see-through clothing is allowed. We encourage children to dress simply to keep the focus on learning and be prepared for art projects, science lessons, and physical education/playground activities.

None for the Primary students. About 20-30 minutes daily, increasing to up to 45 minutes by the 3rd year, for the lower elementary. Examples would be reading at home, math, spelling, and science fair projects. In the upper elementary, students receive a weekly packet of homework, which each student has the responsibility of scheduling for him or herself. It may include work on a long-term project. Time required would average about 45 minutes to one hour per day.

Yes. They take the same SAT as the state school students beginning in the 4th year. Our students do well, but we don't emphasize these test results. We also give teacher prepared tests as part of the normal curriculum.

Yes. We offer an Orff Schulwerk Music program including voice, instrumental music and dance. Our art program includes cultural crafts as well as instruction in the basics. PE includes skills, games and sports. We emphasize good sportsmanship and teamwork. Aikido is also included one day a week.

There is a lot of joy and personal social and emotional development in cooperative learning. The cooperative, loving atmosphere in a Montessori school pays off in the long term, as compared to the painful, competitive, constantly comparing kids, someone-has-to-lose-in-order-for-me-to-win situation in traditional schooling.

In a Montessori environment, each child is on his or her own educational journey, and is not being asked to compete with others, only to continue on his or her own journey with due diligence while amongst others.

People and children learn a lot from each other. The students take pride in giving lessons and assistance and understanding to those who are younger than they are, and look to older students with an expectation of being treated well by them and learning from them. They learn leadership skills as well as support skills. Leadership requires skills in teamwork and cooperation. We are training the future leaders of our world.