Berkeley Parents Network: Montessori Family School

Berkeley Parents Network

Montessori Family School

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > K-12 Schools > Montessori Family School

Website for Montessori Family School: www.montessorifamily.com

March 2008

Hi! Any current comments on the new MFS campus at Cutting and Arlington? Specifically, size of the classrooms, daily schedule, make-up of the classes, community spirit,arts/music specialists? Thanks!! curious parent

The new MFS campus is terrific. There has been no increase in the number of students per classroom, but a huge increase in the amount of space, including an artroom, multi-purpose room and a spacious and fabulous kitchen. The only classroom being added for 2008-2009 is a kindergarten classroom with two new teachers. The schedule for the kids is the same (9am - 3pm, with an option for before and/or after care), and the resources are also the same. The main difference is a beautiful new building that the kids and staff LOVE, and the option of going to the local park on sunny days at lunch on Fridays and at other times throughout the week. If you want specific details about the kindergarten/elemenatry program at MFS you can go to their website at montessorifamily.com and/or telephone the El Cerrito site at Tel: (510) 236-8802.

March 2006

Re: Academically strong and liberal private school
I can strongly recommend Montessori Family School in Berkeley. This also relates to the family who requested a recommendation for a shy toddler. My son was PAINFULLY shy when he began MFS when he was three years old. His teachers were very good with him and all of the students. This school and all of the teachers focus on the whole child - academics, social skills and community awareness. It is well worth a visit.
Laura

January 2005

Re: Berkeley Montessori vs. Montessori Family
Our daughter was in BMS for preschool-kindergarten, after which we moved her to to MFS and have been wildly happy—and certainly happier than we were at BMS.

MFS is a smaller, much less top-heavy (bureaucratic) school, still run by the founder, who is also still a teacher in the Upper Elementary classroom; so really there are no administration vs. teacher conflicts—as there were at BMS—conflicts that led, a few years back, to several BMS teachers fleeing to MFS! Though I gather things have settled down.

In any case, MFS, both for preschool and beyond, is a very happy, well- run school, with incredible, creative, devoted teachers and a very responsive (small but efficient) staff. BMS also has many wonderful teachers, but I do think the administration is (or was) a real issue; also (at least when we were there) the emphasis was on raising money for the fancy new site—so tuition was on a steep upward trend.

In short, I'd cast a strong vote for MFS. Feel free to email me if you'd like more info.

[an additional letter from the previous author]
I just wanted to sing the praises of Montessori Family School a small, focused, happy, intellectually serious school. The teachers (including ''resource teachers'' for PE, yoga, etc.) are absolutely amazing: totally dedicated, with fabulous ''kid sense,'' demanding but also keyed in to the different needs of their students. We visited several schools (traditional and non-) when we were looking for a first grade class for our daughter (a refugee from Berkeley Montessori), and we were just blown away by the atmosphere in the classroom at MFS: all these students busily and intently going about their work; an amazing blend of excitement and concentration. Our daughter is now in her 3rd year at the school; she loves it, and so do we.

One thing we appreciate about MFS is that it really is a ''family'' school, in that parents are strongly encouraged (though not compelled) to spend time in the classroom, helping with reading groups etc. Several teachers and staff members are also parents of current students; and the founder and head of the school is still teaching in the Upper Elementary classroom; so there is as close to perfect harmony between administration, teachers, and parents as one could imagine. That this matters became clear to us at Berkeley Montessori, where the sometimes tense relations between these groups did in fact ''trickle down'' in various negative ways to the classroom. (Though BMS also has excellent & dedicated teachers, I hasten to add)

Like all Montessori schools, MFS has mixed-age classrooms (1-3 grade, 4-6 grade), a feature that MFS fosters by means of a buddy system (each incoming first year student has both a third year and a sixth year buddy—an arrangement that all parties enjoy). Each spring the whole elementary school goes camping (in cabins, not tents) for 2 nights—something the kids absolutely adore, and that also increases the sense of community. The mixed classrooms also enable students to learn at their own pace—e.g., our daughter is very advanced in reading but very average in math, and the work she is given in school reflects this, so she is neither bored nor frustrated.

Another small ''plus,'' but one that can be important to the quality of daily life: the elementary site is peaceful & secluded, with amazing views of the bay—and painless for drop-off and pick-up (no lines, no difficult parking, etc.).

All in all, this really is a special school. But the best way to get a sense of it (or any school) is to visit it yourself. EO

Hi: WE are also considering the MFS school for prek for our 3 year old daughter. I visited Berkeley Montessori and found it very :business'' like where as in MFS I found it very warm and nurtuting. Also, The teacher in the pre k class Mary comes highly reccomended by my daughter's pediatrician. Mary taught all her 3 children @ Berkeley Montessori before she moved to MFS. be

I asked a friend who taught at both schools and sends her kids to Montessori Family. Her response to me is as follows: I believe I have just the experience you are in need of…I am a former teacher of both Montessori Family School and Berkeley Montessori. Through substituting and interning I also worked at two other east bay Montessori schools. I obviously have a strong bias toward the Montessori philosophy, but I am familiar with many of the K-8 private schools in the east bay through friends and family members who have children attending such schools. I did not return to teaching after having two children, but felt I had “insider information” when it came time for my son to start pre-school. The clear choice for me was Montessori Family School. Montessori Family School has superior teachers and a director who has no agenda other than to guide her teachers to support the children to become the best possible person they can be: academically and emotionally. What the school may lack in “first impression facilities”, they more than make-up for in a staff with heart, integrity and devotion. Berkeley Montessori is a fine institution, but I feel it has no soul.

My son is now in the elementary program while my daughter attends the pre-school. They are both thriving and I am so grateful for the community the school creates. I’m pretty sure the school is giving tours now. Seeing for oneself is always a good decision maker. Good luck! -Trina anon

I was surprised to see several people endorsing MFS as ''warmer'' than BMS. We visited MFS and were really turned off by the way the teacher we watched (I forget her name) would ''shush'' the children periodically for no particular reason (they weren't being very noisy). When we heard her say ''Shh! Children, if you quiet down, you can hear the Mozart music that's playing!'' my husband and I rolled our eyes at each other. We also found the MFS administration much more off-putting and unaccommodating than that of BMS. When I called MFS to arrange a visit with my son, we were told we could come at a time that's right in the middle of his nap time; when I requested a different time, for that reason, I was told ''take it or leave it.'' That didn't make me feel like they had the best interests of my child in mind--they seemed more concerned with their own convenience in scheduling.

In contrast, BMS (where my son goes now) has, in our opinion, a warm and happy feel to it, and the children are not being shushed so they can hear the Mozart! Our son is flourishing there. BMS parent

My child attended Montessori Family School and I regret to say I cannot recommend it. There is a lot of busy work in the classrooms, poor parent/teacher communication and a lack of tolerance for learning differences. Many of the children require outside tutoring.

We switched schools and now have a greater social circle for my son and also he is rising to the new challenges with excitement! Regrets

I have two children at Montessori Family School. Although I can't offer advice on which school --Berkeley Montessori or Montessori Family-- is best for your child since I haven't had experience with Berkeley Montessori, I can say we've been very pleased with our children\222s education at MFS. The teachers are truly dedicated educators and concerned about each student's needs. My children are passionate about learning and I credit the Montessori Family environment for a majority of their successes.

I read the recent negative comments made about Montessori Family on this post site and felt I needed to respond. Those comments didn't ring true to me with what I've experienced at the school. Every parent, student and teacher are not going to agree all the time, but I have found at Montessori Family that the students' best interests are being looked after. There are some students at Montessori Family that have benefited from outside tutoring as students elsewhere can benefit from tutoring. I don't see this as a negative issue, I see it as the teacher recognizing a situation where the student can benefit from additional instruction.

I suggest if you\222re considering any school, you should visit that school more than once and attend an open house where you\222re able to talk to the students themselves. Montessori Family has many open houses throughout the year. A private school education is expensive and you need to feel that you have a good school-student match. I\222m very happy that we found it for our children. MFS parent

In response to two recent negative posts concerning Montessori Family School, I'd like to describe our very positive experience. Our daughter attended MFS for 5th and 6th grade, and our son has been there for K to 4th grade. Our daughter was made welcome despite being ''the new kid,'' and thrived in her classroom. Our son has special needs and learning differences, and we have found the school to be flexible and effective in meeting his needs as well as those of other students we know with learning differences. Of course, the various classrooms within a school provide different experiences, but we have been very happy with MFS and would be pleased to discuss our experiences with any interested parents. Zach

As a parent at both BMS and MFS, I respectfully disagree with the comments about MFS. My own child does not do 'busy work' at MFS. He is working beyond grade level in all subjects. The teachers at MFS are excellent at targeting instruction to the individual student. Last year he had his own individual math group because no one else was at the same level. The group above was too high, below was too low. I have found parent teacher communication at MFS to be excellent. Conferences are available at any time, the director (who is also an upper elementary teacher) has made time to talk with me at surprising length. It is simply not true that 'many children require outside tutoring'. MFS does support learning differences, the teachers are very focused on the student's individual educational needs and supporting those needs. MFS dedicates a smaller portion of resources toward administration than other schools and it does show sometimes in the quality of the administration. I'd rather see more of my tuition dollars go into the classroom and deal with a less than stellar administration. MFS is a small school with a small social pond, some families find it too small. BMS is a much larger school with more social options and a much larger administration, both are good schools. happy MFS & BMS parent

I feel compelled to respond to the negative postings about Montessori Family School. Someone stated MFS was ''more off-putting and unaccommodating.'' Another post said that there is ''a lack of tolerance for learning differences.'' This cannot be further from the truth. I looked long and hard at preschools - ultimately visiting over twenty schools when I was looking for a school for my son who has Down syndrome. I experienced schools that flat-out rejected my son, schools that lied to me about their enrollment being full (I was told there was room, then 30 minutes later they were full when they heard that my son had Down syndrome), schools that tried to say everything possible to deter me from being interested in their school, and simply and sadly a lack of tolerance for my child. I did find one school that was ''willing to try it'' on a trial basis. The ONLY school who was not just willing to accept my son, but WANTED HIM, was the Montessori Family School.

He attended MFS for four years. He was accepted, graciously accommodated, and embraced by the teachers, staff, administrators, students and families. I feel so deeply grateful to MFS for not only accepting my son, but for believing in him, challenging him, and understanding that although he is more like his peers than different, he is different and he does have a disability. The person who posted the comment about the intolerance for learning differences also wrote that ''Many of the children require outside tutoring.'' Just like most all schools today, some students do receive tutoring (or other support) outside and inside of the school. This should not be viewed as a negative aspect; it is certainly not due to the teaching methodologies (which are superior). Some students simply require more academic attention than others. To me, this speaks to MFS's willingness to work with such students - and they are willing. I have seen it not only with my son, but many children with learning differences and disabilities in the preschool and elementary school. As long as the student isn't aggressive toward himself or others, MFS is willing to work together with families to create a structure that works for everyone involved.

There are occasions when a family isn't ready to acknowledge that their child needs extra help. I understand that feeling and also understand that as a school, they can't help a student if a family isn't ''on board'' to address an area of difficulty. This is the only time when I have seen tension between the school and families of children with learning issues. Also, a montessori education isn't necessarily the best choice for every student and/or a student might ultimately be best served by their public school district. In these cases some students do move on - but it is certainly not for a ''lack of tolerance.'' Rather, it is due to lack of parental support or simply because the student may be better served in a different setting - as was ultimately the case for my son. My son is doing as well as he is today in large part because of the terrific education that he received at MFS for 4 years. When he ''graduated'' from MFS at age 6, he was reading, understanding basic math concepts, had formed true friendships, and most importantly had confidence in himself. jennifer

July 2003

I most enthusiastically recommend Montessori Family School as an incredible pre-school. Regina and Kim are the best teachers, totally tuned into the individual needs of kids. The kids don't want to leave at the end of the day. And it's on Scenic and Hearst (across from campus), most convenient. Been there

Re: Preschool for 4-year-old who needs lots of support (July 2003)
I was working at Montessori Family School (they have a preschool site and a grade school site) Elementary, in Kensington. They allowed a special needs child to be set up with the child's own assistant to help this child integrate into the normal classroom routines. This child developed friendships with other students. The teacher herself spent a lot of time with this child and a couple of other children who had learning difficulties, tutoring them to develop in their own specific way. I spent a little bit of time at the Montessori Family School Preschool site as well and there were a few children there that were disadvantaged. I was impressed with how they were easily and knowledgably integrated into the normal classroom. I witnessed incredible patience on the part of the teachers and staff.

August 2002

My two children went to Montessori Family School. A great school. The school has pre-k through 6th grade. Contact me if you want more info. Zpine

March 2002

RE: Kindergarten programs

My daughter attends the Kindergarten program at Montessori Family School. We've been extremely happy with the program and best of all my daughter LOVES going there. Her teacher, Mary, has 30 years of teaching experience and somehow empowers her students to simply love learning. I would suggest also setting up an appointment to look at the MFS upper elementary school in Kensington.

For private schools, it is really important to observe the teachers who may be the ones your child gets. We applied to 8 private schools, two of which you mentioned. The year we applied, Windrush had two super teachers, a real draw for those applying there. But they left and two less experienced teachers were hired in their place. I understand some parents (and children) were disappointed at that turn of events. That is hard to predict but the administration may have seen it coming. Our child was accepted at Montessori Family School. for Kindergarten. The way that classroom was structured at that time, it did not follow the Montessori ''community'' model: only a dozen kids were in the class and they were all about the same age, crowded into an underlit and small room with two teachers. One teacher brought her family problems to school, alas, and inappropriately shared them with my child. She may be gone by now. We ended up in public school in the end, where our child got a really great teacher and managed to have a great year! anon

2001

Re: child with food allergy

My son ( who is five and a half now) started going to Montessori Family School when he was three. He like your child has a severe peanut allergy. The school has been wonderful , not only do they monitor school snacks with a lot care they also have a policy of not letting any child bring any peanut containing products in their lunch boxes from home. At the beginning of the school year they send out notices to parents, and do everything possible to prevent my child from being exposed. He has never had an episode at school . So, they have been really considerate about our needs. Also, it is a very good school , I am very happy with how well my son has done there and I think many more parents will say the same. MFS is at the intersection of Scenic Avenue and Hearst in Berkeley. This is the preschool and kindergarten campus. The rest of the school is in Kensington. Bipasha

1998

We are very happy with the MFS. The teachers are professional teachers. They are there because they want to teach, not because they are just doing it until something else comes along. The director, Jane Weschler, has a clear vision of what she wants the school to be. My daughter is at the Kensington site. It's "small", but a pleasant setting. There are three classrooms, and all are mixed grades. Two are 1st-3rd, and the third is 4th-6th. There are 22-24 children per class. I find that the mixed age group works very well. The older children model behavior for the younger children and are kind of like pals. My daughter plays with both the first graders and third graders in her class. So in practice, it does work. That's why it's called the "family" school.

The Montessori philosophy of education is a little strange to me, but it suits my daughter. What I really like for her is that she gets a lot of individual attention from the teachers, and my daughter is thoughtful and able to focus so all of the little manipulatives of the Montessori system suit her just fine. The teachers continually circulate among the students so I have more a sense that all the children are getting some attention.

There are next to no discipline problems. Children are not allowed to punch each other and shout out at circle time. I think having a mixed-age group really helps in that regard, but I give the teachers' classroom management style high marks. At the MFS, the teachers decide where the children will sit at circle time (they keep the same seating assignments for a month at a time), so they nip a lot of disruptive behavior in the bud. It might sound "over disciplined" but it's not. It's a thoughtful approach that works.

The MFS doesn't have a library, but each classroom has it's own collection of books. There are a lot of specialists: science, art, music, PE, and Spanish. At the MFS, she is learning useful things, like reading and math, but she is also being exposed to geography (which she really likes for some reason) and "concepts" like the scale of the universe from atom to galaxy. So I think it's a very rich education.

On Montessori Family School: We have have had our 5-year old in the Scenic Ave. pre-school site (just across from campus) for a year now, and will have him there for kindergarden during the coming year. It has been a very positive experience for him and us. The teachers are very committed and supportive, the school seems to be well run, and our boy has simply loved it. He went from a more day-care oriented pre-school the year before to this one last fall, and simply took off with creative work within a couple of months--drawings, letters, numbers. It was amazing to see the difference. He can't get enough of school now.

I don't have experience with the elementary school (the Kensington site, I believe), but the school as a whole seems very well run, with a good blend of traditional (AMI) and innovative (AMS) Montessori curriculum. If we could afford to keep him in the elementary school there after this year we would, but he will going to public school here is Albany for 1st grade. Mark

Our son has been at MFS for 2 years of preschool and absolutely loves it (as do all the other kids at the preschool), but the elementary school is somewhat different so I can't comment about it. I will note that some of the current preschoolers have older siblings who are at the elementary school site, and some of my son's older friends from preschool are now at the elementary site; that's a positive indication. Fran

Our son attended MFS last year for 1st grade. The teachers are fabulous, and the after school program is wonderful. The classrooms are grouped for 1-3 (Lower Elementary) and 4-5, I think although it could be 4-6 (Upper Elementary). Because we live in Berkeley, it was inconvenient to have our son in Kensington each day, although they have a van that leaves from the Scenic site. Although the Kensington building is earthquake safe, I did not like the distance between my husband and I and our son, as well as the hill location. This is also a problem with the Berkeley Montessori School for Elementary and Middle school children, although it is located in Berkeley.

Our son was young to enter 1st grade, but the teacher paired him with another child that was young, and the use of Montessori materials and curriculum helped him immensely. His basic reading, writing, and 'rithmetic skills are well developed, but he also was able to pace himself for his needs (a plus for one who has developed a bit of perfectionism). The teacher also recognized this tendency and helped our son work on not having to be perfect (a real plus!)

If you are prepared to be involved heavily in the school, and can afford the tuition, I think MFS is a wonderful school. Karen

Montesorri Family School (in North Berkeley (age 2-K) and Kensington at the Unitarian Church) has extremely strong academics. The teachers are excellent. The only school that compares to MFS in math is Bentley. My oldest son went to MFS for 6 years and is now in another very good school for middle school, but he is years ahead in math. At MFS he was doing algebra and a little trig in the 5th grade. Now he is doing the California framework for 6th grade - multiplication. He is still learning, but there is no comparison in what a child can do if he is allowed to move at his own pace, has the motivation and the ability.

1996

(This is an informational posting from the school, not a parent recommendation)

The Montessori Family School is located across the street from the UC Berkeley Campus on the corner of Hearst and Scenic Avenues, at 1850 Scenic.
It has a Toddler Program (2-3) years and a preschool program for children 3-6 years. It also has another nearby facility at Cedar and Oxford Street.

Many of the parents of the children enrolled work at the University of California. The school was founded in 1981 and was awarded the prize as Best Preschool in the Bay Area by the Oakland Tribune. It's Scenic Avenue site has a lovely outdoor yard as well as well equipped classrooms. The staff is warm and friendly and they are all trained and credentialed Montessori teachers. Drop by for a visit and see for yourself what an exciting educational environment exists so close to the Berkeley campus. The phone number is 848-2322, email is mfs AT dnai.com, and the FAX is 848-8833.

Regards,
Jane Wechsler, Director

The opinions and statements expressed on this website are those of parents who subscribe to the Berkeley Parents Network. Please see Disclaimer & Usage for information about using content on this website.