We have been absolutely thrilled with the caliber and quality of Intercultural in Oak Park. The community we've created with other parents, the support we feel from the school administration and teachers, and the leaps we've seen both our kids make academically, emotionally, and socially are all reasons we've stayed all the way through kindergarten for both kids. The Spanish immersion was a no-brainer, but the Montessori method was new for us - I truly credit this method in helping shape our kids into little world citizens who are independent, inclusive, curious, and kind. read more

Um, I was sad after reading the first review. Not knowing what sort of experiences others have had, my daughter seems to love it at Intercultural. It's a wonderful departure for her from regular day care, and I love the fact that she is getting a healthy dose of the Japanese language every morning. The teachers communicate well and are good at sending home what the children have been working on. My daughter just started at the beginning of November and is happy every morning that she attends school as opposed to not wanting to go to her previous day care. Obviously I don't have as much experience with the school as others do- I am interested to hear what others think. I give it 4 stars simply because it is super expensive. (As are all private schools of quality) We're shelling out a lot of cash monies to read a bad review of this place..... eeek. Thought I'd update my review - Feb. 08 - my daughter does not attend this school any more. We took her out at the end of last school year. She seemed to be the one kid who couldn't handle not understanding the language. She wouldn't talk to, or hardly look at the (Japanese) teachers. It made me sad to take her out because I really wanted her to have the early understanding of another language. She also seemed to dig the Montessori learning techniques. She's super happy at her new school and seems much more comfortable. comfortable read more

Intercultural Montessori is not the same school as Intercultura...clearly that negative review was written during the transition period of an old school to a new one and by someone with little tact. I knew people who went to the old school and still decided to send my son because of the value of immersion language education and the mulit-cultural demographic. This school has all of the hope, vision and growing pains of a newly formed school which is seeking to reinvent itself. My son has been there for a year. In my opinion, a school is best judged by its teachers and the teachers at Intercultural are absolutely STELLAR. His 6 hours in spanish immersion montessori and 2.5 hours in English are amazing. He had a bumpy time transitioning to montessori and his own discipline but he made the transition and has blossomed into a classroom leader. Montessori has turned out to be an excellent choice for my child's learning style. My kindergartner tells me about isoceles triangles, the order of the solar system and tons of other things that I knew nothing about at his age! No school is perfect. My only criticisms of the school are: the cost...(though it does have financial aid) and the location (its in oak park and as a city dweller the reverse commute kills us). I would be happy to talk to any parent about my positive experience. *i recently heard they are opening a new location in the city* read more

I brought my daughter here on the advice of a co-worker. I was not impressed. I grilled the people that interviwed us for a slot. None of them could tell me what experience the headmaster had with children or with schools. I asked to see their emergency plan. They could not provide one. I asked about the teachers and was told no more than they all had certification. From your reviews we gather you are happy with this expensive day care center, but lets look at the core of the school. Feel free to answer. The headmaster has X years of postdoctoral experience in education at X schools. The headmaster's concentration was in X and has taught X number of years prior to assuming the helm of this institution. The teachers are all certified and nationally ranked in Japan. Yes or No. If yes, please name the institute and their rankings. Intercultural has X number of exchange programs in Japan. Intercultural is ranked as an institute in Japan. Yes or No. Intercultural has a certified social worker or clinical psychologist on staff. Yes or No. His/her name is X Intercultural's Headmaster and direct reports (not teachers) have X number of years experience managing schools (not just working at one) and have X number of years experience with Montessori. Finally, what about that guardrail that shields the children from traffic on Ridgeland, is it installed facing the wrong direction? read more

The first review (by Elite) seems to have been written by someone bearing some grudge. Whatever made this first reviewer write such an untruthful review is beyond me. I have a daughter at Intercultura and plan to take my son there once he meets the age requirements. This is an awesome place for kids to learn, grow and interact with a diverse group of kids. We noted a huge difference in concentration, demeanor, politeness and social behavior only about two months after our daughters enrolment. The Montessori method is evident and the teachers are fabulous. I guess the first reviewer is either a competitor in the Oak Park or a disgruntled whatever! read more

The only negative review is clearly from an individual with an axe to grind. My three children attend Intercultural and our family has been part of this beautiful community for four years. Our school provides a multicultural environment for our children that teaches love, respect and justice for all citizens of the world. Our children develop an enormous curiousity about learning, life and the world through their daily experiences at Intercultural. Our teachers are more like mothers to our children and teach them with genuine love and understanding of who they are and what they need as individuals. For working moms like me, such an environment is priceless. My children, ages eight. seven and five, never want to leave school and never want to miss school. Last week my seven-year-old had the flu and after being home three days, she begged me to go back to school. She kept telling me she was missing out on so much learning and just couldn't stay home another day. In addition to the emotional health and support our children experience everyday, our curriculum is academic excellence at its finest. Language immersion itself is a tremendous benefit for all children as it creates brain pathways that actually increase intelligence. Those pathways do not develop and are lost forever if a child does not acquire a second language by age nine. The beauty here is that you don't have to be smart to learn a second language as a child but learning one actually makes you smarter. Intercultural is a gift to all children and I hope it will serve as a model for schools of the future. I believe education in a multicultural environment is critical to peace among nations as well as for a healthy global economy that one day may eliminate world hunger. My opinion about Intercultural is not only based on four years of experience but also on substantial research that I did myself on language immersion and the Montessori method. But, you don't have to just rely on my opinion. Go to Time Magazine's website and look up the December 18, 2006 issue. The cover story is "How To Build A Student For The 21st Century." The recommendations in that article are the blue print followed by Intercultural. To the mom who is worried about the cost, if you can afford this fabulous school (and we sacrifice a lot to be able to send three kids to the school), it's more than worth it. Your investment will be returned to your most precious children and hopefully to the world in which they will live. read more

My children love this school! They are well beyond their peers academically (in two languages), as well as in respectful, independent learning rather than waiting to be told by an adult when and how to do something. This translates into their behavior outside of school as well. Although this school, like many, went through a difficult patch, it is now a calm place for children to learn and grow in the Montessori approach. All it will take is a day observing and you will be convinced! read more

I wouldn't say I'm fanatical about Intercultural; I'm realistic about what any school can do, and having had at least one child there since 2001, I'm very pleased with both the academic learning and personal growth that my two children have experienced there. As another writer says, the teachers really are stellar; especially in the elementary grades, kids get a wonderful combination of one-on-one work with teachers and what I think of as the kind of "supported independence" that helps them develop as thinkers and researchers. My fourth-grader reads and writes above grade level in English and squarely at grade level in Spanish--based on the Mexican government's excellent language arts and science curricula. In addition to the strong academic preparation and social development enabled by the teaching staff and Montessori learning environment, I appreciate the work Intercultural students do in music and the visual arts, the emphasis on "practical life" (including, at the elementary level, planning, shopping for, and preparing special meals), and after school extras like Circus Arts (my kid can really juggle!). Finally, the school's flexible scheduling fits well with my husband's and my work schedules, which gives us peace of mind we can count on. I think Intercultural is a terrific school. read more

I wanted to write a review about of this stellar school, especially after reading the first negative review. My son has been attending IMLS since he was three. He is currently a fourth grader. I could not have found a better environment for our son. Academically, he is above grade level in both languages. His passion for learning is nurtured and a multicultural environment is the "norm." Most schools only superficially address multiculturalism by focusing on celebrations or food. In our school, children live the experience on a day to day basis. I am an educational researcher at the University of Chicago - I have seen many elite school, public and private, and nothing in my view, even comes close to being able to provide the environment that IMLS provides on an emotional, social, and academic level. My son has blossomed in amazing ways. As my parents always said to me, education is a gift that lasts forever. No one can take that away from you. That is why we have made the sacrifice to send our son to IMLS and are committed to keeping him there through the 6th grade. I cannot speak more highly of the teachers, their love for the children, and of course, their high qualifications and credentials. I don't feel a need to go into that on this site, but if you are seriously interested in the school, that information would gladly be provided. By the way, I am an LCSW and work closely with the school and a very well respected licensed clinical psychologist serves on our board. read more

Our daughter has been in the program since September 2006 and is really blossoming there. Despite that short period of time, I'm impressed with the language skills she has acquired. I'm also very pleased with the Montessori method, and its apparent effect on her curiosity, understanding, patience, and creativity. We intend to keep her there, and to start her sister in the program when she is old enough. That's my two cents on the school. Not being a Japanese speaker, I have no independent way of evaluating her progress in Japanese, but she certainly seems to know a lot of words and can write many different hiragana characters, write her name, etc. She is also making good progress in other subjects, such as reading, mathematics, etc. read more

We cannot say enough about our experience at Intercultural Montessori. Our four year old daughter is in her second year and we plan to send our son next year after he turns three. She attends the Mandarin class in the morning and, because we were so pleased with her experience, we decided to send her to the English class in the afternoon. (She begged to go!) The afternoon is taught in English, but we are fortunate that the class is led by native Spanish-speakers. At our parent-teacher conference, we requested they speak to our daughter in Spanish and they were happy to do so. Organizations are only as strong as their leaders, and in our experience the leaders--from the Executive Director to the Oak Park school manager--lead with clarity of vision, consistent educational excellence and warmth. The teachers and staff they choose are exemplary educators and have a true love for children, and as a parent of young children we know that having a child feel valued and loved at school is as important as what they learn. We wanted to give our children a dual language immersion experience at this age as we understand that before age four, the human mind is especially open to learning multiple languages, and that they will be able to draw upon that learning well into adulthood. We believe dual language will also widen their career options as adults and give them understanding and respect of different cultures. In our area, there were many options for second language schools and we scrutinized this decision. (Our daughter initially attended Alquin, and we chose to move her to Intercultural.) Intercultural has exceeded our expectations, not only in dual language learning, but also in our daughter's love of learning, creativity, social development, math concepts, independence, social graces and conflict resolution skills. She especially loves art and math and because the environment encourages student-led interests, she's learning math concepts usually taught in grade school. In addition, Intercultural offers after school lessons in yoga, chess, art, music, Aikido and private piano lessons (in English or Mandarin). In all, Intercultural Montessori offers a wealth of educational experiences with exceptional teachers. The staff and teachers exceeded our expectations and the school is well worth the tuition costs. read more

We've sent two children to Intercultural and are sad that this is our last year. It is a warm, nurturing environment with excellent teachers and staff. Intercultural fosters independence and a love of learning. Our kids are very different - and the school accommodated each very well. For example, Intercultural made sure our son got a lot of time to be active and move around. They also helped our daughter pursue her math interests. Our kids loved going to school! They were very happy and made great friends. Overall, we recommend Intercultural with full confidence. read more

A parent informed me that they had found this negative review on IMLS. I was very surprised after reading the comments posted here about Intercultural, especially by parents that have not allowed their own children to experience the environment at our school and then be able to make a judgment based on their child's growth and experience. IMLS, first of all is a Montessori school, then a language Immersion program, in which language is not taught in the "traditional" classroom format. I am a Registrar at a graduate school and value a good education as an essential requirement for my children. If you desire to give your child a well-rounded Montessori education and a global experience, with the benefit of achieving a "bi-lingual" education, Intercultural Montessori is the school to pick for your child. This school has given my boys a place to grow as a whole human being, grow to love school and learning, form long-lasting friendships, and gain a multi-cultural spirit and perspective on the world that prepares them for the future. After having my boys in parroquial schools, public schools and Montessori pre-schools, my boys have never been happier with going to school than in a Montessori environment. Now they get to immerse themselves in a language as well - wow! I would recommend that interested parents allow their children to experience the school and if the school fails to meet the parents' expectations, then I would understand the needed departure and giving the school the necessary review. Come and see how happy and incredibly smart the children are --- it is all about our children and their future! read more

What a fantastic school! The staff at the school is so very happy. A much-needed admin change over the summer of 2018 is bringing much change: the possibility of a partnership with the Chicago Theater to bring more of the arts into the school, the formation of a strong PTO to tap into our talented parent community, many activities, like a new-parent coffee, Parents' Nights, and parent education events in the works, with the goal of building a united and friendly school community. The school is very peaceful and orderly as you walk in. My daughter comes home singing in Chinese and naming her continents in Chinese and is quite conversational (she's 4 and has been attending for a year and a 1/2). The Montessori instruction means that my super-high-energy daughter has the opportunity to move her body throughout the day while learning. The teachers are so very friendly and loving. Honestly, the cost of the school is significantly lower than many secular schools in Chicago, so if you're looking for an affordable private school, this might be your fit. Also, in terms of commute, the Blue Line is only 3 blocks away, 290 is also close, and Ashland is a fantastically quick way to get here (only takes about 10ish mins from Wicker Park). The new director is really great, has a lot of fantastic ideas and is actually implementing them. I highly recommend this school! read more

My son attended this school from age 3-5. He was in the Mandarin classroom and we had a wonderful experience. The teachers are loving and caring. They make sure you understand how your child is going, if there are things you can work on at home and how they are doing socially. I would recommend this school. read more

I attended the old Intercultura from age three through second grade. As I make my way through my freshmen year of High School I can honestly appreciate the Intercultura was INCREDIBLE! I'm sure the school has problaly changed since I left, but if it has even one ounce of the structure that it had when I attended, I would tell any parent to send their kids there. Not to sound full of myself, but the school gave me a sense of maturity which allowed for a greater understanding of the world around me after I left the school. Another great bonus is that the Montessori system teaches every student personal responsibility AND honesty! The Spanish skills have been useful every day and they also allow a strong advantage outside of the classroom. This amazing school gets an A+ in my book and I couldn't be happier that I had the privilege to attend! read more

My child has been attending Intercultural since he was 3 and he is now in lower elementary. I would highly recommend this school to any parent. While it is true the school has gone through some tough times, I have remained committed to the quality of education, the wonderful teachers and the language immersion program that is so important to my family. My son is in the Spanish immersion program and it was critical to me that my son be able to not only speak Spanish but read and write Spanish. It has also been very important to me that my son develop a strong sense of self-esteem, confidence and respect for others. He is getting these wonderful attributes through Intercultural. I love the diversity and the sense of community. The teachers are exceptional - I have no idea where the negative reviewer got the idea they were "bored housewives." As another parent mentioned the teachers treat our children like family. The kids also treat each other like family - they truly care about one another and I am amazed at the sense of community, concern, respect and companionship I see everyday. My child also loves school and I have a hard time getting him to leave at the end of the day. The subjects he is learning about at his young age are also so far advanced. I also cannot tell you how many compliments I have received about my son's manners and good behavior from friends, coaches, other parents (not associated with Intercultural) strangers in public places (ie restaurants) and I know that he has learned much of his good behavior from his years at Intercultural. Yes, it is expensive but so are other private schools. Also the fact that the hours are 7 am to 6 pm -- for working parents it does give peace of mind knowing our children are in a safe, nurturing and positive environment. These things are well worth the cost. I highly recommend Intercultural to any parent. read more