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Comment by ransom1538 | Hacker News Reader

Feel free to visit a Montessori school. Third grade kids just walking around, some reading a sticker book, some just yelling at each other, some finger painting, no structure, absolutely no learning happening. Some of the kids were in 7th grade math, some couldn't yet multiply numbers. One kid ran up to us said a few incoherent sentences then walked off awkwardly. It's one step above home schooling. The teachers had no plan and were excited to get us volunteering. Pass. Who is famous that went to Montessori school?

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Consider that in a "regular"-style school, there is no reason to expect the situation would be any better, although it might look the way you think it should. Possible differences:

- the kids may not be "just walking around"

- may not be reading a sticker book

- may not be yelling at each other

- may not be finger painting

Why is any of that good? Do you need to see a neat line of kids quietly sitting in desks before you can assume any learning or anything valuable is taking place? Even if the students were being forced to drill their times tables, you can be sure that not all kids are going to figure it out. But probably the kid who might have learned 7th grade math will not actually learn 7th grade math---if anything, they'll likely get bored because things are moving too slow for them and they're forced to spend time doing something that they perceive to be a waste of time. I don't think there's anything inherently better about this situation.

I think you are biased by your notion of what school should look like.

I don't think fame is at all a good metric (even should be a counter-metric?) but here is a list if you're interested. Seems like they took great care to have evidence. It is not the same as college easy to attribute or prove for obvious reasons.

https://amshq.org/About-Montessori/Montessori-Alumni

I agree. Use drop out rates instead.

I'd guess that was likely not an AMS or AMI (certified) school.

Here are two famous people that went to Montessori schools: Sergei Brin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHzj3LrXruY Jeff Bezos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox49EB1tNW4

Why is fame your yardstick for whether someone’s education was successful?

Fame is easy to google. Feel free to use: how many are able to are able to get into top universities, how many volunteer, feel free. How many are published authors? Whatever pick anything.

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