Immanuel and Ava Wanas Montessori School, Mount Airy

I am writing this review to prospective parents. I am doing this because my husband and I went down a long and difficult road in an effort to find a daycare/school for our now 1.5 and 3.5 year old. It was a road that started at a daycare center that was clean and tidy, with very few violations, seemed very secure, and was at the right price. But we found out the hard way that we were overlooking some very important aspects that are so critical for our child's development, self confidence, happiness and ultimately our child's success. I won't go over our struggle getting here, but will talk about what we discovered after we did. Here is what we love... The education all students receive is amazing. Our infant daughter was doing educational activities there before she could walk. From helping the infants develop their basic motor skills and speech, to creative things like painting and building, and encouraging social skills, etc...we were amazed. Our oldest started at about 2.5 yr and came home early on talking about presidents and different countries. She was excited about getting a globe and finding countries. This is just one small example of the stuff she comes home with. We love that the primary goal of the program is to empower the kids to do things themselves, and to build their self confidence. This is so critical, and so powerful when they are learning from someone other than only their parents. The other big thing we love is how the "classroom learning" extends outside to the garden, chicken coup, dirt box, etc. It certainly makes it much harder for the teachers to clean up the kids and the school, and we greatly appreciate how each of the teachers has this same outlook on doing what is best for the ids, even if it is hard for the teachers and owner. Our oldest now barely is interested in TV, and would much rather draw, or go outside, or create something. We are grateful for Immanuel and Ava Wanas Montessori School, and can't thank Marie the owner, and all the teachers and staff enough. What they do is perhaps the most important job there is.