Infant Community Montessori

My son has been attending ICM since he was 4 months old and although it has only been three months since he started it has been a wonderful experience so far. He is truly the happiest baby, in no small part I’m sure to the kind attention he gets at school. I have heard glowing things about Maria Elena from strangers (mostly in the education field) who have heard of her and her program. Another thing that gives me confidence is that most of the other students at the school are the children of Montessori teachers, many from Near North where Maria Elena used to head up the infant program. My husband and I work very long hours and to know that our baby is in good hands is truly invaluable. We are strong supporters of the Montessori method and I know that not only is my son being cared for in a loving and supportive environment, his physical and mental development is being cultivated. I look forward to continuing on in the program for years to come.

Maria Elena Hernandez is nothing short of amazing. I have seen the dark side of daycare, and moved my oldest daughter from a daycare in the high school I work at (that many of my colleagues were satisfied with, but that I had problems with because some of my daughter’s basic needs were not being met) to ICM. My oldest daughter attended ICM from 18 months to 3.5, and my youngest started with she was 4 months old.
Despite the negative reviews posted here about contacting ICM, we have never had a problem communicating with the school. This has been crucial for me because my youngest has eczema and food allergies. I honestly don’t think she would be alive if she were not with Maria Elena. Maria Elena keeps a detailed journal of the foods she gives my daughter, and communicates with me regularly about new foods we are introducing. My point is that while you might not get a call back if she doesn’t have space available, this is probably because she spends an incredible amount of time preparing for each day, and each day is spent completely engrossed with children and their development.
Maria Elena not only cares for children, but is well educated in early childhood development. Prior to opening ICM she worked for 17 years as a teacher at Near North Montessori. She still attends national conferences on Montessori education every February, and because of her professional involvement and the fact that there are few Montessori schools dedicated to children under three years old she has a regular stream of observers who come to learn more about her work. Her annual parent education nights and biennial conferences (although she will meet with parents at any time) are invaluable for learning more about how to support child development at home.
My view of children and their potential has been transformed by Maria Elena and this school. Here is a link to a video shot in ICM in the Spring of 2013. It gives you a wonderful sense of the beauty found in everyday experiences at this school.

Our daughter has been attending ICM for almost 2 years, since she was 14 months old. We have been thrilled with the progress she has made there. When she started at ICM, she was hungry for social interaction and developmental guidance that were beyond what we knew to offer at home. At ICM, she has flourished.
Maria Elena Hernandez is a warm, patient, and highly skilled Montessori teacher, who has created a stimulating, accessible and safe environment for learning. Each day consists of music, teamwork, puzzles, cooking, personal management skills (cleanliness, potty training, etc.) and self-​directed learning. Maria Elena also provides healthy, home-​cooked lunches and snacks (that the children help prepare — as much as they can) each day.
Our daughter has developed skills of language, interaction, and self-​discipline that are making her a very happy and well-​adjusted little girl. And the guidance that we are receiving as parents helps us understand what our daughter is going through, and we now have options for dealing with issues productively. We recommend this school very highly.

Tried to contact this child care twice just to inquire… never got a call back.
That to me, says a lot about this business.

I love ICM! Our daughter went here from 3months to 3 years old and it was a beautiful experience for her and us as parents. This is a very special place and parents who are looking for a warm nurturing enviornment for their child to grow and develop should call Maria Elena and see if she has a spot opening up.

My son went to ICM from about 6mo to 3 ½ yrs and can not say enough good things about this place. Maria Elaina who runs it, spent over two decades teaching at Near North Montessori before opening this place up about five years ago, so she understands the Montessori concept implicitly… she oversees the ICM with the help of her Husband and another Assistant.
Maria Elaina has a caring and nurturing side to her that is unparalleled IMO, and not unlike a child’s own Grandmother, you would trust the life of your child in her hands.
The ICM is run out of their house but it is strictly business here and she takes great pride and unbelievable care of the children on every level. For example, all the food is natural, organic and home made (by her) and obviously free of any preservatives, fillers, by-​products, etc.
ICM is split into two divisions, the infants (~ 3mo to 2 yrs) and the toddlers (2 — 4 yrs)…your child has to be under 3yr old when starting the Fall semester and can finish the year at that point.
Her theory (and desire) is to not «baby» the baby or do the usual things we do for our little kids these days but rather have the child get used to and learn to adapt to real world encounters and items… for Ex. they would never use a «sippy cup», even at the young age of 1 or 2 when most babies are still using a bottle… she insists they use a regular cup, just as an adult would.
Another example, no high chairs. Once a child is able to safely sit up on their own she has them sit in a normal chair (well, I say normal but it’s actually a mini-​chair, but a traditional wooden chair nonetheless) at a normal table (again, mini sized)…it’s actually pretty funny, when you go into the room where the kitchen is, everything is miniaturized… even the bathroom, from toilet to sink, it’s all outfitted for kids under 5 y/​o.
For the Toddler’s, every single aspect of the child’s day evolves around hands on learning and doing everyday household tasks with the children assisting in each activity they embark on. If it’s snack time or meal time, each child assists in setting the table and preparing for the meal. When they’re done, they all help with clean up (including doing the dishes). Nap time, same thing, they get out their cots, put the blankets and pillows down and when done, fold the cots, blankets and stow them away.
All the items used for play time are wooden or other natural material (ie, no plastic). During the warmer months the children do outdoor activities, gardening, painting projects go on nature walks and so forth. They have nap time mid day but outside of that the kids are involved in all sorts of activities, projects and hands on learning.
It may sound like a boot camp for infants/​toddlers but it’s not, children at this age need to be involved in proactive learning as they are innately passively taking everything in… if you are in a regular Day Care, chances are they put the child down and let them play as they monitor them and that’s not really helping the child learn anything of value.
Last thing, the dreaded Potty training! For her, it starts at around age two, unheard of for most parents (as it was for us at the time!) but she was adamant about it and though it took a lot of time and patience (not to mention dirty underwear, Doh≠(, her outlook and stance on it seemed to work well when all was said and done.