TTM is a pedagogically-observant Montessori school, which will come as a relief to those parents who believe in the method and seek something more for their kids (and their expense) than a glorified day care. The classes are appropriately sized and more than adequately staffed with Montessori-trained guides & aides, and feature a full complement of beautiful wood, metal, and fabric Montessori-specific works arranged to allow curious minds instant access to meaningful, self-directed learning. The administrative staff is exceptional, led by a 20+ year veteran of both Pacific Crest Montessori & Northwest Montessori School. While transparently placing the student experience first (as they should), this administration takes great pains to accommodate the needs of parents by being respectful of the scant spare time available to most parents, and by reaching out to parents with lots of pertinent information & updates. The building itself is a high-security cruciform arrangement where toddler, primary, and elementary classes are housed in their own wings. It appears to be a former hospice or nursing home, the practical upshot of which is wide hallways and doors, bright sunny rooms, and lots of 'safety' hardware in common areas. The outside play areas are securely fenced (with locking, key-coded gates) and include play structures, gardening, and opportunities to get messy in real dirt in the time-honored tradition. The location is a quarter mile off WA-509 in Burien at 160th Street, just down the street from Highline Medical Center. We make the drive from Capitol Hill every day in 20 minutes. The location is also served by several bus lines from downtown Seattle (#131 & #121 pass 1/8 mi. to the east @ 160th & 1st; #123 1/8 mi. to the west @ 160th & 4th). read more

Three Tree Montessori School - Elementary Classes Garden - Elementary Schools Near Me - Burien, Washington

I have worked at Three Tree Montessori for twelve years and can only say wonderful, positive things about it. The staff are incredible and the families, along with the children are amazing. Each day I go to school, I am amazed by the love and ability of the teaching staff, class assistants and the support staff. Each one cares deeply for the children and it shows in all they do. I am also incredibly proud of our administration and board of directors. They have weathered many storms through the years well and led us through difficulties with wisdom, always putting the children and their care first. read more

I am not sure if this is really a tool that people use to search for schools but after seeing the reviews of my children's school- Three Tree Montessori, I would like to share my opinion. I LOVE Three Tree Montessori! I have a 4 and a 5 year old boy who have been at this school since 18months. The 5 year old boy is in his last year of "primary" which technically is his kindergarten year. I always pictured us transitioning to the public school as we are in a good school district after primary, but not anymore. I have seen amazing things with the development of my children and I can't imagine sending them anywhere else. It is an AMI certified school and to my knowledge the only AMI school in WA with a toddler program. This means it is held to very high standards. It does not mean it is cold, old fashioned, behind the times etc per some of the reviews below. AMI schools have the most rigorous and difficult to maintain certification. You know what you are going to get at an AMI school in terms of the academics/materials. What truly makes Three Tree standout is the staff. They provide a very warm, caring and welcoming environment. I fully trust each of the individuals there with my children. My children love to go to this school. Referring to the negative review below, it is just one person's interpretation and I have not seen anything but respectful, comforting and loving interactions between the children and the staff. This is an incredibly dedicated group of individuals who have been there for a significant amount of time, many of whom also send their children. I have seen my boys being given the independence and respect they deserve starting in the toddler age in a way you don't see very often. From being freed from diapers, learning to manipulate their clothing and dress themselves, put on their own shoes, to flower arranging, water pouring, food prep and countless other things that toddlers want to do but we don't always have the patience for. It is frankly a toddler's dream room. Everything is their size, even the toilets...or potties if they like them better. They now are in primary (roughly age 3-6 combined) and one is about to move into lower elementary next year (1st-3rd grade combined ages). I never would have thought that having a 3 year old and 6 year old in the same room could work, but it actually works out in their benefit. The older child gets to learn to be a leader and the younger child learns so much by observing the older ones. I also have been amazed at the versatility of the materials in the room, how the children can start using it in a simple way and expand on it in endless ways as they develop. The classrooms are beautiful and peaceful. They lead their own education within safe boundaries and move through materials as they are ready. There are no limits for them if they are ready to move on. The guides (teachers) are so good at observing the children and knowing just how far to push them and when to back off and when they are ready for the next step. Their intuition is remarkable. I can't tell you how happy this makes me that they are not held to an average pace, but can follow their own inner drive. They are learning respect, grace, manners, how to talk to people...so much of what is missing in society today. They are being allowed to grow, not stifle their innate curiosity and inner drive to learn and think for themselves. They are learning self responsibility. My 5.5 year old is reading, doing multiplication, division, addition, subtraction of very large equations thanks to the materials that allow him to touch, see and feel it...to really understand and not just memorize. He is much ahead of his peers in other schools academically from what I have seen. He is doing self led research projects and writing reports on birds of prey..because this is what is interests him. My just turned 4 year old in another primary class is doing exactly what he wants to do...cooking, practical life, focusing on tasks for long periods of time and working on fine motor skills to get him ready for writing and reading in the near future all at his own pace. On a side note, my youngest was just diagnosed with hearing loss and had to get hearing aids at age 3 which was a shock and incredibly difficult. The school is going above and beyond to accommodate him and provide what he needs. I have been so impressed by this. I really can't say enough about this school and found like we really have a hidden gem in Burien that I am so grateful for. Thank you Three Tree! read more

My granddaughter was enrolled at TTM for three plus years. During second grade the director allowed my granddaughters teacher to transition to the other sex mid year after only being there for less than 5 months, which was very disruptive to a 2nd grade class. After a number of weeks the teacher had to leave do to transition problems. The teacher was never replaced and the director stepped in and taught this class a few hours per day and did his other job the rest of the day, and then the "guides" babysat the remainder of the day. Currently my granddaughter is in Seattle Christian which is a far better school in every aspect. The problem is that my granddaughter is way behind in all levels and is trying to catch up from a 1.5 grade level to her current 3rd grade. This process is costing thousands of dollars in Sylvan, and additional tutoring. Seattle Christian is working very hard to help her get caught up and we are thankful. TTM refused to refund any money for registration fees for third grade even when we decided to leave. Do not place your child in this school, there are much better Montesori's around. I feel bad for my granddaughter that we didn't catch this earlier. At best this "school" doesn't benefit your child beyond preschool. T. Robbins read more

I have never written a Yelp review before, and have gone back and forth about posting this. But I want other parents to know about our experience in case it's helpful. We pulled my almost-three-year-old daughter out of this school after the first few days of Primary. It was a very bad first school experience for her. We enrolled without a good understanding of the AMI method, which is what this school adheres to, and that was a big mistake. If you're into AMI, by all means go for it. But look hard into AMI before you enroll. It is pretty hard line, traditionalist, old-world stuff. Some of the big things we were surprised by (btw- I will try to stick to the facts here and minimize emotions/judgment): In Primary rooms, this school doesn't believe in physical comforting of a young child who is sad and crying. So, no hugs, picking up, holding on the lap, etc. Not even in the first days of school when a child is first separating from their parents, not even if a child is crying hysterically in a lump on the floor (which thankfully my daughter was not, but other children were). We learned about this policy accidentally when my daughter told me she was crying at school and I asked if her teacher gave her a hug and she said no. When we inquired, we were told separately by her teacher and the staff that "if we coddle her now, what will happen when she's 16?" We also were told about one of the girls in her class who has cried hysterically every day for two years because that is her "process." When I told a staff member that it seemed like they were breaking a very young child from expecting any comfort from an adult, they agreed with me. Their strategy felt similar to a cry it out method, which I think is a personal parenting choice, not a choice a school makes without consulting parents. On top of this, we had communication issues, which never feels good when you are putting your child in school for the first time. Staff told us my daughter was crying for five minutes at drop off and then was fine. Our daughter, who thankfully is a big communicator, was telling us she was crying throughout the day. When I went back to staff with this, I was told, "Well, she is not." But then my daughter told me again, and let me know she was going into the bathroom for a "long time" and hiding, covering her ears, because the other crying children were scary to her. We asked her teacher directly and she confirmed that she actually was crying throughout the day and was going into the bathroom for a while each time to "collect" herself. That was the teacher's genuine impression, and I'm sure she thought she was helping my daughter develop some grownup coping skills by not intervening. Clearly, they have a particular method for teaching kids to self-soothe, but they need to be transparent about it - like, in the tour, prior to enrollment - so parents can decide if it works for them. It did NOT work for us. My daughter was just plain scared and confused by the whole thing. I felt lucky she was a good communicator but definitely felt bad for any other families with kids under three who weren't able to articulate what was happening in there and whose parents may not have wanted them in that situation. Other than the above, a smaller issue that surprised us: many of the beautiful materials you see in the rooms are off limits for the younger kids and there is a strict order about how they are introduced. This isn't the type of Montessori where a child sees something they want to work with and are given a lesson, even though I really feel like the website and tour lead you to believe that it is. Example: when my daughter wanted to use some beads she had played with at the open house, she said her teacher told her she was too young. When I asked the teacher about this, I was told with a chuckle that, oh no, she would not be able to use those for years because they were a math tool. Fair enough, but nobody mentioned that when she played with them in the open house. We mainly chose the school because when she walked into the classroom on the tour, she had so much fun playing with all the stuff that we thought she'd be endlessly entertained. In the three days she was there, she cleaned the leaves of a plant and learned to wash her hands and pour water. Ultimately, we withdrew because we did not trust the information we were receiving from staff about my daughter and her day, and we did not trust the judgement of teachers and staff to do what was best for her. My advice is to do your research on AMI and trust your gut. If the philosophy aligns with your parenting style, great. But do not enroll because the rooms are pretty and the children play with wooden toys and pour their own water. There are other schools that have that stuff too. My daughter is in one of those now, and she is very happy. read more

When we started we weren't exactly sure what Montessori was, we just knew we wanted more for our kids then they were getting at day care. It didn't take long to see what an amazing method of teaching/learning it is. Our plan was to stay at TTM for preschool and then move to a more traditional school. We are now into our 6th year at TTM and I can't imagine going anywhere else. We started in the Primary program and now have one in the Elementary program and one in the third year of the Primary program. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they can grow into a Middle School program! You can read all about what Montessori is, but you need to come see what Montessori is to really understand. TTM will be having an open house on Saturday, Jan. 30th. Bring the kids, talk to the staff, see the environments; see what a true Montessori education is all about. read more

Our children (3 & 5 years) are thriving in a calm, respectful educational environment. The staff is caring, knowledgeable, and they are motivated by a single, common purpose: to use the very best, scientifically proven, and time-tested methods to help children become aware, able, and independent people; to become the best "whatever-they-are-to-become." I am not an expert on the Montessori Method, but I know a good thing when I see it. My wife holds a M.Ed. She knows a good school when she sees it. My daughter has been enrolled for 2 years and is thriving, as is my son. In his first year, he is joyful, inquisitive, and wants to do nothing but help whoever needs it. Before enrolling, I found myself sitting in a classroom, being greeted by someone half my size and one fourth my age, asking if I would like any "refreshments". The expected buzz of a classroom was nowhere to be found, at least the level was quite a bit lower than I anticipated. No raised voices, no messes left unattended for an adult to clean. A place for everything and everything in its place, indeed. The school has achieved its goal of AMI Accreditation in 2012. Call the office, arrange for a visit. I'm glad I did. So are my kids. read more

Love TTMS! My 3 yr old daughter has been attending this school for a little over a year. It has been great watching her develop socially and intellectually with the love and support of the most caring and patient teachers you have ever seen. They have fostered her love of learning and have helped her develop amazing concentration. The classrooms have beautiful Montessori materials and the outdoor play spaces have vegetable gardens, a bunny, and a chicken coop! We are looking forward to enrolling our son here in a year or so. One of the best decisions we have made so far. read more

Parents, be aware that you must commit your child through the end of their Primary years (or the end of the Kindergarten). I was not told this and wasted lots of time with registration (school visit, forms) when I could have explored other programs, not to mention paying $75, for something that was not to be from the very beginning, ultimately only to receive a rejection letter. Not happy! I didn't have a problem with this except in looking out for my child, I wanted the option of seeing how she responded to the program. It just really depended, and I was not willing to "lie". Too bad, had it worked, maybe my 2-year old would have gone through the program too. Oh well. (**For clarification, I don't support the idea of a 2+ year commitment into any program, however, it is a standard of the school, which is fine. I just feel that such stipulations should be made clear maybe plastered somewhere on a website, even before the parent arrives for classroom visit. Also, my child who is 4 very well could have stayed in the program through Kindergarten; I simply wanted to be the one to determine this and to do so because I like and support the program, not because I'm forced to. These are just my opinions.) read more