Corte Madera Montessori

We moved to Corte Madera in the fall of 2014 and immediately started hearing wonderful things about Corte Madera Montessori. I called to see if they had spots in the 2 year old program and was relieved that they had one left. We toured the school and immediately fell in love. The physical space is filled with sunlight, airy, and completely child centered. The 2 year old room was the calmest space for 2 year olds I had ever seen. Miss Shamia and Miss Lena have a way of working with kids that can only be described as a special gift and I watched as they comforted a little boy who was having a tough morning transitioning. They didn&#39;t overwhelm him or pressure him to stop crying. They just let him know that they were continuously there for him and of course, tried to redirect him. When my daughter went for her trial day, she was cautious at first and then, within minutes, jumped right in. I couldn&#39;t get over what the other kids had learned in such a short time - taking out one toy at a time, respecting each other&#39;s space, using indoor voices, walking, etc. I swore they were older than 2 or maybe I was just doing something wrong with my daughter. In the end, we ended up moving back to San Francisco before my daughter actually started (was sort of a crazy situation) and I can honestly say that knowing she wouldn&#39;t attend Corte Madera Montessori was a huge downside and something we weighed heavily in our decision making process. Unfortunately, other factors won out but I&#39;m not sure we&#39;ll ever find a place this special again.

We had 3 fantastic years at Corte Madera Montessori and couldn&#39;t have asked for a better foundation for our son. He was able to form solid bonds with other children as well as loving teachers who really got to know him well. We enjoyed a consistent school staff that was receptive to concerns or suggestions we had. The Primary classroom teachers my son had were all awesome and formally trained - cheerful and professional. They were equally focused on learning and social skills, which we loved. They keep a clean, bright and well organized classroom. The children seem to thrive and learn to cooperate and participate fully in that kind of environment. When we attended there were enrichment programs for art, animals, music and gardening, in additional to all the great Montessori materials. Other sweet details included fresh classroom flowers, constantly circulating books at the book shelf, a peace table, sharing day, and detailed newsletters to keep parents updated about classroom life. Opportunities for parents to participate were plentiful, but not overwhelming. If parents had something unique to share, they were welcome to do so. I made green smoothies with my son&#39;s classroom, for example. By the end of our time at CMM, it truly felt like our school - an extension of our family. We trusted the teachers&#39; feedback about our son and knew they had his best interests in mind. We got to build friendships with other families too. Highly recommended. A gem of a preschool in Marin.

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