Commonly Asked Questions
Will there be other extracurricular activities at Hull-Jackson besides Suzuki?
Yes. There are field days and student field trips throughout the school year. There are also opportunities for students to participate in musical and theatrical performances. We continually seek opportunities for extracurricular activities for our students.
I really want to raise my child in a holistic Montessori manner. What are some things I can do at home?
Some good resources are Montessori Services: A Resource for Families which sells child-sized items, books and music to be used at home; and "Let Me Help" an article with specific activities for the home. Both of these items are available in the school office. One of the most helpful resources is Montessori Play & Learn: A Parents Guide to Purposeful Play by Leslie Britton, which shows activities and ideas for the home. Also, follow through with the recommendations of your child’s teacher.
How many years does my child stay with his/her director/directress?
When children enter the primary level of Hull-Jackson, they remain with their teacher until age six. When children enter the elementary level for 1st grade, they stay until age 8 or the completion of the 3rd grade. Nine year olds, typically 4th graders, participate in a transitional classroom that will prepare them for 5th grade.
I know that it is expensive to run a Montessori school due to the costs of the beautiful materials. Is a $50 yearly contribution enough to cover your costs?
We appreciate your concern about the school not only academically, but also financially. We agreed, due to the age of our children, that we would not have "fundraising". We are sincerely relying on parents to contribute a minimum of $50.00. It is a fair amount that other public Montessori schools have requested and is used to cover only replacement items, not primary items.
How can I complete my required eight hours of parent/guardian involvement?
Your child’s teacher and our administrators will be happy to share with you suggestions for your volunteer time.
I noticed that most of the children at Hull-Jackson walk down to their classrooms on their own. Mine doesn't. Should I be concerned?
The intent of the Montessori school is to develop independence, which reinforces other developmental aims of the program. Children develop these skills at different rates.
If your child is not yet walking on his or her own, you might try walking half-way down the hall or saying "good-bye" near the front door. Please ask our staff for assistance, if needed.
How is the Montessori elementary level (ages 6-9) different from the primary level (ages 3-6)?
In the 6-9 classroom the child is characterized as entering the second level of development. So, in essence, it is the child that is different and not the classroom. During the second level of development, the sensitive periods of the 3-6 child (1anguage, order, sensory-motor) drop off and new sensitive periods emerge. For example, the reasoning mind emerges. They can use logic, reason and imagination. In the 6-9 level there's a lot of refinement of 3-6 skills, but they are moving towards abstraction and research.
I know that the arrival time greeting of my child by the teacher is very important, but I feel a little left out. When can I meet with my child's teacher?
Thank you for being sensitive to the needs of your child and the time spent with the teacher at the beginning of the day. The relationship between your child and his/her teacher is important to the student’s success. Please schedule an appointment if you need to see the teacher. However, the morning event must not be interrupted. We encourage parents/guardians to walk their children to class at 7:45 each morning then leave the child to be greeted by the teacher.
How does Hull-Jackson celebrate holidays?
The primary goal of public education is to teach about the diverse cultures, ethnicities and creeds represented in our world community (including religious and other significant holidays). Our ultimate purpose is to develop and instill an appreciation of cultures and holidays and not necessarily celebrate them. While there are no school-wide holiday celebrations, we respect the choice of individuals to observe holidays. We will ensure that our students have opportunities for fun social activities.
The children have so much structure in Montessori. When do they get to play?
The Montessori classroom environment develops responsibility as opposed to structure. Children take their work seriously and this is encouraged. Most primary classes have free play after the work cycles have been completed. Additionally, all of our children enjoy our wonderful indoor playroom. We offer physical education classes for kindergarten through fourth grade students.
I've noticed an exciting difference in my child - all he/she wants to do at home is read and write. What caused this?
Many of the students at Hull-Jackson are becoming emerging readers. You should feel fortunate and reinforce this habit by reading to your child and allowing them to read to you. One parent shared an exciting technique where she writes notes to her child and they discuss its contents. The letter is either actually mailed to the child or given to the child at the end of the day when she picks her up from school. Another exciting technique is to purchase your child a diary and let him/her write messages.
Is some of the work too advanced?
One advantage of the Montessori classroom is that each child is truly allowed to work at his or her own pace. The work of one may not be the work for another. The teacher’s extensive record keeping shows the level at which your child should be working.
How do the children know what work to choose from the shelf?
Children are taught to request lessons. Once they have had a lesson on the material, they may choose to work with that material.
What about technology?
Hull-Jackson is affiliated with the American Montessori Society (AMS); an organization which allows the inclusion of some materials that Maria Montessori did not develop. Our building is equipped with some computers. Because we feel computers fall into the area of practical life, computer technology is a growing part of our learning and teaching. In order for our children to become productive citizens in our emerging technological world they will need to be computer literate. Hull-Jackson students will get hands-on experiences with computer technology. Our goal is to have students master basic computer functions by the end of fourth grade.
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