Montessori Children's House of Durham

We regret starting our children at this school. Getting out is much more difficult than getting in. This is more of the "church of Montessori" than it is a school. Everything is secondary to the school's misguided interpretations of the montessori method. The head of school and some of the staff are "true believers", and they put the furthering of their message ahead of the welfare of the children. This church needs a major revival, as many of the staff are burned out, and just give up on students who struggle with their message.
—Submitted by a parent

Our last child to attend this school will be finishing this year. Sadly, this school is not what it was 3 or 4 years ago. The move to the new campus went horribly wrong. The school administration is completely out of touch with the lack of harmony among the children, as they are primarily focused on the challenging financial situation. The playground is a mud pit, and the focus of the teachers is on forcing all students to follow a rigid interpretations of Montessori principles. Our older children had good experiences at the school, but I am glad our youngest is getting out early, and want to let other parents know to investigate very carefully before sending a child to this school.
—Submitted by a parent

If you want to see an example of what our future leaders look like, visit MCHD and sit in during a class meeting in which the children discuss and solve class issues, watch a second year student confidently recite a poem in front of a whole roomful of parents, observe a knowledgeable third year student explaining the states of matter, or listen to a poised sixth year student talk about her experience at the Montessori Model U.N. MCHD provides an excellent education to its children and prepares them for a future of success. I think this is what education is all about!
—Submitted by a teacher

Not clear to me any of these reviews present a balanced view of this school, which is where my son and daughter both went. Our experience with MCHD was that there is real magic that happens in the classrooms with the teachers, especially with the younger children. However, the school struggles with how to handle active boys and defaults to assuming any energetic young boy must have a need for counseling or medication. The women who run the school have difficulty connecting with boys as they get older, which is why many leave while in the lower elementary to seek out better situations. I understand from friends that the move to the new location has been extremely difficult and made existing issues worse. I hope they figure things out.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a former teacher at this school. Many of the teachers at the school are dedicated professionals, focused on bringing out the best in the children and helping them to explore understanding who they are. Unfortunately, the teaching level is quite uneven between classrooms and the head of school is out of touch with what goes on in many of the classrooms. I understand that the negative atmosphere that existed on the staff while I was there still exists. The head of school has her favorites, which are generally the women who she has known for over 20 years. This gets in the way of her effectively evaluating their performance, and she does not listen to other staff members or parents. The head of school also has issues with treating members of the staff with respect, especially when someone disagrees with her. It is unfortunate this atmosphere gets in the way of some of the beautiful work happening in some of the classrooms, and is much worse than other places I have taught.
—Submitted by a teacher

My husband and I toured the school a few weeks ago, as we are looking for a pre-school for our daughter. We very much enjoyed the pre-school classroom environment. It was peaceful, and the individualized approach to teaching each child is wonderful. However, we could not get over significant concerns with safety at the school. It is very strange that at the school's new campus, they decided to have a pond just below a large drop off wall. This wall is right next to where the youngest children are, and there is only a small railing at one point separating the two, if a child was to get out of the playground area. We were also suprised that we showed up early and wandered the grounds of the school and were not challenged by anyone. There were children playing on the playground and very little adult supervision. We talked with a few parents we know and they say this is consistent with a loose atmosphere at the school, and it helps create independence in the children. However, we could not get past the safety issues this causes, and while we liked the school's approach to instruction of young children, we have decided to apply elsewhere.
—Submitted by a parent

Aside from a solid home foundation, MCHD was the greatest gift we provided our children. They began in preschool and continued through 6th grade, and their transitions to another very challenging, private school, where they maintained a 4.0 GPA, was seamless. They were provided not only a very solid academic foundation, but a foundation that fostered a love of learning that will remain with them throughout their academic pursuits. They are self-motivated, highly responsible, and support efforts to help those less fortunate, much of which they learned during their years at MCHD. They're now college students and both have maintained Dean's List status. What more can I say? In the words of my oldest child, "I wish all teachers were like the ones at MCHD," and in the words of my oldest, "I've never enjoyed school the way I did at MCHD."
—Submitted by a parent

Our child attended MCHD from age four through 6th grade. In short, our experience was spectacular! From the young age learning of Montessori tenets of care and respect; and feeling out what's appropriate behavior, to our child's transition to a Public Middle School, we are steadfast in our conviction that a Montessori education at MCHD was a great decision for our child's future. One of the salient features of the MCHD experience that shaped our child's personality is the instilled desire to live in harmony with her friends. From the early lessons of grace and courtesy to the 6th grade trip to the United Nations in New York, an MCHD child has been supplied with the tools and confidence to make successful real life choices outside the school environment. The dedication and involvement of the long-time teachers, administration, and alumni parents fosters an environment in which we feel that, even after our child's graduation, we are part of the MCHD community. The recent move/expansion of the MCHD campus was demonstrative proof of how successful the school has been in educating students, remaining financially stable in a difficult economy, and giving parents something they call home.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter is in the Upper Elementary class (grades 4-6) currently. MCHD has done a wonderful job of educating the whole child. In some academic areas she is challenged and in others she has an easy time of things. She is regularly taught how to get along well with others, how to respect their feelings and their rights, while at the same time exerting herself--basically how to be assertive and sensitive at the same time. She enjoys her class and her classmates. I feel MCHD is doing a good job of cultivating her whole person, not just the academic aspects of her personality.
—Submitted by a parent

Both of my boys attended MCHD. I am glad they no longer do so. Given the nature of MCHD's program, it is difficult to assess how your child is doing. I discovered with both of my boys when they transitioned to different schools, that even though they were quite academically succesful at MCHD, they were substantially behind when they got to their new schools. In short, the academic program at MCHD is quite weak. A larger problem with MCHD is that bullying is rampant in the school as children get older. The school's approach is to ask the children to resolve the issues themselves. By the time the children reach second grade, they understand how to game the system, and the classroom turns into scenes out of Lord of the Flies. The head of school affirmatively states this is a strategy to teach children how to project an image that they should not be bullied. A survival of the fittest approach. The administration refuses to recognize the issues, even though many parents have left because of this difficult environment that prevents learning. The school board is even more out of touch, and does not even talk with parents as they withdraw their children.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter attended MCHD for a few years, and we regret choosing the school. The lower elementary was passable, although boring for an academically strong student, but the upper elementary was a disaster. The program there is weak and the teacher is inflexible. However, the largest problem with MCHD is the head of school, who does not listen to parents, and does not stay in touch with what is happening in the classrooms. There are better alternatives in Durham, and I am happier now that my daughter is somewhere else.
—Submitted by a parent

My son and daughter both attended MCHD. The pre-K program was strong and fostered independence and respect in both of our children. However, the academic program drops off substantially as the children get older, and the upper elementary has significant issues. The problem for may parents is that it can be difficult to transition out to a different school, and moving to a more structured traditional environment gets more challenging with each year the student is part of MCHDs loose system. Unfortunately, the school does not seem to recognize these issues and does not assist parents with the transition out. If you are going to pick MCHD for your child, have a clear plan on where you will move them as they get older.
—Submitted by a parent

Our daughter started at MCHD when they launched their infant/toddler program and is about to complete her 5th year at the school. She has thrived in a loving, caring environment created by teachers who have inspired her and nurtured her love of math and reading. The multi-generational classroom and attention to individualized learning has given her ambition to go beyond in everything she does. She has learned how to be kind to others and how to notice and appreciate the world around her. The teachers really know your child, and their perceptions and partnership has helped us be better parents.
—Submitted by a parent

Our 5-year old daughter has been at MCHD for two years now, and has learned even more than I had hoped she would, and vastly more than I had expected. It's been remarkable to see her intellectual growth. If her elementary education there is as good as her preschool education was, she will end up being a very well educated teenager. Part of her success there has been due to the extraordinary attentiveness of her teachers. They are not just perceptive, but they are also communicative: they have taught us a great deal about her, and about how we can help her eventually to become a confident, independent, happy adult.
—Submitted by a parent

Our son has been at MCHD's preschool since September. He just turned four. I wish we could have started earlier, because here we've found the best lessons in parenting we've seen so far. Things like: Don't do for him what he can do for himself. Equip the house so he can open his drawers, get his milk out of the fridge, etc. Try to imagine his perspective on things. He loves learning to master tasks like sponging the table, handing around snacks, folding napkins. He is learning appropriate boundaries: Getting himself dressed for school is his job, not ours. His teachers help us get to know our child much better than we would otherwise. And to set a tone for our relationship that is more likely to make him want to appreciate us and be with us.
—Submitted by a parent

My child has been in this school for 6 months at age three and she has absolutely thrived there! The teachers are calm, responsive, and embody the Montessori method in its best form. The feedback I received at my first parent-teacher conference was thorough and I felt as though the teachers knew my child very well as a person, not simply at a student. The environment is nuturing and yet fosters independence. Each child is celebrated for their uniqueness. My child is eagerly learning both "school skills" and "life skills". The concept of grace and courtesy is being modeled well and I cannot help but notice how grateful and polite my child has become. I am THRILLED with this school! I firmly believe this to be the best school in the triangle area. Looking forward to a new school and campus soon...
—Submitted by a parent

The excellent community fosters a thoughtful ethos in our children who are encouraged and uplifted by the school.
—Submitted by a parent

If you are looking for a school whose goal is to put great citizens into the world, this is the place. The focus is creating compassionate, bright, socially aware individuals. The teachers observe your child and with the information they collect teach him/her in the style that will suite him/her best. We could not be happier. Great community also - lots of family orientated events.
—Submitted by a parent

Our son has been at MCHD in the pre-three program for two years now and we could not be happier. The teachers give amazing personalized attention to each student and work closely with parents. This school is truly amazing!
—Submitted by a parent