We've been exceptionally lucky to have a Montessori charter school local to us. So far it is working really well for 2/3 of our kids, and better than the local alternative for the remaining third. This may just be nostalgia, but I think there is so much value in getting dirty, breaking rocks, and working with your hands. I knew *mk's dad when I was a kid, and was always jealous of that classroom. They broke and fixed RC cars and experimented with computers while we say in rows and memorized spelling. There's probably a place for each kind of learning, and the trick as a parent is being willing to try something different to match up your kids' learning style. Don't get me wrong, my kids have access to a computer in the classroom and at home. But it is just another tool in their box to get the project done.