"MT did a fantastic job of preparing him for Kindergarten and beyond."

Dec 20, 2016  |  San Francisco, CA  |  J S.

Following up on my previous review. My son is now 6 (in first grade) and my daughter is 4. Both kids were (have been) at MT since they were six months old. My son is sailing through first grade and MT did a fantastic job of preparing him for Kindergarten and beyond. My son's school has a preschool but my daughter is so happy at MT that we decided not to move her and let her graduate just like her brother. MT requires that each child be checked in and out though an app (new since my son started). They have dance programs, science fairs, and cultural programs throughout the year. MT potty trained both of our kids (long before they were 3). MT is not perfect but we are incredibly happy that our kids got their start there.

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"they have a great mix of academic tasks and play-based learning"

May 10, 2015  |  April J.

My son is 4 years old and currently attends Monte Tavor. I completely agree with previous reviewers. My son has really blossomed in this program. The outdoor space is amazing. Also, they have a great mix of academic tasks and play-based learning. In addition, raising our son bilingual is important to us and we are so pleased with his Spanish language developed. I highly recommend Monte Tavor!

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"my daughter is not yet of preschool age, but she is obviously learning a lot"

Mar 16, 2015  |  Oakland, CA  |  Gabriela G.

My daughter, now 2, has been at Monte Tavor since she was 4 months old. At 7 months she was jumping out of my arms to go to her caretaker. Now at 2 she loves to tell me about her day, the songs she sang and books she read. She loves school, every morning (including Saturdays) she'll ask "vamos a la escuela?" Personally, I am equally happy with MT. 
1. Their outdoor space is amazing, (just take a look at some of the photos) and the kids get to spend a lot of time outdoors (weather permitting) both for free play and organized activities, which was an important factor for me. 
2. They have parent teacher conferences for all children (including infants) twice a year and are always open to meetings when/if you need them. 
3. They hold regular events that allow you to meet other MT parents and foster a sense of community. My daughter has a dance show coming up! 
4. They provide healthy breakfast, lunch, snacks and early dinner depending on the child's schedule. It might not be a huge deal for some, but considering I can barely pack my own lunch, this was a huge plus for me!  
5. I have shown up unannounced (because I forgot to mention early pickups) a couple of times and have found the children engaged and well taken care of. In fact, my daughter ignored me for a couple of minutes because I was interrupting her story time.
6. My daughter is not yet of preschool age, but she is obviously learning a lot. She has an extensive vocab in Spanish and English, she knows her numbers beyond 10 (up to 20 but she still skips a couple), and is getting really good at recognizing colors, shapes, letters and numbers when she sees them. 
As far as the quality of Spanish is concerned, the providers are from Central America, as am I, and the care takers are either from Central America or Mexico, their Spanish is to Castilian as American English is to English English. I'm perfectly happy with my daughter's Spanish.

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"I'd encourage you to visit for a tour, observe the kids who are there, and meet the family that runs it"

Apr 2, 2014  |  Oakland, CA  |  Victor R.

My son (now 4) and daughter (almost 2) have both been at Monte Tavor since they were 6 months old. Having them in a Spanish-immersion environment was important to my wife and me, and we visited several other options before deciding on MT. We've been exceedingly satisfied with our decision. When you have your kids somewhere for so many hours, I feel like the critical measures are the kids' happiness, education, and evidence they're being loved and well cared for. MT has been wonderful in each area. Our kids bound up the stairs in the morning, often running happily in without much of a thought of leaving our sides. When we pick them up, they're smiling, laughing, and playing with friends and teachers. In the evening, it is not infrequent that they ask with anticipation whether tomorrow is a "school day." Both kids are also clearly learning a lot. Obviously English and Spanish (leaving aside the previous reviewer's snide reference to Castilian Spanish), but also about science, animals, letters, numbers, the environment, etc. Plus, they virtually potty-trained our son with (somewhat embarrassingly) little assistance from us. Perhaps most important, the instructors (and owners) obviously care for and love the children -- and the feeling is mutual. It is not unusual for my kids to start leaving with us at the end of the day, only to run back to give their teachers a hug before heading home. In short, we highly recommend the school. Before dismissing it as an option due to a poor review written by a couple, I'd encourage you to visit for a tour (the physical space is quite amazing), observe the kids who are there, and meet the family that runs it. I'm certain most will be as impressed as my wife and I were.