Montessori School Champaign-Urbana

We had a terrible experience with this school & I know we weren't the only ones. We had looked forward to the Montessori method and had only heard good things about this particular school. When we met my son's teacher I was hesitant about the large teacher-to-student ratio (20:1). Once school started it only got worse. The classroom was very strict and my son was treated as a troublemaker because he tried to engage with other students during "work" time. The teacher tried to make him stay on his own in one part of the classroom. When I attended his special birthday celebration I had to keep stopping my video recording while the teacher YELLED at the class to sit still and be quiet. These are 3 and 4 year olds. IMO, a preschool class should never be YELLED at unless someone is in immediate danger. During the first conference she had no idea about my son's academic abilities. She guessed that he knew his letter sounds well; at home he was reading! She had too many students and her teacher helper did not engage with students at all. We moved him to another school that fall, which he told us was the best school ever because the teachers were nice and he could talk with his new friends.
--Submitted by a parent

Initially we had no idea how lucky we got when we first moved here and somehow managed to get our daughter a spot in this school! She finished kindergarten last year and our second daughter is currently in her second year. We love the teachers! All of them are wonderful and each has special qualities that make their classrooms nurturing in unique ways. The children here love to learn. They learn about more than just math and reading and traditional subjects. They also learn about respect for others and the environment, peace, and diversity. The administration will take good care of you and help get your child off to a lifetime filled with the love of learning.
--Submitted by a parent

My 4-year-old is in her second year at this school and loves it. She is a very independent learner, and the Montessori approach respects that. The directresses are caring but not overbearing. I love the Montessori materials. A favorite are the beads designed to teach the difference between 1 (a bead), 10 (a row of 10 beads) 100 (a 10x10 grid of beads), 1000 (a 10x10 cube of beads), and so on. The beads are ceramic so the weight of the object gets heavier as the dimensions of the object multiply. This is a wonderful multisensory way to learn about quantities, and far superior to just memorizing that 100 is a 1 with two zeros after it. One other thing I love about this school is the cultural and ethnic diversity of its students and families. My daughter can also take piano, Spanish, and ballet there!
--Submitted by a parent

Our 'townie' family loves MSCU! We are so happy with the way our son has thrived in the Montessori environment. He is now entering his second year at the school. The staff is well trained and the outstanding Directresses (teachers) have fostered a desire in him to learn and explore the world. He loves to do 'works' at school and also enjoys his free time playing with friends. Go visit the school, you won't be sorry!
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter spent 3 years at MSCU. The school was key for both her academic and personal development. She will leave MSCU this summer with a true love of learning, and friendships that will last. The school has a diverse student body from families that care deeply about education, and great teachers. Don't hesitate to enroll your kids, you won't be disappointed.
--Submitted by a parent

My son has attended this school since he was three and he will probably be going to kindergarten here rather than the public school. I can't say enough good things about the program. Respect for classmates and teachers features prominently in the philosophy of Montessori and students work independently. It's amazing to go in and see twenty 3- to 5-year-olds concentrating and working independently with only minimal guidance from the two teachers. The administrative staff is also top-notch and the parent involvement is amazing--many parents volunteer a lot of time and there is a elected board of directors from among parents of children. We will definitely send our second son here when he is old enough.
--Submitted by a parent