We love MGP! The staff, teachers, students, and parents have all been amazing! Our daughter has been enrolled since she was 2, and we plan to enroll our son when he becomes of age. read more

Our daughter started at MGP (Lincoln Square location) a little after turning 3 years old. We have had nothing but positive experiences thus far. We love that each class has a spanish and mandarin teacher and our daughter recently learned to sing a song in Mandarin! Also, the test prep for SEES (Selective Enrollment Exams) has been immensely helpful so far in preparing our daughter. The teachers, principal and entire staff are always accommodating. Top notch Montessori education. Highly recommend! read more

We've been at MGP for a year and a half and our child is very happy. Any concerns or challenges we've had have been met with open communication. We really appreciate the access to additional learning and enrichment opportunities, as well as the community there. The teachers are all lovely and knowledgeable and our child has been supported in his development. read more

We love this school. Our daughter has just blossomed since she started last Fall. The teachers and team are so caring and dedicated to the growth of the kids. read more

My 2 year son just started at he school in January but so far it's been great. I liked the activities and all the attention he gets. The teachers are very kind and you can tell they have a really good relationship with the students. i also like the facilities. Most daycares i looked at had the kids spending the entire day in one small room. At MGP though, there is a classroom, music room, gym, auditorium, indoor playground, and outdoor playground. It is a very nice small community which really values learning. read more

My daughter has attended MGP for the past 2 years and it has done wonders for her emotional, social and academic growth as well as providing her with the grounding to be an independent little human. She loves to learn and MGP offers her with a wealth of knowledge : spanish, mandarin, STEM and montessori based learning. MGP is a great balance of providing your child with montessori education with academics still as a focus. One extra resource the school offers is providing additional instruction and educational materials for parents and students interested in selective enrollment elementary schools . My daughter was admitted to our first choice gifted center with the help of MGP. Overall we could not be happier with them and plan on sending our youngest here when he is old enough. read more

The past 2 years that our daughter has attended Montessori Gifted Prep (MGP) has been filled with educational, personal, and individual growth for both our daughter and our family. When seeking out a preschool for our daughter, we knew that we wanted her to attend a Montessori program since both my husband and I went to Montessori schools in our childhood. MGP stood out from the start because of their mission to embrace the whole child, as well as their immersive language (Mandarin and Spanish) programs. After meeting with JC, we were convinced that MGP was the right place for our daughter to start her educational journey, and we haven't regretted our decision for one moment. This summer our daughter will continue her journey to kindergarten, and it is bittersweet. We are so grateful for the foundation that MGP has given our family and daughter and will deeply miss her attending MGP. Below I have written in greater detail a few categories on how MGP has been a benefit to our family and daughter: Class & School Environment: Our daughter has thrived in MGP. We are given opportunities to visit their classroom throughout the year, and all the children show kindness, empathy and understanding towards each other. If there are issues with a child, they are quickly addressed, and offer actionable solutions. All our daughters' teachers, from her primary teacher, her language teachers, and her music teacher, have such compassion and passion towards all the students and Montessori principles. You can tell that they embrace the growth of their students, and that they love what they do. They are all highly trained within the Montessori system, and it shows. A sense of community is built through teacher/staff/parent relationships. Safety: A large concern for parents these days is the safety of their children, and I can honestly say that I have never feared dropping my daughter off at school in the mornings - aside from her first week of school. I was your average mom, nervous and full of anxiety because since I work remotely, I never had to trust someone else to watch her. Her teacher was extremely understanding and empathetic, taking the time to help me ease into the transition. Updates via pictures are sent throughout the day, and there are classroom cameras in case you want to "check in" on your child (which I personally never found the need to use after the first couple of weeks of her first year). Personal & Educational Growth: If you decide to meet with JC (which I would urge you to do) you will learn the fundamental principles MGP was founded on. In our experience, MGP never strayed from their core values. Aside from cultivating a sense of independence and confidence in children, the immersive language programs offer an invaluable sense of cultural exploration that would be difficult to find elsewhere in another pre-school program. For our family, a sense of community and understanding of cultures outside of our own is important, and MGP inherently provides that by combining Montessori principles and their language program, along with the exemplary teachers they vet carefully. Selective Enrollment Elementary School Guidance: For parents/guardians who are interested in the Selective Enrollment Elementary Schools (SEES) for when their children become Kindergarteners, I can't imagine another program outside of MGP who has more resources, one-on-one attention and educational programs geared towards aiding in the success of your child. While not every child will be able to test into a Selective Enrollment school, MGP does its best to prepare each child and family along their journey. Our daughter was enrolled part time, but JC provided us with the tools, resources, and personal guidance to ensure we could prepare our daughter as best as possible at home for her test. MGP also offers SEES directed lessons at the school itself. Our daughter was offered a position in our top Classical school of choice, and we know that is largely in part due to the generous support and guidance of JC, MGP and her teachers. read more

Montessori Gifted Prep has been a blessing for our son. When our son joined MGP as a 3 year old last fall, there definitely was some separation anxiety and lots of crying. But the MGP staff and teachers were so patient and nice, that soon enough our son was walking in the front door without looking back. Their education is top notch. They teach Spanish and Mandarin, and have a certified Montessori curriculum. But they also prep your child for the CPS Selective Enrollment tests if you choose. An extra special shout out to Ms. Wen, who was our primary homeroom teacher. She was our shining star for our son. Ms. Yanneth and Ms. Rachel were amazing in the classroom too. The headmaster Mr. JC is a wealth of education knowledge. We had some very meaningful conversations about some future education decisions, and we could tell that Mr. JC's advice was based on evidence based research and his years in education. Suffice to say, our son was accepted into our first choice of the CPS SEES application process. We can't recommend MGP enough! A+++!!! read more

Montessori Gifted Prep has done wonders for my son. He started attending the toddler class last November at 2.5 years old. Before he started going to MGP he was dependent on us for every part of his daily routine (we baby him a bit too much since he is our youngest). We had trouble getting him to feed himself, put on clothes, put on shoes, clean up his messes or anything else that didn't involve playing. Thankfully, through hard work, patience, and kindness, the teaching staff at MGP has done an excellent job helping my son in his personal development. Now he dresses himself, puts on his shoes, and he even has a cool trick where he puts his arms in the sleeves of his jacket as it lies on the ground, then he flips the jacket over his head and onto his body. He is so proud of himself for being able to accomplish so many daily tasks without any help. He is happier, healthier, and more capable than ever before. I can't express how happy I am to see this. Moreover, thanks to the language emersion program (Spanish & Mandarin), I catch him using words in not one, but TWO foreign languages! MGP's founder JC has done an incredible job building this school and hiring top-notch staff. We are blessed to have the opportunity to send our son there to learn and grow. Thank you, MGP! read more

Montessori Gifted Prep - Preschools Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Montessori Gifted Prep is an exceptional preschool! My daughter has been attending there for the past two years. We enrolled her in full-day school (8am-3pm) when she was only 2 years old. What initially attracted us to MGP was that it was Montessori instruction but it also prepared the children for the CPS Selective enrollment test and programs. Since we plan to send our daughter to a CPS school for kindergarten and elementary school, we liked the idea of setting her up for success at CPS in general (vs. assuming she'd say in a Montessori or private school for future grades) and thought the test preparation was a bonus. My daughter has thrived under their patient care and instruction. She speaks a bit of Spanish and Mandarin and is enthusiastic about going to school and seeing all her friends. All of the teachers we have experienced have been exceptionally kind, gentle and accommodating. After one year of sending her until 3pm we decided to include after school care (until 5pm) and my daughter really got much closer with her friends after that. She enjoyed the soccer and playground time in the after school care and said that was sometimes the best part of her day. She's also done the summer program and had a ton of fun - normally includes lots of field trips (pre-COVID) and a more intense and thorough exploration of ideas (ex: this month they're learning about planets and the solar system). We can't recommend MGP enough! read more

This was a great school and even a better one now with an indoor and outdoor playground. Language immersion is fantastic and JC is a visionary leader. The school helped our 5 year old get into a Selective Enrollment School this past year and we couldn't be happier. We currently have a 2 year old attending and plan to send our 1 year old next year. We've also made some lifelong friendships with other parents. Your search should end here. Hope your kid gets accepted. read more

My children have truly thrived in this school. They love their teachers and have grown so much academically and emotionally.

MGP has been an incredible experience for our son the past few months. He started just after turning 2 years old and has thrived in his class room. We put him in to experience socialization, be immersed in different languages besides English (Mandarin, Spanish), and experience Montessori type education. Within a month, he was putting his dishes away, helping clean up, trying to put on his own clothes, and always wanting to help around the house. He started counting in Spanish and we are pretty sure he sings Mandarin songs around the house. Can't be certain but pretty sure. The owner, JC, has been nothing short of professional. He is engaging, listens to feedback from parents, and implements changes that will benefit the children and parents. The teachers have also been so helpful and thoughtful. My son has aversions to certain foods and my wife tries her best to keep him on a clean diet (no added sugar, vegetables, etc.) that the teachers have respected and engaged us via the app to confirm if they can serve him something. They let us know if he is having trouble, got into an accident, etc. The communication is amazing. Plus the daily pictures...Icing on top. We are unfortunately moving to the suburbs due to a job change that would make the commute both professionally and to drop off our son onerous. We wish there was a school like this in the suburbs but we are having trouble finding something so great. We currently live in Logan Square and commute to take him. Even the extra time and gas money (woof!) have been worth it. I highly recommend parents investigate this school. They will not be disappointed. read more

We have had a wonderful experience at MGP. Our daughter has attended school here for two years now. All of her teachers have been awesome. The language immersion is fantastic and it is really fun to listen to our 3yo talk and sing in three languages. I am also just genuinely amazed at how much she learns at school. The school has a private outdoor playground, a really big indoor playground, and a gym. It is really nice that the kids have lots of opportunities to run and play every day despite the weather. The director JC is awesome. Prior to sending our daughter to MGP I had tried to get in touch with a number of preschools and found communication to be very difficult at many other schools. JC and all of the teachers at the school are great communicators and always responds to emails or questions promptly. You can also just tell he cares a lot about MGP. Everyone who works there works really hard and care about creating a special environment for the kids. Most importantly, my daughter LOVES school. She loves all of her teachers and her friends, and looks forward to going to school every day. read more

Our daughter attended Montessori Gifted Prep from Oct 2020 to June 2021. We sought out MGP at the height of the pandemic because of their strict and comprehensive health regulations, and to date, they've had zero Covid cases within the staff and student body. Their commitment to Covid precautions is impressive--the teachers and students wear masks, when the vaccine became available, all teachers were encouraged to schedule appoints as early as possible, and each class has a separate entrance to minimize co-mingling. We also appreciated their outdoor and indoor play areas. During the winter months, the students are able to enjoy playtime at their extensive indoor playground. Ultimately, MGP was a wonderful experience for our two-year old. read more

There are a lot of preschools out there that call themselves Montessori, but MGP is a true Montessori and adheres to the pedagogy and provides the children with all the tools and materials necessary for them to learn through exploration. Everything is child-sized, including the chairs, tables, shelves, plates, cups and even utensils - anything the children need throughout the day. Everything is well organized and the children are taught to clean after themselves and to help the younger children in the class, if they need help. Lunch time is especially impressive as all the children set up their own place setting and lunch items, then are encouraged to clean up after themselves, and the room is filled with flowers that the children arrange and care for themselves. The children learn to respect the teachers, the materials they use and the lessons they learn. The teachers also respect the children and honor this tender age. They are patient, insightful and experienced and teach appropriate behavior and manners along with the more academic lessons. My wife and I also benefited from the school's commitment to parent education. They hold workshops and send home useful information; we are learning to be better parents! My daughter loves going to school and I feel grateful that we are able to send her to a place where the academic teaching is so excellent and where she is well cared for. There are so many other unique and special touches that make MGP a wonderful school. If there is one word that describes the school then it would be "love". It is our family's hope that others will discover the exceptional qualities that Montessori Gifted Prep of Chicago possesses! read more

My wife and I were under pressure to find a preschool for our son... We checked out the Waldorf school and a number of Montessori programs. We felt most comfortable with JC and the team of educators at Montessori Gifted Prep. I would describe MGP as Montessori with a healthy amount of evaluation and feedback. That was just what my wife and I were looking for. With the help of Mr. JC, Ms Angie and many others, our son tested into a selective enrollment CPS elementary school (we live in tier 4). The ultimate compliment will come when we enroll our twin 18 month old boys... We plan on sending them to MGP and wouldn't consider anywhere else. read more

There are quite a few pre-schools in Lincoln Square. We did a lot of research before choosing Montessori Gifted Prep. We wanted to share the main reasons we like MGP: · The Montessori philosophy of the "whole child" is well thought-out. It allows kids to flourish intellectually, emotionally and physically. It encourages kids to learn to acquire practical skills (e.g., participate in food preparation, eat with ceramic plates, and go potty independently), solve problems independently (e.g., do numbers games and puzzles), and develop social skills (e.g., grace and courtesy, self-respect and respect for others). · The teachers are very knowledgeable about Montessori methods and are sincerely committed to putting those methods into practice every day. All lead teachers have masters degrees and all assistant teachers have a minimum of a bachelor degree. The high level of educated staff signaled to me the level of emphasis the Head of School places on education - the bar is set high. The school even invites the educational expert to train teachers regularly and hosts educational sessions for parents on parenting skills. The teachers and staff are diligent and dedicated. If kids need help in certain areas, they are committed to working with kids and parents, including trying to find causes of the problem, and anything that could be done to help. They handle it very professionally and knowledgeably. · There are 3-4 teachers in the classroom of 16 -20 children, which provides a very personal relationship between children and teachers. Each class has a native Spanish speaker, and a native Mandarin speaker so those teachers speak their native tongue to the children all day - this immersion style of teaching helps children learn the languages very quickly . Very often during pick-up time, you can see that quite a few kids don't even want to leave school, which is the best evidence of the school's success in providing a good environment for the kids. I highly recommend Montessori Gifted Prep. read more

We have had a wonderful experience with Montessori Gifted Prep (MGP). We started our son as soon as he turned two. He was having difficulty with language and has improved so much in just 7 months. Not only is his communication better, but he is speaking some Spanish and Mandarin! JC the headmaster is very impressive, knowledgeable and they do additional education support for parents regarding Montessori and understanding CPS selective enrollment system. The teachers are incredibly kind and patient. They adhere to the Montessori way and my son has become more self reliant, independent and better socially with other children. I cannot recommend this school enough! Such a blessing for us to have found MPG!!! read more

Our daughter has been attending MGP for less than three months and already she can count to ten in three different languages. It's been hard for us to believe how much Spanish and Chinese she has been able to absorb through daily exposure and repetition. The teachers are very dedicated and they work extremely hard. The other students and parents are all very friendly, and MGP is a small-enough-sized operation that there is a real sense of community which encourages parent involvement in things like holiday pageants and homemade mooncake-baking activities. We are very satisfied and we highly recommend. read more

The search for a great preschool can be hard. After touring several Chicago north side Montessori preschools (pre-COVID), I was relieved and surprised to find the best fit for my family at Montessori Gifted Prep (MGP). The Head of School, JC, is giving of his time and committed to his mission. JC and his team put their hearts into caring for the families at MGP. My child attends MGP because of the caring administrators and trained teachers, intimate community of genuine parents, on-site playground and gym, mixed age classroom, and opportunity to be in a clean, calm room with teachers who value building independence. The teachers are consistent and observant. We transitioned from a play-based daycare to Montessori. One difference is that parents say good-byes at the main entrance (not in the classroom). There were tears at first but with time that changed. My kiddo goes up the stairs, hangs bag/jacket, changes shoes and washes hands - independently. MGP is located in a former church building that has ample indoor space for the kids. MGP uses an app for check in/out, sharing daily photos, messages, and updates on food and potty. When I feel curious about how/what my child is doing at preschool, I use the parent's live webcam for reassurance. The monthly newsletters help parents engage with lessons in the classroom. Staff and teachers are responsive. The school's responsiveness to COVID-19 has been serious and detailed. Everyone 3+ wears masks. read more

We enrolled our daughter at MGP in June 2016. She was 2.5 years old at the time of enrollment. We knew that we wanted our daughter in a Montessori school & we selected MGP based on a variety of factors - location, staff, language exposure & measurable results. We have only wonderful things to say about MGP. We noticed a positive change in our daughter after only a short time of being enrolled at MGP. She had a much better sense of self-confidence & seemed to be really driven to master things on her own, such as put on her shoes & coat, wash her hands independently & bus her dishes at meal times. She was toilet trained in approximately 2-3 weeks of enrollment, which we largely attribute to the MGP teachers. MGP provides a balanced environment where the children have the support they need, but the opportunity to excel on their own. It is also worthwhile to note that the school maintains a very low student to teacher ratio, which is ideal, especially at this young age. On a daily basis, our daughter comes home happy & ecstatic to share what she did during her day. She is offered a wide array of activities, learning, music, food & languages. She is exposed to so many different things, it has really & truly helped her flourish into a bright & enjoyable child. Typically she states that her favorite part of her day is going to school. We've also thoroughly enjoyed all of our encounters with JC, the head of school, & the various teachers. You can tell that everyone is truly invested in both the school & the children. We feel lucky to have our daughter enrolled in such a wonderful school. Thank you to everyone at MGP. read more

Full disclosure- I know the head of school, but it's still a great school. I went to a couple of the info sessions and there were a lot of other families gathered. The staff was very knowledgeable about what "Montessori" is and they helped us understand it by showing us rather than telling. They showed us all the games and activities used to drive child learning. Additionally, the staff is very well qualified with I think 2 teachers incorporating spanish words into a story in english so children pick up on spanish. Lastly, the best thing was the flexibility in schedule. I work 9-5pm and there is no way I can come to a school at 2:30pm everyday for pickup. This school offers early drop off and late pick up (like 7pm). For someone that works in the loop and has to take the brown line back, this is what I need. If you're a busy person and to give your child a high quality education instead of just a daycare, this is your place. read more

I want to say something because It is a good school. MGP was my son Daniel 's first preschool when he was 3 years old. Although Daniel already left MGP , sometimes he still mentioned his teachers and friends of MGP. I think the education he got in MGP gives him a wonderful start in his early learning.It was hard to believe at beginning, when Daniel first came to School, he couldn't understand and speak English and Spanish. Our first language is mandarin at home. Daniel loves his teachers JC, Angie and Yanneth.They not only took good care of my son and taught him a lot of things but also gave us many very helpful advice. I highly recommend this school. If we didn't move, my son was still at there. read more

I am assuming if you are reading this review you are attempting to decide whether or not to send your child go Gifted Prep. I am also going to assume you understand the basis of the Montessori education model. Our 5 year old daughter just graduated from gifted prep after spending two years there. I had my hesitations at first and we looked at a few schools however, deciding to send my child to Gifted Prep was one of the best decisions I have made for my daughter! She really excelled there and learned so many invaluable skills. Some people think "Big deal she can speak Spanish and mandarin" but I will say the confidence it provides and the understanding of other cultures is a really, really big deal. To live stream with other schools and watch your child have the courage to sing a song in their native language in front of peers, parents and strangers is something you need to experience to understand. The teachers at Gifted and Prep truly care about the children and do everything they can to help them succeed. My daughter was one of the first students there in the morning and was always greeted with a smile and most morning a greeting in Spanish which she loved. She was free to do what she wanted while waiting for school to begin most mornings it was either "reading" a book or drawing. Gifted and prep spends a lot of time focusing on social skills and behaviors which is so important at this age. My daughter clears her plate after every meal. She asked permission to leave the table and says excuse me when needed. She treats other children with respect and shows remorse if someone else gets hurt. We sent her to camp in the summer that aligned with the Montessori education model "when you trust kids, they trust themselves". However, towards the end of the summer a very close friend of mine mentioned how her behavior seems different then when he saw her a few months earlier (not for the better). This was in direct correlation to when she was attending gifted and prep and when she wasn't. I was an elementary teacher for a couple years way too long ago and the bi-yearly reports that we received from Gifted Prep at parent teacher conferences are very impressive. They illustrated that the teachers were constantly evaluating on skills and provided invaluable information regarding what we could work on at home. My wife and I will never be able to repay the debt of gratitude we owe JC and the teachers for the impact they have had on my daughter's life. It is literally life changing as she will be attending a gifted and talented school in the fall. While a majority of why she was accepted is obviously due to who she is as a little person there is no question in my mind that Gifted Prep prepared her both in knowledge and confidence to perform well enough in the interview to gain admission to the school next year. read more

I was working on my type 10 language teaching license and completed my field experience hours at Montessori Gifted Prep for my first and second language acquisition class. I had competed 125 field hours in 7 different schools and this school was by far the best learning environment for children as well as research educators such as myself. This school is truly amazing. Children with zero backgrounds in Mandarin and/or Spanish before coming to the school were actually speaking and reading/writing in Mandarin and Spanish at 4 years old. They were also reading/writing in English! I saw 4 year old MGP children working at a more advanced English reading/writing level than many of the 5 year old monolingual children I visited at other schools, AND these children are able to read/write in Mandarin and Spanish. Ah-mazing! For all those parents afraid of raising trilingual children for fear of hindering their English progress, read the research on multilingual children, and visit this school! Children do not suffer in school when raised as multilingual - these children are proof of that. I've seen that these children were speaking more fluently in Mandarin and Spanish after one year at MGP than college students studying Mandarin and Spanish for one year. The teachers were all very professional and caring. It was great to see them in action with the children. I believe that I learned a great deal from them and I was able to walk away with a lot of great ideas for what I want to do in my future classroom. I was thoroughly impressed! I would absolutely send my children here! read more

I highly recommend this school. I visited during an informational tour and saw how friendly the staff was and I felt the classroom design was calming, clean and safe. I especially liked seeing the children having fun and enjoying themselves during the tour! The admissions process was very personalized and the owner, JC, takes great interest in getting to know you. He is very passionate about education and I believe he has designed a very personalized well-rounded program. If you are looking for a small, intimate family oriented school then this place is for you. read more

Our child is nearly 2 months in and we are ecstatic at our decision to send our child to this school. So far we've noticed the following things: (a) able to say basic words/phrases in both Mandarin and Spanish, (b) More self directed play, (c) Increased dexterity in things like taking on/pulling off shoes, zippering jackets, pouring beverages, and following direction. Our child is really excited about going to school every day and we are glad to be part of the first class at Montessori Gifted Prep. read more

My husband and I really appreciate MGP and their staff. We can honestly say they have our child's best interests in mind. They have worked with all of our expectations and have been very accommodating. The director, JC, is very involved and genuinely caring. Our son is happy every day at pick up and has made great strides since his enrollment. We have already recommended MGP to family and I think that speaks volumes. read more

Our son has been a student at MGP since November of 2015. He was one of the first students to begin work there. Over those months I have seen my son mature as a person as well as intellectually. He is able to work within a group as well as individually. He has become more adept at using the restroom, eating, picking up after himself, communicating, behaving and many more life skills. Not only is he at home singing and verbalizing in English but he also has a lot of the basics in Spanish as well as Mandarin. One of our requirements in finding a school was the ability for our son to become proficient in Spanish and he is receiving those lessons daily. The Mandarin is fantastic to hear at home because it is a language we are completely unfamiliar with. Not only learning words but pronunciation and song. MGP is located beautifully in the Lincoln Square neighborhood. When weather permits the children walk to and from parks. I absolutely love that they are also learning these types of life skills as it is very important living in a city neighborhood such as ours. Admittedly, I did not know the whole process of finding a great school for a child. He is our first son and I am blown away and so proud of what he has consumed as a very young person in such a short time. I would recommend every person with a child between the ages of 3-6 to MGP. JC, Ms. Angie, Ms. Ms Monica and Ms. Y care and are at the top of their game. I was not familiar with the works of Montessori but after seeing it firsthand I will be sending all kids to MGP and JC and team. They don't see their work as a job, it's what they love. Sean Hammer - Patrick's proud father. read more

My daughter has attended MGP for a little over 4 months now in the 2-3 year classroom. She loves going to school. They provide a wide variety of choices for learning activities. I especially appreciate the Spanish language circle time with Ms. Gloria. My daughter is excited to come home and tell me the names of different household objects and animals and to teach me Spanish songs, and she tells me she loves learning new words with Ms. Gloria. She has become much more independent since starting school: putting on her own shoes, peeling her own oranges, cleaning up her spills and messes at home. She has also learned to write her own name and recognize some sight words. I also like that they take the children outside every day the weather permits and have a gymnasium with lots of toys and activities when the weather is bad. read more

I wanted to share my experience registering with MGP. Ultimately we decided it was not the best place for our son but the experience was interesting and I paid the school $700 so I feel that I am entitled to voice my opinion. In Spring of 2017 we contacted MGP about registering for 3 of their summer sessions. Although we were only looking at 6 weeks of classes for our 5 year old, we still were required to go through the full interview process. I paid the $300 application fee and we scheduled the interview. Overall, it was a strange experience. The goal of the exercise appeared to be to push the child to the limit to being uncomfortable. Personally, I thought that the headmaster "JC Mountainbear" pushed a bit harder than required for this evaluation but this is not my area of expertise. More surprising though were the questions around our careers, business ventures and family in general. In addition, JC employed a few used car salesman tactics - he stated that he only had "one spot left" for the summer session and he was "holding a spot" for the full year kindergarten program. He also tried to use guilt tactics stating that we don't have to send our child to his $20k kindergarten program but "its our job to do the best we can do for our child". I left the experience a bit surprised and disappointed but moved on. A few weeks after the interview we were told we were accepted into the summer program and I was asked to pay a $200 technology fee plus a $400 deposit. After further clarification, I found out that the technology fee was really just access to the camera system so I could spy on my child while he was at preschool. I indicated I did not need this service and the fee was removed. At this point I paid the $400 deposit to MGP. Fast forward a few months later and we have been working through a number of sleep and behavioral issues with our son. We meet weekly with a therapist, who indicated that the Montessori environment is likely not the best for our child at this time. I reached out to JC Mountainbear to let him know about the updated situation. While he was understanding, it was concerning that he requested our child's full medical record. Ultimately, we did not have the best feeling and followed the advice of our doctors. We decided not to pay another $2500k+ to MGP for 6 weeks that were likely not going to be enjoyable for our 5 year old. Although that JC was understanding that we need to do what is best for our child, he was firm about keeping our $700 with no flexibility. I understand that we paid a deposit but also feel that there was an unforeseen medical diagnosis that should have driven some flexibility. JC claims that they were "holding the last spot" for our son but I would be surprised if this was not the same used car salesman tactic we witnessed from the beginning. read more

We have had a very positive experience with MGP. We did a lot of research before choosing the school and we are happy with our decision. MGP teaches Mandarin and Spanish and have a lot of activities for kids including music and soccer. Our son started here right after he turned two and he is always happy to go to school. Teachers are loving, caring and nurturing and we have seen so much independence from our son even in the few months that he has been there. Highly recommended! read more

Excellent School! Both My Girls were Students at MGP, and they Benefitted Greatly from the Program. Their Reading and Reasoning Skills improved Startlingly, and they became more Independent and Self-Assured. Perhaps more importantly at this age, they learned to "Get Along" with Children of Every Age, and they Built True Friendships. The Teachers are All Dedicated to their Profession (as well as the Kids), and they regularly undertake Continuing Professional Development in the Montessori Method. In addition to the Excellent Teaching, MGP continually provides updates on the Children's Progress with Daily Reports and Photos (as well as Parent-Teacher Conferences). I feel like My Girls started MGP as "Babies" and came out as "School Children" ready to Tackle Elementary School. On that note, Both My Girls did Well Enough on the CPS Selective Enrollment Test (for which MGP rigorously prepared them) to be offered Spots in Selective Enrollment Elementary Schools. Just the CPS Test Prepping Alone would be worth the Tuition! I plan to get on the Wait List for Our Next Child as soon as he is born! read more

Having attended Montessori myself when I was a child, I knew that I wanted my younger daughter to attend a Montessori preschool because I thought an interactive, hands-on curriculum would be a good match for her personality and natural inquisitive nature. I've been happy to find that MGP staff has gone well above and beyond that initial expectation and made a welcoming environment that my daughter looks forward to attending each day. She loves telling me about what she did each day when she gets home, and I'm often amazed to hear her singing songs in both Mandarin and Spanish as she's playing. I highly recommend Montessori Gifted Prep! read more

I can't say enough about how impressed I am with Montessori Gifted Prep. I taught in the Chicago school system for 7 years and also 3 years overseas, so when I shop for schools for my children I am a very discerning customer. I would highly recommend this school and have full confidence that JC and his staff have created a wonderful learning environment that will be a true asset to the Lincoln Square community. This school's curriculum is the perfect blend of what children really need to learn, develop independence and most of all to have their first experience with school be fun and enriching. I love that this program builds from the Montessori method and also will incorporate the use of technology in the classroom, language instruction, art, music, healthy meals and so many other activities. Don't settle on a school unless you have first visited Montessori Gifted Prep! read more

Our son started school here 2 months ago and we cannot believe how much he has learned and grown in a short period of time. The staff and teachers are fantastic and you can tell they love going to work every day. We are extremely happy with the program and would highly recommend this school to anyone looking for a caring, fun environment that also delivers a great education. They also have a flexible schedule that is great for working parents. We love getting the daily email with pictures of what they worked on each day. And most importantly, our son loves going to school each day and comes home smiling! read more

This is a wonderful place and program. Our three year old just concluded her first year at MGP and she has flourished there. MGP has a thoughtfully devised program that emphasizes self reliance and language skills. The teachers adhere to Montessori practices of letting kids choose their own learning activities in addition to daily circles for Spanish and Mandarin and free play in their gym or nearby playground. It's a great mix and the kids bring these amazing new skills home with pride. We are really impressed by the little things we see our daughter learning, like cutting her own fruit, sweeping up messes, and singing songs in Spanish and Mandarin. The parent community is very involved and a really great group -- this is not a cohort that simply picks up and drops off. Parents are super knowledgable about the various tests and school programs available across the city and they are gracious enough to share! We anticipate that MGP will continue to grow but that demand will outpace growth, so be sure to get on the list early. read more

MGP is an absolute jewel. We enrolled our three-year-old son at MGP after trying another well-regarded, popular, play-based preschool for two months. The other preschool didn't click with our child, who was a little shy and unaccustomed to the bustling -- and sometimes overwhelming -- preschool environment. On the recommendation of a neighbor, we enrolled in MGP -- and it was one of the best parenting decisions we ever made. MGP was perfect for us. It provides opportunities for independent learning that young children love while still being fun and maintaining a truly zero-pressure, child-led environment. The teachers are patient, friendly, and get to know each child's strengths and weaknesses with an individualized level of attention that I haven't seen anywhere else. The instruction in Spanish and Mandarin has been a favorite of our son, and we even plan to continue taking Spanish lessons there while he's in kindergarten. And the teachers are responsive, friendly, and both parent- and child-focused -- which translates into a daily level of communication with my child's teachers that has made us feel like they're our partners in parenting. On top of everything, the headmaster has crafted an genuinely diverse student group, which is very important to us. Over the last two years, our son has grown from am uncertain three-year-old to a happy, confident, eager, jump-right-in personality -- and we credit the individualized and supportive environment at MGP with helping him overcome his early shyness. Bottom line: We loved MGP and know it will soon become one of the most sought-after schools in the city. read more