*cho*
Montessori and other preschool settings are slightly different... NTUC/Kinderland/Learning Vision/PCF/Cherie Hearts etc.... are actually "branding" like that... that's in my opinion lah...

throughout the years of teaching in both childcare and kindergarten settings... private or partial govt schools... i feel that the school is actually NOT that important..... it's the TEACHER that makes the difference in your child. - This is based on my opinion of the different schools i worked at and attached to previously. Montessori is like using real-life stuffs as toys...etc.. which i have never step into before to take a look... smth like they use real utensils to play....

most angmohs will like that kind of setting... cos chinese everything also scare... one scratch on the hand can complaint until upside down... but seriously i really feel the teacher is much more important... however, the school's style you have to know too.. cos one of my friends' girl was studying in one preschool at Hougang years back, she peek at the window (nobody saw her) and she got a shock when she managed to see the toilet area... her daughter was naked with many other kids (both gender!) and was crying so badly... the teacher also never do anything much! Usually, for my case, i would undress the kids and use the towel to wrap them up. Let them sit on the chair and wait for their turn. And i would shower all the same gender one first, even if they are only 18months! Lunch time, she actually saw her daughter ate very little and when its nap time, she drank very little too, which was not her usual self. But when she went to pick her up, the teacher told her, she ate EVERYTHING and DRANK EVERYTHING. My friend was quite pissed with how the teacher handle kids. When she told me this, i told her to monitor again and check with her girl, speak to the teacher.. maybe on that day something happen or what that she doesn't know... she told me it's like that for many days..... and every morning her girl refuse to go to school... and cry all the way....
gosh! i think out of topic in here liao! Hahhaa... paiseh ah!
Anyway, most preschools adopt LEARNING THROUGH PLAY since years back.... children will learn lots of things which books don't really teach when they are playing... especially role-play for the older ones. However,some parents don't really like this style of teaching. THey prefer the old ways of using homework, books, worksheet... anyway most important is, as long as your child is happy going to school.... everything should be fine... and things will fall into place nicely...

learning will only take place when the child is happy and ready to attend school.

That's my opinion yah.