What can we say about IMS? There are almost too many wonderful things to mention in one review!…read more Miss Ranee has such a passion for teaching children. She is patient, calm and direct. She expects the children to excel, and she helps give them the confidence to rise to the occasion. All of the teachers are quick to identify student's strengths and areas for growth and have consistently communicated his learning plan to us via daily notes and parent teacher conferences. My son was recognizing his letters when he first started Kindergarten, and is now able to read level one chapter books at the end of the year. His verbal and written communication have improved exponentially as well, and despite his naturally shy demeanor, he is now confidently reciting poetry in front of classmates and parents. The curriculum is top notch as well and we love the diversity of subjects that the school teaches. The school staff is also fabulous. Miss Erica in the front office is always there to help with anything the parents or children need during the day. I always felt confident sending my child to school each day. I can't recommend IMS enough!

We love IMS! Both of our girls started there around age 3 or 4 and both will have completed…read moreKindergarten there as well. The teachers are all supportive and reliable. The education is well-rounded. We love the cultural appreciation that the children are taught. Our oldest entered elementary school ahead of the curve on her reading/writing and math. The individual attention is remarkable. Both of our girls have loved all of their teachers and support staff and always looked forward to a fun day at school.

My daughter started at MSCU in their toddler program when she was 20 months old. She's now six…read moreyears old and completing her first year of elementary school there. We have loved this school at every stage--toddler program, primary, kindergarten, and now elementary. It's amazing to see how the environment and Montessori curriculum is helping her become both a strong, independent thinker and community-minded at the same time. The teachers are all amazing, and really care about your child and their needs and development. My daughter loves going to school here. When she comes home, she's excited to talk about the new things she's learning. I wouldn't send her anywhere else. Take a tour--you won't be disappointed!

We chose MSCU after checking out several other places in town. We loved the following qualities…read moreabout MSCU: 1) Teachers there were so friendly and upbeat. Many of the teachers have been there for many years and yet still have that "spark". 2) We loved the way kids learned in a very natural way. Montessori materials helped our DD learn how to read by age 4. Even today DD loves to read. 3) Community - we've met so many parents there who are like minded. I've found parents who are very committed to music, bilingual education and supporting local businesses. It's a very international and diverse community with wonderful food during the picnic! 4) Our kids can't wait to go to school. They actually look forward to weekdays when they get to be at school. 5) School is great at taking care of kids with allergies. 6) Beautiful rooms! 7) Mixed aged classrooms - our kids have grown so much as a result of interacting with other kids. 8) How neat and organized the kids are in class. Kids there learn to focus and learn how to take care of their environment. 9) Our kindergartener learned more space, planets, US History than most other 3rd graders I know. 10) Ms. Peat - she is the most amazing teacher in all of Champaign Urbana. She's been at the school for 20 years (very hard to believe) and still loves all of her little friends. I recommend checking out a couple of other preschools and then coming over to the MSCU and prepare to be wowed by the teachers.

Our experience was great with this school and I'm glad we found Scott and Emily. My youngest son…read morestarted here for what we thought would be one year before we started him in The Orchard School, which is where our oldest is attending school. Instead, the experience was so good they earned the right to keep our son one more year before heading off to Orchard. There were lots of little things I appreciated about his experience here: 1 - Healthy eating! Emily and her staff were consistent in their message that kids need healthy snacks and this fits well with my personal belief we are what we eat. My son came home asking for broccoli! 2 - Geography and pin poking - This is a Montessori activity that I didn't know anything about until his experience. My son completed a map of each continent, opening the door to talking about those areas of the world and what they do there, eat there, sing there, etc. We still have these maps up in our home and use them as a reference when talking about areas of the world. 3 - Reading and singing - Scott coming and playing Rudi music on Wednesdays was a highlight for my son. When he started there, my son wasn't sure about himself or going to school and Scott's music brought out my son's personality and helped give him confidence and joy for singing and learning all the new words, sounds and days that came with those songs. He really started his love of reading here, too, which I appreciate as an avid reader. 4 - Behavior growth - My son really thrived in a time where learning those social skills, learning how to manage your emotions, learning appropriate responses to others in those situations, etc. because of the guidance at this school. I very much recommend this school as a solid choice for helping your young child get started on the right foot for their education.

Our daughters both attended CMS. We had a great experience. Both learned so much while they were…read morethere and made a lot of good friends. We always felt secure dropping our kids off at CMS--we knew they would be seen, loved, cared for, and educated.

Great place for learning and gaining independence. Our son has loved it from the first day. The…read morediversity of the teaching staff allows our staff to travel internationally and experience foods and cultures from all over the world. Our son is being exposed to much more than a traditional educational setting would offer. His learning is also heightened by his ability to see, do and experience things at his own pace with instruction from world-class teachers and staff.

This school is absolutely amazing! Both of my daughters, 2 & 4 attend this location and they are…read moreso excited to go to school everyday. I get daily updates with videos/pictures of all of the activities that they do including arts and crafts, music, puppet shows, and more! The staff are very nice and helpful and truly give my daughters one on one learning attention. Must check this school out!

There is nothing not to love about this incredible school! From the loving expertise of the…read moreincredible staff to a curriculum that uniquely molds to your child's passions and curiosities, learning at Habitat is so much fun for my children! When they can follow their own lead, they learn at an alarmingly fast rate--from understanding the formation of our planets at age 4 to a very ground, real understanding and ability for multiplication and division at 5. And as a parent, I love learning here too! Volunteering as a parent has manifested the strongest group of like-minded parent friendships I may have in my adult life. So grateful for this place!

The teachers at Footsteps are above the rest. My son has been a handful at times, and they have…read morebeen very patient and loving with him. I would highly recommend them to others. He has progressed so much over the past months.

We love BMS. My kid has been attending Montessori school for 2 years and I'm so impressed and proud…read moreof her progress. She has learned so much and she is always happy and excited for new challenges. The teachers are constantly rotating subjects in a seamless manner which keeps the children engaged. The blended age learning style really works for our child because she learns not only from the teacher but from the older children in class, it also helps her practice her kindness and patience by helping the youngest kids. Some of the things they teach them are practical life skills, so she is always eager to help around the house with cleaning, food prep, gardening, etc. She is in the Sweetgum classroom with the lead teacher April and we are very pleased with her leadership and with the kindness and professionalism of the other teachers (Terri, Nancy and Lindsey). You can walk your kid to their classroom so you get to see the class and how the students are working independently in such a calm and nice space. I always get quick responses from the teachers whenever I need help with anything. She gets to stay with the same teachers and the same classroom for 3 years which I think is unique from other schools. It is a community, our kid is constantly invited to birthday parties, play dates and the parents association is always planning fun events for the parents and students to come together. They also have a Spanish program and the teacher Paola is very fun and knowledgeable. The director Quinn and subdirector Jess, are very accesible and they are always there in the front office as soon as you come in, so you can always talk to them. Mc Kenzie at the front office is very attentive and quick to help with anything. One of my concerns about my kid starting prek so soon was the food but I'm so pleased with their food. Emily preps fresh and healthy food for them everyday, my kid now likes to eat curry, pea soup and all of the variety of food they prepare for them. They don't get any processed foods or snacks and that is very important for us. We have nothing but positive experiences with the school.

If I had to rate it based on our experience in the Pre-K classroom, it would be higher, but we went…read moreto Bloomington Montessori because we hoped to have a continuity in our children's educational experience until grade 6. Unfortunately, your experience is very dependent on the teacher you get. While the Montessori philosophy promises a child-led education, the 6-9 classroom regularly employed punitive punishments like taking away recess if the child "fell behind" in their "child-led curriculum". There was poor communication with the parents; parents at the beginning of one school year were told about certain curriculum changes, and those were later modified without further communication with the parents. The lead teacher (now Director) in the 6-9 classroom had a history of difficult interactions with one of our children (it was bad enough that another teacher at the school approached us with their concerns about it!), so we attempted to work constructively with her to help her navigate the child's (extremely mild) anxiety issues. This teacher had at times paired this daughter with children that were bullying her in the classroom, dismissing our concerns about the classmate, laughing that "well, they may be fighting but it makes her vocal; sure, she's screaming, but that's a good thing, because she's coming out of her shell." This teacher treated our child's anxiety like it was a disciplinary or tough love issue and responded angrily as if the effort to work constructively with her on the issue was an attack. The classroom regularly discusses issues related to peace and community, but the leadership doesn't appear to live up to it. They reacted defensively and dismissively when several parents attempted to provide constructive feedback about certain policies that were not inclusive. Honest effort to work together as a community was dismissed as "negativity." "My way or the highway" appears to be the rule, which doesn't demonstrate much dedication to the community. We were quite happy with the other teachers in the classroom, and with the community of parents, the aftercare program, and our Pre-K experience. The quality of your BMS experience is very teacher dependent, and it is likely the parents giving five star reviews here simply had a different teacher. Though a lot of these reviews appear to be from teachers. Unfortunately, the school has high turnover with its teachers and aides, so I can't recommend it, in its current state, as at this point it's like gambling with your children's education. We are now getting a more child-led education in a multi-age classroom (a major part of what attracted us to BMS) in the public school system, saving $10K a year per child. Of course, they are missing the peace curriculum, but the current BMS leadership fails to live up to it, and their new school is a much better model for social justice and inclusiveness.

We love this school. The owner always listens to your concerns and gives feedback. The teachers are…read moresuper sweet & well trained. My child has thrived here & has learned so much while here. She is ahead by a few grades.

From the owner: Montessori preschool education for ages 2-6 since 2005. AMS Certified Director…read more Caring, individualized instruction following the Montessori Method, with the use of traditional materials and structured presentation.

Very over priced, but best program in the area for preschool. They should lower their rates to get…read moremore enrollment. Teachers all have degrees.

My children gained so much from this school. They attended from toddler years to the end of 3rd…read moregrade (which was as high as the school went at that time). Not only their academic preparation, but their social/emotional learning was helped so much by their great teachers. And we found a great community here for our whole family. My children loved coming to school every day, and didn't want to leave. They went on to do well in the WL system to which they transitioned when they "aged out" of MSGL.