Intercultural Montessori Language School

114 South Racine Avenue

Chicago, IL 60607

13 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-8
Type

private

Find Homes for Sale in this School Zone

Reviews

Submitted by parent on December 10, 2022

Our son has had a full academic career at Intercultural Montessori Language School spanning pre-K through 8th grade. The strong cohesion between the school's dual language and Montessori programs makes for an exclusive education. Ms. Xiang sets expectations high with her leadership in the Chinese Program! It has been a joy to watch our son grow from simply reciting his numbers and colors in Mandarin to developing a command over the language, both in written form and contextually. Exposing him to one of the most different languages at the age of 3-years, when his brain was hard wired for language reception in an environment that fosters peer and group collaboration, allowed a simple mean of communication to blossom into an integrated love, respect and objectivity for the complexity of cultures that shapes his outlook of the world today. His schooling is light years beyond the obligatory 2-year foreign language high school requirement that I grew up with and not something our single-language family could have offered him otherwise. We greatly value the outcome of his full 11-year immersion education. The school has a strong English reading and writing program as well. I've been impressed with the diversity of our son's writing skills, something that will serve him well as an adult in any profession. Math was an academic weak spot during our time there requiring supplemental support outside of school however, speaking to some of the newer families, that inconsistency is being effectively addressed. You can opt out of the standardized tests the school offers (NWEA MAP). That said, we found them a practical device for measuring strengths and weaknesses and helpful learning experience for him when preparing for the high school entrance exams. Praises for the way Intercultural handled the Covid 2020 shut down! The children were sent home on a Friday in March and by Monday morning, they were fully virtual. Come September, classes were back in-person with social distancing measures in place and a strong Covid protocol on how to handle a community outbreak without shutting down the entire school. Intercultural didn't miss a beat the benefits of a small school with strong leadership!Our family had a comfortable experience with the administration. Any issues were addressed quickly and respectivelyNo school is perfect and you will have to advocate for your child along the way, but I whole-heartedly believe that Intercultural is one of Chicago's distinct gems!
Submitted by other on May 17, 2021

I highly recommend this school especially the Spanish primary program with Ms. Mirella and Ms. Laura. My daughter learned Spanish program for more than a year. I can see her Spanish went from 0 to an independent Spanish reader and writer. Under this program, she also became an independent girl and a child who loves to help her classmates.During the COVID-19, the school took great precautions and made sure the students have social distancing with each other. Ms. Maura, who works in the management team, always reply to our questions in a timely matter and is very patient to listen our requests. Thank you Ms. Maura!Our family loves Intercultural! Thank you very much!
Submitted by other on May 15, 2021

a lot of turnover in the recent years. teachers are overwhelmed and some have been frustrated to the point yelling and angry outbursts. your child will learn a second language, but through this place's burn and churn methods.
Submitted by parent on November 17, 2020

Our family loves Intercultural. We initially were drawn to the school because of the language component, but we are now Montessori converts. The teachers are amazing! And the school has managed the COVID situation as well as could be hoped, with both full-time in-person and fully remote options available.
Submitted by other on September 11, 2020

With a head of school who mismanages serious complaints, what kind of cultural can you expect in the long run? Important values Montessori teaches include respect and empathy. We are very happy with the Montessori school our child now attends, as our child no longer has nightmares or fears about school. We also get daily updates with occasional photos at the new school. Do yourself a favor, make sure the school you enroll your child in has transparency and open drop in policy. This school's classrooms do not have large viewing windows and the front desk needs to call and give the teacher a heads up before a parent can walk by to take a peak. After this happened with our family, we learned this sadly not uncommon, just look up terms like preschool, bullying, teacher online and you will find a wealth of resources on researching schools and preventing this from happening, or at least catching it quickly/paying attention to signs from your child, and how to handle it if you suspect or find something. I wish I had listened to my child more closely as soon as this very gregarious child who once loved school began to dread it. It was only by chance that I saw this teacher's behavior. Also, worth noting, the primary class does not have daily access to playing at the playground next door. To be clear, it turned out it's a rotation schedule, allowing the other classrooms to have access. So all the other days, weather permitting, the children wander around on the flat grassy areas. If this is important to you, make sure to ask and clarify before enrolling your child.
Submitted by parent on March 03, 2020

After 2 principals, 2 different teachers, 3 or 4 different teacher assistants, in less than 3 years, we are not happy with how the school is running.
Submitted by parent on June 17, 2018

We're so happy to have our 2 children attend this school and thankful for all of the dedicated teachers.
Submitted by other on May 16, 2018

Mixed. The school at it's inception was much more focused, genuine, and well run. It has grown, but in doing so has moved completely away from the original concept. It's rather a shame.
Submitted by other on April 29, 2017

I love this school. My son has been in the Spanish classroom for 1 year. At age 3 he's reading and writing words in Spanish, knows his numbers, etc. We don't speak Spanish at home, though I can speak the language due to living in a Spanish speaking country when young. Whenever I speak Spanish, he understands everything, and is starting to speak as well unprompted. They also work on English, and I think his English skills are great too -- the directress says that in her experience the biligual approach surprisingly raises the level of English as well. It's true in the case of our son. We have friends who send their kids to more prestigious schools, like Latin, Lab, etc. I don't know if it's the Montessori approach or bilingual environment, but he seems years ahead in terms of maturity and understanding of the world. He so prizes his INDEPENDENCE -- he wants to do everything for himself, and even likes to help putting on shoes for younger sibling. The teachers are wonderful, the front desk staff kind and flexible, the directress very smart and competent. The other children are very important in Montessori, and I'm so impressed with them. The 5 years olds in his class take him under their wing. He's always surprised at the playground when older kids act less than kind to the younger kids -- which is not at all uncommon outside this school. In short, these children are real gems. The only complaint I'd articulate relates to the amount of physical activity. My son is very high energy -- he bounces rather than standing still except when he's engrossed in his studies (called "work" at Montessori) -- and doesn't get enough outdoor time. They only go to the park 3 days a week, weather permitting. But, they are currently building an indoor play area that is going to give the children a place to go wild, which will solve the only gap. I've suggested they consider building a playground on the roof, which I've seen other urban schools do -- I'm told the new play area will probably take care of the issue. Finally, the parents are great. They are an interesting group with good values. I haven't met one person who is crazy, arrogant, rude, or any other bad label. There isn't too much of a parent social scene, but people are friendly, and busy. In short, check this place out!
Submitted by other on February 28, 2017

My 3yr old is enrolled in the Spanish class. I am very impressed with the teachers and administrators they all have been very caring, honest, dedicated and easy to get a hold of. I agree would be nice to get weekly reports so we know is what to practice on at home, bc 3yr olds only say so much. My son is very happy there and understands Spanish perfectly, I do speak at home but am not a native speaker. He is getting better and better each day speaking and not so much spanglish.
Submitted by parent on February 08, 2017

When enrolling my daughter, we were told by the owner and the director of admissions that the school is accredited by the state. They are NOT. I trusted them and didn't check on this. After enrolling my daughter, we found they do a lot differently than our previously accredited Montessori school (such as timeouts in a different classroom.) We eventually pulled her out early. We found out months later that they had lied. I called both campuses and asked if they're accredited to see if they will lie again and they both said yes! It's a shame.
Submitted by parent on April 12, 2016

We love Intercultural. Both of our kids have been attending this great school for the last two years. One goes to pre-k and the other to the elementary program. We speak Spanish at home and they attend the Spanish program. Their teachers speak native Spanish and are able to advance them in their target language. The education they receive is fantastic and in our opinion, after seeing CPS and other more expensive private schools, we couldn't be happier with the wholesome education they both receive. Their teachers are loving, demanding, very professional and excellent teachers. All the staff is lovely and the most important thing: our kids LOVE their school. They love going and even miss it during the weekend!
Submitted by parent on June 19, 2014

My daughter just finished her first year of preschool at Intercultural. I am amazed at the jump her spanish language skills and math skills have made this year. I wish we received a weekly update from the teachers about happenings in the classroom, but they did give us a monthly update. Great school!