cookie2b

Hey

just wondering if anyone has had any expeience of schools that take the steiner or montessori stance on education?

If so what are your thoughts on them? Reason being that it seems a little more popular here than back home and as I am returning to uni to finish my degree I want to ensure I don't choose a degree based on a fad theory that will have been replaced within a few years......

edmontron

You can't really compare Steiner with Montessori, although there are similarities. I wouldn't study to become a Steiner teacher without having a genuine interest and belief in the teaching methods and philosophy.

cookie2b

I wasn't comparing the theories (I am aware of the contrast between them) I was asking if anyone had experienced of either of these pedagogical approaches. I have a great thirst for knowledge regarding education and teaching practice's. Here they offer degree's specialising in both theories, I want to teach because it's my passion but I also it will be by career and needs to be a long term valid degree. Both of these approaches fascinate me greatly as I am some what more progressive and almost romantic in my view of education. At home they do not offer this kind of degree as teaching methods change so frequently, they would be more inclined to offer such specialisation as a post grad certificate or equivalent.

I was just trying to gauge the reality of completing a degree which is focused primarily on just one approach when there are so many others......

Thanks for the response.

P18PPS

I have no personal experience of my children going through them, but have many friends who choose them and know they are highly regarded around my area (eastern suburbs). There are a number of Montessori pre-schools in the area - Glendowie/Kohi and there is a local primary school that has a specialist montessori unit - Glendowie Primary - where some of these children feed into. Then there is the Robert Steiner school in Ellerslie which is supposed to be great and have a friend who drives her children from Howick to attend - I've been around the school during markets and fetes and it is a lovely school certainly set up for the long haul and not a 'fad' school as you put it!

cookie2b

Thanks, I guess what im trying to gage is the staying power you see, Just before i left i was at uni and in a lecture discussing an overall more progressive approach that labour were looking to introduce and subsequently conservative's came into power and literally scrapped the lot.....Loads of research, reports and resources just gone.....(conservative's had already declared that they wouldn't be 'going down that route') Iv not been here long enough yet to experience how changable the system first hand so your post is helpful, It seems well established and its great to know that there is alternative education available for those who choose it. Im also interested in general view as i have a son who is 3. Thanks again

MOSO

I would be very careful before limiting yourself to one teaching 'philosophy' at the expense of the general education system as you are limiting yourself in job prospects at the end of your degree. You also need to firmly believe in your chosen philosophy. Steiner and Montessori are completely different.

I'm not sure if you're aware that recently the NZ government changed the rules regarding teaching pre-school children and there must now be a certain percentage of staff who are 'fully qualified' NZ ECE or Primary teachers. Montessori and Steiner trained teachers are not counted, as their qualifications aren't considered as good as an ordinary teaching degree. I would assume from this that they're not likely to be paid as much either. If I was you I would qualify as an ECE or primary teacher and then specialise, it may take longer but in the long run you would get more job opportunities and the pay would be greater.

This is taken from the Montessori NZ website:
Montessori Early Childhood Teachers

The New Zealand Ministry of Education want to improve the level of qualifications held by people working in early childhood centres, including Montessori early childhood centres.

By 2010 teacher-led, centre-based early childhood services are required to have 80% of the total "regulated staff" to hold an ECE teaching qualification recognised by the New Zealand Teacher's Council for the purposes of teacher registration.

A centre will be required to meet this 80% teacher registration requirement under the licensing requirements for early childhood education services and government funding for the centres is tied to the number of registered staff.

People holding Montessori diplomas alone, may get work in a Montessori early childhood centres, but will not count towards the government funding received by the centre.

Montessori diplomas are not considered equivalent to a New Zealand Diploma of Teaching or a Bachelors degree which are three-year programmes and are not recognised for New Zealand teacher registration.

Montessori Primary Teachers (6-12 years)

All primary teachers in New Zealand are required by law to be registered with the New Zealand Teacher's Council. Most Montessori primary classes catering for the 6-12 year age group are part of New Zealand state primary schools.

In order to receive adequate teacher funding Montessori primary classes usually need people with teacher training qualifications, in addition to Montessori training. Additional qualifications may be recognised by New Zealand government departments for teacher registration and residency purposes.

Full teacher registration is required for New Zealand permanent residency. The New Zealand Teachers Council is usually able to appraise teaching qualifications from Canada, Ireland, UK, Australia and South Africa. Qualifications from other countries may need to be assessed by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority

bourbon-biscuit

Unless you are passionate about one or other philosophy and that's the only way you want to teach (and that doesn't sound the case as you're asking for info about it on an expat website) then I think you're far and away best of getting basic teacher training and seeing how you feel then. Steiner and montessori are pretty different from each other, but I'm sure you know that!

I'd be interested to teach in a montessori but not a steiner.

cookie2b

I am entirely passionate about teaching! Hence the reason i am considering taking a 2ND degree!!!! to further my knowledge and possibly adapt it to my new environment!!! I am not ignorant enough to assume that teaching needs here are the same as the UK where I originally planned to teach!

I don't feel the need to discuss this any further I was asking for opinion's of people who have had first hand experience of these schools as I have only ever experienced it in a pre-school settings.

My sincere apologies for seeking opinions on here I thought this was a forum.....asking for the opinion's of other expats who have most probably been here longer than me and had the chance to experience these schools, is terrible , why should it matter to me what the parents, carers etc of the children i hope to teach will think?

cookie2b

Hi Moso,

This is my thinking exactly, I have already completed my degree in educational studies and my chosen teaching subject, However here i know that teachers as a rule are required to have two subject specialism (for secondary teaching) so im starting another in Jan hopefully to broaden my job opps at the end, I also discovered that they offer primary degrees with the steiner or montessori approach, and although i intend to teach at a secondary level, I was considering choosing additional papers in the above to ensure i am best equipped for what is expected of NZ teachers. Also I am a mother so i was intrigued by the various options available for my son and I wish to explore various methods before making decisions on what I fee is right for him, I was and still am in fact pretty shocked that they offer degree's with such a limited outcome.

Thanks for including the article v useful

bourbon-biscuit

I didn't say you weren't passionate about teaching. I said unless you were passionate about one or other philosophy (ie Steiner or montessori) it would be best to get general teaching registration. I also didn't say you were ignorant of the differences between UK and NZ, so I think you may be being a little touchy about the subject.

Well I do have experience (of montessori) and I offered you my advice. I did think it was odd to seek opinions about training in steiner and montessori education on an expat forum as if you're serious there are much better sources of information. I presume you have already perused the websites of and contacted the Rudulf Steiner Federation (http://www.rudolfsteinerfederation.org.nz/) and Montessori Aotearoa (http://www.montessori.org.nz/homepage). Then you might want to fix up some time in schools based on each pedagogical approach to see how it feels for you in practice. There are aspects of Steiner in particular that I'm really not keen on but that you might not pick up unless you do some time in a steiner school.

And just as an aside, I always think, as a teacher, that it pays when using forums to remain civil and reasonable and to be careful about inaccurate and excess punctuation etc, particularly if you use a picture of yourself as an avatar. NZ is a small place

cookie2b

[QUOTE=bourbon-biscuit;9170077]

And just as an aside, I always think, as a teacher, that it pays when using forums to remain civil and reasonable QUOTE]

Quite right!

I have to say I think you are very rude and for that reason I really have no interest in discussing it with you and to be honest, I'm loosing interest in the thread entirely. I did not join this forum to be told what I can and can not post . I had a question to ask so I asked (from what i have read that is generally how it works) . I did not ask for career advice just general opinion on the various approaches. How else am I to find this out?

bourbon-biscuit

[QUOTE=cookie2b;9170269] I think you mean you're losing interest in the thread, but yeah, I see what you mean.

Also, nobody has told you what you can and cannot post but I have taken the time to suggest some good websites where you can get some decent information and some advice about how to find out more, which you haven't thanked me for. You also went off the deep end from the off, so I think you're currently pulling ahead in the rudeness stakes.

cookie2b

[QUOTE=bourbon-biscuit;9170578] Yes your right I have.
Also thanks for the suggested sites

Flower Pot

I have read this thread with interest.

There's ways of giving advice and being helpful (as this forum is intended), and then there's ways of attempting to belittle people and attempting to make yourself look superior - bourbon biscuit, the latter applies to you.

I agree with cookie, your use of words and seemingly arrogant undertone come across as very rude and I really don't see the point of your actions. In actual fact, as I see it, you have contributed zero to the subject cookie was seeking advice on (anyone can google and find those websites and there was little other substance to the rest of your spiel).

Then you try to make out like you have been helpful with the web links and comments, disillusioned doesn't come close!

And as a last ditch attempt to 'win' you feel it useful and productive to pick at punctuation, not very big and not very clever.

I can't offer any advice as to your original question cookie, but good luck on whatever degree you choose, hopefully some nice, friendly posters will be along shortly with some actual useful information

P.s Biscuit dude, please don't bother pointing out if I've made any unforgivable punctuation/spelling/grammer errors... I really couldn't give a hoot

bourbon-biscuit

You haven't- it's a perfect post

FWIW, she asked for advice, I gave it, she didn't like it, partially because she misinterpreted it, and got snotty. So she got snotty-me back. And then it was quite clearly over and done. I thought she did a neat closure on it. Until you decided to wade in and try to fan flames, which is worse on a forum than "attempting to makes oneself look superior".

PS I like it muchly but either of us could be referred to as Biscuit dude