Mode:

It all began when I graduated from Elementary and chose to go to Maria Montessori Foundation. I never heard of the school and the only thing I knew was that it was a school inhabited by rich kids. I wasn't motivated to transfer until I passed, then suddenly found myself starting my fist day of high school in the school mentioned.

The sacrificial ceremony started the moment I chose that school -- that is, I have to have five years in high school before I can go to college. I chose the school because the new environment intrigued me and I was admitted as a scholar.

Maria Montessori Foundation is a college preparatory school in Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa City. It is remarkably known for its Montessori principles which are used in the school's system of education. According to the school, MMF is the first Montessori school in the Philippines which still abides by the Montessori teachings. The tuition fee is very high and only a few students are enrolled.

Why?

1. Montessori does not believe in having medals and awards. The principle states that work must be done willingly without the influence and expectation of awards. Include to this is the absence of rankings. This became a reason, because -- let's face it, people tend to be competitive and there will always be this desire to be recognized for the hard work you have done.

2. There is no fun. This explains why I didn't experience having a JS Prom and why I am not updated with dancy shimmering songs. Performing modern dances and songs are not allowed.

3. Grading system is low. A 78 grade in our school could be equivalent to 83 and above. It's rare for students to get straight 90s and this became one reason why a senior student has to double work in studying in order to get into a good university.

4. A scene of students failing is a natural scene every year. Even though we are small in number, there are more Montessorians who are kicked out. Why? Because Montessori is not just a school that imparts the importance of studying but also surviving.

5. According to some students, the presence of the "Holy Trinity" is simply the reason why they had an urge to "escape". The Holy Trinity are the three oldest people who are the most powerful in school. They are the spirits of terror, they will make you experience unimaginable circumstances which will possibly not allow you to go back up again unless you leave school.



I was culture shocked. I only said, "These people are different" Even if I wasn't able to settle the differences between me and my classmates, I was able to make friends. In order to survive the new environment, first of all, I have to adjust with my conventional language. Montessorians speak English and they hardly speak Filipino during conversations. It was rude of me to let them adjust to my Filipino language so I had to do a little job on improving my English. For the whole of grade seven, I adjusted to the new environment.



My freshman year was one of the peaceful years I had in high school wherein friends were the main priority and when there was an absence of school responsibilities. This was the year when I got interested in many things, particularly alternative rock music, guitar, dubbing and star gazing. The serenity of this year gave way for me to explore new things and discover things I will treasure forever. This spirit of making my dreams come true and the determination it carries with itself... was destroyed in my sophomore year.



The sophomore year is the peak of adolescence according to Montessori's development stages. This year was the disastrous year. My nightmares started when I was sent to the office of the head of the Holy Trinity. I got to experience what it was like to face the head of the Holy trinity. As I said, it was a nightmare, one would not like to meet a person who is intelligent, who gives bad hypotheses(which will always be a fact for her) to every actions you do and who does not listen to any of your explanations at all. I started getting involved with student affairs and it was my sacrificial debut for putting myself in the spotlight and therefore, shouldering more responsibilities and risking my life for opening more opportunities of traveling back and forth from the office of the school head.



Junior year will always be my favorite year. I was more involved in leadership without any harm from the Holy Trinity and at the same time, my academic performances were splendid. My year flowed placidly. I proved myself to the school according to the testimonial of the school head this year. I was not pressured and I believe that as long as you have a dependable and trusted adviser, you will be in the right set of mind to prioritize things without any more hindrances.



My senior year is the MOST most disastrous year. The teachers were changed, so basically, a little help would be gained by the students. There are many things to worry about and it just seems like the problems are pilling up. My experience this year with the Holy Trinity was more comprehensible than my experience when I was a sophomore. If immaturity put me in disaster in second year, WTF situations and misunderstandings brought me down this year. The situations this year showed that I'm not a super woman, I cannot get beyond those expectations they have planted on me during my junior year. However, as a result of being a defect, my hard work for my five years in Montessori was thrown out the window and I was robbed of everything. Injustice? Bad Luck? No, it's just life.

And to end this, I would give my statement to the five reasons I gave above:

1. I got used to it though I will admit, I am more competitive when there are awards. But this competition will logically not be applied to a class of four. I am satisfied knowing that once, twice or thrice, I got to be at the top of the class despite having a below average IQ(got the idea of IQ from someone). At least, once or twice, my double effort, sleepless nights and anemic days paid off.

2. I experienced having a high school dance and it was no fun. I guess, even if there will be a JS Prom, it won't be fun. The songs are the ones bothering me.

3. True. The grades put me in so many dangers. That was one of the reasons why the Holy Trinity pawned me this year

4. I cope up with the Montessori work. There are a LOT of requirements but I managed to pawn them. I don't know whether I can classify it as Spartan or Trojan education because Montessori education has both and more classifications.

5. The presence of the Holy Trinity IS essential for the system of Montessori to be kept in action. The current school head is like a reincarnation of the founder of the system. They're excellent people but what's wrong is their judgment and experiences in life -- I say, having your own family will greatly affect the way you view things, your understanding and your judgment.


And my question, did I regret my decision in transferring to Montessori?

NO. Even though I experienced five years of unending hell, I will not regret it. I thank the Holy Trinity for my second year because I obtained those eyes which were filled with determination. I gained a lot of skills, learning and life changing experiences which other schools will not provide. I will only regret trusting too many people who can actually betray me at the end and people who made me wrap around their finger.

If there is something ironic which I will say, I will admit that I LOVE Montessori Alabang despite how I badmouth it and despite it giving me nothing but sorrow. I do love that school.

Mode:

It all began when I graduated from Elementary and chose to go to Maria Montessori Foundation. I never heard of the school and the only thing I knew was that it was a school inhabited by rich kids. I wasn't motivated to transfer until I passed, then suddenly found myself starting my fist day of high school in the school mentioned.

The sacrificial ceremony started the moment I chose that school -- that is, I have to have five years in high school before I can go to college. I chose the school because the new environment intrigued me and I was admitted as a scholar.

Maria Montessori Foundation is a college preparatory school in Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa City. It is remarkably known for its Montessori principles which are used in the school's system of education. According to the school, MMF is the first Montessori school in the Philippines which still abides by the Montessori teachings. The tuition fee is very high and only a few students are enrolled.

Why?

1. Montessori does not believe in having medals and awards. The principle states that work must be done willingly without the influence and expectation of awards. Include to this is the absence of rankings. This became a reason, because -- let's face it, people tend to be competitive and there will always be this desire to be recognized for the hard work you have done.

2. There is no fun. This explains why I didn't experience having a JS Prom and why I am not updated with dancy shimmering songs. Performing modern dances and songs are not allowed.

3. Grading system is low. A 78 grade in our school could be equivalent to 83 and above. It's rare for students to get straight 90s and this became one reason why a senior student has to double work in studying in order to get into a good university.

4. A scene of students failing is a natural scene every year. Even though we are small in number, there are more Montessorians who are kicked out. Why? Because Montessori is not just a school that imparts the importance of studying but also surviving.

5. According to some students, the presence of the "Holy Trinity" is simply the reason why they had an urge to "escape". The Holy Trinity are the three oldest people who are the most powerful in school. They are the spirits of terror, they will make you experience unimaginable circumstances which will possibly not allow you to go back up again unless you leave school.



I was culture shocked. I only said, "These people are different" Even if I wasn't able to settle the differences between me and my classmates, I was able to make friends. In order to survive the new environment, first of all, I have to adjust with my conventional language. Montessorians speak English and they hardly speak Filipino during conversations. It was rude of me to let them adjust to my Filipino language so I had to do a little job on improving my English. For the whole of grade seven, I adjusted to the new environment.



My freshman year was one of the peaceful years I had in high school wherein friends were the main priority and when there was an absence of school responsibilities. This was the year when I got interested in many things, particularly alternative rock music, guitar, dubbing and star gazing. The serenity of this year gave way for me to explore new things and discover things I will treasure forever. This spirit of making my dreams come true and the determination it carries with itself... was destroyed in my sophomore year.



The sophomore year is the peak of adolescence according to Montessori's development stages. This year was the disastrous year. My nightmares started when I was sent to the office of the head of the Holy Trinity. I got to experience what it was like to face the head of the Holy trinity. As I said, it was a nightmare, one would not like to meet a person who is intelligent, who gives bad hypotheses(which will always be a fact for her) to every actions you do and who does not listen to any of your explanations at all. I started getting involved with student affairs and it was my sacrificial debut for putting myself in the spotlight and therefore, shouldering more responsibilities and risking my life for opening more opportunities of traveling back and forth from the office of the school head.



Junior year will always be my favorite year. I was more involved in leadership without any harm from the Holy Trinity and at the same time, my academic performances were splendid. My year flowed placidly. I proved myself to the school according to the testimonial of the school head this year. I was not pressured and I believe that as long as you have a dependable and trusted adviser, you will be in the right set of mind to prioritize things without any more hindrances.



My senior year is the MOST most disastrous year. The teachers were changed, so basically, a little help would be gained by the students. There are many things to worry about and it just seems like the problems are pilling up. My experience this year with the Holy Trinity was more comprehensible than my experience when I was a sophomore. If immaturity put me in disaster in second year, WTF situations and misunderstandings brought me down this year. The situations this year showed that I'm not a super woman, I cannot get beyond those expectations they have planted on me during my junior year. However, as a result of being a defect, my hard work for my five years in Montessori was thrown out the window and I was robbed of everything. Injustice? Bad Luck? No, it's just life.

And to end this, I would give my statement to the five reasons I gave above:

1. I got used to it though I will admit, I am more competitive when there are awards. But this competition will logically not be applied to a class of four. I am satisfied knowing that once, twice or thrice, I got to be at the top of the class despite having a below average IQ(got the idea of IQ from someone). At least, once or twice, my double effort, sleepless nights and anemic days paid off.

2. I experienced having a high school dance and it was no fun. I guess, even if there will be a JS Prom, it won't be fun. The songs are the ones bothering me.

3. True. The grades put me in so many dangers. That was one of the reasons why the Holy Trinity pawned me this year

4. I cope up with the Montessori work. There are a LOT of requirements but I managed to pawn them. I don't know whether I can classify it as Spartan or Trojan education because Montessori education has both and more classifications.

5. The presence of the Holy Trinity IS essential for the system of Montessori to be kept in action. The current school head is like a reincarnation of the founder of the system. They're excellent people but what's wrong is their judgment and experiences in life -- I say, having your own family will greatly affect the way you view things, your understanding and your judgment.


And my question, did I regret my decision in transferring to Montessori?

NO. Even though I experienced five years of unending hell, I will not regret it. I thank the Holy Trinity for my second year because I obtained those eyes which were filled with determination. I gained a lot of skills, learning and life changing experiences which other schools will not provide. I will only regret trusting too many people who can actually betray me at the end and people who made me wrap around their finger.

If there is something ironic which I will say, I will admit that I LOVE Montessori Alabang despite how I badmouth it and despite it giving me nothing but sorrow. I do love that school.