Parents who are looking for quality affordable Montessori education should consider this preschool…read more I enrolled my son when he was only 2 1/2 and now that he is turning 6 this year, it is time to move on to a big school. The last few years have been very enjoyable for him; he really gained a lot in terms of confidence and social skills-- thanks to the positive learning environment provided by Mia Angela Montessori. Teacher Edith, the head teacher, is particularly good at teaching the fundamentals of reading and math. There are usually four or five teachers to handle a class of 20-30 so you know that your child is getting enough attention or his individual learning needs. One of the things that they train their students in is in focus and discipline. At a time when so many kids have notoriously short attention spans, my kid can spend more than half an hour reading a book, or playing with non-digital toys.

My nephew went to Expressive Minds Progressive Preschool & Tutorial Center along Katipunan Avenue…read morein Quezon City. See the thing with pre-schools is that the parents, grandparents, uncles and aunties can push with all their might where they want the young ones to go to school, but we all know that once that little boy or little girl sets his or her lil' heart on something, the rest of us usually will just surrender and give in. Expressive Minds was one of those things that my nephew demanded on. Once he saw the colorful classrooms, felt the cheerful vibe of the school, and the lovely personalities of the teachers, it was a done deal. No one was going to get in the way of the little guy from going to this school. The center does a very good job of mixing progressive learning and traditional learning. The traditional learning helps prepare the kids in a big way for the next step in their educational ladder (grade school). The progressive learning, my nephew really enjoyed. He would tell me stories about the different activities they would do in school, which made learning more interactive. He really enjoyed his time their and it was for good, too. He got accepted to Ateneo De Manila grade school after his time at Expressive Minds. What I liked about the center was that they have a small student-teacher ratio (10:1). For me, this ensures that the quality of learning is not watered down and that each student is given ample attention by their teachers. Also, they have summer camps and this program called KidzNMusik, teaching the kids about the joy of music. Taylor Swift mini me? Take Away: A preschool that has awesome teacher to student ratio and a good mix of progressive and traditional learning

I'm very happy with Expressive Minds! =) Their curriculum is individualized and they have come up…read morewith specific goals for my daughter which the teacher carefully executes. They have one-on-one time everyday which is great! This gives an opportunity for each student to work with the teacher to focus on specific tasks. We've actually tried a couple of preschools before enrolling her at Expressive Minds but unfortunately they didn't have one-on-one. My husband and I really liked the fact the student-teacher ratio is very small. If I'm not mistaken, they were only 10 during her time. There were 2 teachers and 1 teacher aide. So there are basically 3 adults for the class of 10 students. My daughter Serene really enjoyed her time there and now I'm enrolling my other daughter for their Early Learners class. Thumbs up to all the teachers and staff of Expressive. They have really contributed well to the school's inviting and homey environment!

I live with my nephew and he attends this school. My brother and my sister-in-law have been so…read morepleased with his experience here as his knowledge has truly advanced by leaps and bounds. He's also very sociable with his classmates. 9th Avenue PLAY School has no shortage of activities to keep their students engaged and stimulated -- which as a Psychology graduate I believe is absolutely crucial at a toddler's age for optimal brain development. 9th Avenue PLAY School's facilities are quite impressive and a pleasure to behold. Their clientele is upscale and my favorite part about it all is that this give back to the community. A few months ago, I had the pleasure of attending their charity event for the year which involved gifting fishermen affected by Yolanda with fiber glass boats to replace the ones they had lost. There's nothing more important that I want my nephew to learn than to open his hand to others and this school does just that.

Great choice for your children as they have caring teachers and fantastic programs for kids. Our…read morekids developed a love for learning!

I like Montessori schools, mainly because of the tactile manipulatives that I myself would like to…read moreplay with. I could get lost with those blocks, really. #kidatheart This would be for pre-schools, but how do you apply this for elementary and high school students? You need materials reflective of real-life skills, even if it means getting that actual thing or forming that actual environment to mimic life outside schools. Realia, in short. The Seed Montessori School proves how relevant realia can provide good education. PROS: Out of the elementary and high schools I've seen, this would be one of those with facilities that impressed me so much. Seriously, a state-of-the-art kitchen room just for TLE? They really take their realia to heart. I wanted to tinker with their oven; Although it's not as spacious as "big schools" like Miriam or Ateneo, The Seed has enough space and facilities for activities that it doesn't feel cramped; Small class sizes makes it easier for both faculty and students. CONS: TSMS is expensive, with P50,000-P60,000 pesos for tuition alone. And when you're considering paying for a private education, expect a lot of additional fees (Energy fee? Cultural fee? Looking at you, UP. And you're not even a private school) plus costs for books and uniforms and baon, of course. TL;DR: Consider The Seed Montessori School for the impressive facilities, if you have the budget.

We had mandatory Literacy Training Service (LTS) during college and we spent Monday mornings in San…read moreVicente Elementary School where we would teach children how to read. PROS: The faculty and staff are helpful and welcoming. They'd always make it a point to give us orientations and even allot some of their best classrooms for our program; The students themselves are pretty nice. Plus, I got it easy because the children assigned to me are quick learners. I like doodling with them too. CONS: As what's usual of public schools, it's smack in the middle of an urban poor community so you have to walk through a small eskinita along a creek of dirty water, stray dogs, and chickens before arriving at the school gates; There's lots of construction happening inside the school and there are no warning signs, barricades, or nets to catch possible falling debris. It might harm the faculty, staff, and, most of all, the students. TL;DR: Although San Vicente Elementary School is in a less-than-ideal location, the people make up for it by being very nice and pleasant.

Well rounded learning Progressive…read moreOut son got a very very good start to big school thanks to mindchamps

I am always proud and grateful that we were once part of this institution which caters quality…read moreeducation in a loving, safe, and happy environment. They use developmentally appropriate teaching strategies, making sure that every individual's needs are met. My daughter excels holistically as an individual, and from time to time people will ask where she had her early childhood education because they can see how confident she is of herself and of her abilities. You will know that she really had good foundation of education that not just focuses on the academics but more on being well rounded and awesome individuals. GREAT THINGS START HERE, INDEED.

My daughter is entering school for the first time this school year as a Nursery II student. I was a…read morebit hesitant to start her off so early at 3 years old, but I was more concerned about developing her social skills so I started looking for schools. We've seen several great preschools in Paranaque and in Makati but this is really the one where we felt that it was a perfect match. First off, they had one of the longest trial classes. They offered it for a whole week and gave it another 2-week extension. In that time, my daughter go to know the teachers really well and started forming a bond with some of her "classmates". Second, the teachers are really caring. I sat in during the last day of her trial class and saw how responsive the head teacher was. They have a low student to teacher ratio 1:7 which is really ideal for kids this young. Third, I love that it's a real international school. They've had their preschool in the US for 10 years and have been voted as the best in the state. They've even started expanding to two other states. The Philippines is their first international location. Finally, they have a supplemental Headstart program to prepare the students for the start of the school year. The tuition fee is affordable for all that it offers. While they are relatively new here, their methods are already tried and tested. I recommend them for any parent with preschool-aged kids.