Namaste Montessori

Parents Beware. The Montessori practice/concept of this school is excellent. However this school in particular does not model the Montessori way properly.The school may even ask you to abruptly remove your child from enrollment if your child does not meet their standards. This is applicable to children that just enrolled and are as young as 2 yrs old to ones that have been with them for multiple years since they were toddlers. Multiple children did not fit their version of a Montessori lifestyle. In turn, many parents were left without a childcare.I was one of the unfortunate. I also know many other families. Please be aware that the grass is not greener on this side.

My family and I toured almost every child care provider in our area and were beyond impressed after seeing Namaste's program. The atmosphere was so calm, like no other child care setting I had witnessed. The whole idea of Montessori was new to us. Upon enrollment of my 2.5-year-old daughter, I was invited to sit in the classroom for parent observation. The children's classrooms were set up to allow them to freely explore the carefully placed " works " arranged around the room. It was like watching my daughter become an independent little person right in front of my eyes. The next thing we realized was the incredible community-like culture. So many opportunities were given to become involved in our child's care and education. Even among the children themselves, there was an environment of kindness and pride, within that shared classroom community. Since that time, I have enrolled my younger son into the toddler classroom, while my daughter continues to flourish in the primary class. At three and five years old my children are spending each day learning about geography- through activities like map-making, science- through teacher-led classroom experiments, and their alphabet and number by journaling and counting tangible objects. This is all while building those foundational social skills that I believe they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. My family and I could not be happier to be part of the Namaste Montessori community!

Beware of appearancesWe were so excited to find a Montessori-based program that also provided for a longer day of care. We have had previous years of experience with another Pgh South Hills-based Montessori school for an older child, but were looking for a location closer to our home. However, we are leaving Namaste after less than a year and are not the only family to do so. We share this review as a warning to others considering this program.What we've learned:-The school has only existed for 3 years. The overall lack of experience is evident in many ways, including its lack of parent-based communication and protocol. There is limited day-to-day information shared regarding children's behavior, successes or challenges.-As of summer 2019, the head and original teacher in the primary/older classroom has chosen to leave the school.-The Head of the School does not have an educational background. Her training is in social work, which directly affects the way she approaches children's behavior in the classroom, that is to say that it is from a clinical/psychological perspective and not from an educational point of view. -We were asked to have evaluations conducted for our child at the request of the Head of the School. Four separate professionals (pediatrician, behavioral specialist, occupational therapist, and county assessor) indicated no issues existed and that age expectations are being met or exceeded. We learned of this request being made of multiple families, which seems to indicate a pattern of behavior driven by the Head of the School.-Namaste does not have a student/teacher ratio that allows for additional support to assist in bringing younger children into the Montessori theory and primary classroom.-The Head of the School does not have the appropriate professional behavior or level of experience you would expect for a school administrator. Unfortunately, her attitude and lack of self-awareness spills over not just to her interactions with parents, but sadly, also to her interactions with the children and teachers.In summary, if you're exploring alternative options for your children's care, especially if you have a spirited child, we would strongly encourage you to keep looking. The Montessori philosophy is intended to meet the child where he or she is and offer several different learning experiences in response to the child's needs. This is not a school that is welcoming to all children nor is it equipped to work with families to find educational balance.