Tong Le Montessori School

Our son has been attending Tong Le Montessori for just over a year and we couldn't be more pleased. We toured several schools before ultimately deciding on Tong Le. We were interested in pursuing a Montessori education and we were curious about an immersion program. After our initial visit to Tong Le the decision was easily made. I was so impressed with Mr. Man Fai Lau. He took the time to sit down with us to explain the school's philosophy and ask questions about our son. This had not happened on any of our school visits prior. Our son has thrived since starting at Tong Le. He loves being able to do his "work" and he comes home everyday excited and happy to talk about it. I've been impressed with the level of communication and the professionalism of the staff. I highly recommend the school!

My daughter who will be 4 in October has been attending Tong Le for over a year. She loves the school and Mr. Man Fai. She comes home singing in Chinese, writing her name, drawing beautiful pictures, and talking about the different things she learns at school. I am so happy that she is in an environment that fosters her interests and lets her grow at her own pace!!

Letter of Recommendation Sep. 6, 2018 To Whom It May Concern: Our son Bay has been attending the Tong Le Montessori school for already 2 years since he was 3 years old, and it’s obvious to us that he really loves being there. We as his parents also greatly appreciate his considerable improvement in social development since he began going to school there, and having the opportunity to have such an outstanding educational facility where he can go to learn from his surrounding environment and other children at or close to his age, not only the early basics of schooling, but also be exposed to total immersion in Mandarin, the second most important language in the world after English for future living in the 21st century. I am a former international management consultant from Canada, and my wife who is originally from China, works as a nurse in healthcare. For both of us, one of the most appealing aspects of the Tong Le school is its mix of mainly professional parents coming from not only locally in Baltimore and elsewhere in the USA, but also from various other cultures and countries, thereby exposing Bay to socializing with other children of his age group from different races and cultures. We both strongly are in agreement with the Montessori concept of viewing the child as one who is naturally eager to acquire knowledge and capable of initiating learning on their own with freedom of movement and exposure to relevant materials in a supportive, thoughtfully prepared learning environment. The directors of Tong Le, Man Fai Lau and his wife Mrs. Han Fang Lim, are both gifted with natural talents for teaching, engaging and communicating smoothly with young children, and in my personal opinion they embody the Montessori philosophy by treating each individual child as a unique individual who needs to be understood, admired and unconditionally accepted. Their gentle but firm manners and low-key methods of treating and educating children serve as a excellent model to the other teachers who work with them, and we have never heard any harsh or loud words from anyone working there in their handling of disciplinary and related matters. On the contrary, it is obvious from just watching the children interacting with other students in the Tong Le playground and in school that all of them are thoroughly enjoying their learning experiences there, and we daily see evidence that our son Bay is really learning a lot. All of the other parents we have spoken to whose children go to Tong Le are in general agreement with us. In summary, based on our experiences over the past 2 years, we strongly recommend the Tong Le Montessori school to any parents who wish to send their young boys and girls to a caring and supportive environment where pre-school students are encouraged to discover their own individual talents and learn concepts, as well as both English and Mandarin, from working in an open environment that will begin to prepare them for developing proper attitudes and behaviors for success in life and in meeting the challenges of the future. Ray Carrier

My child has been going here since 18 months old; she is 4 now. I can’t say enough good things about this school. Tong Le fosters her natural curiosity and encourages her independence. They grow food in the garden which encourages my child to understand how plants grow, where they get nutrition from, and how to know when to pick them. She is learning to read and write in English and Mandarin - yes, my 4 year old can speak Mandarin. They not only educate her in various subjects, but show her the practical application in every day life. Like I said... I cannot say enough good things.

My child loves it here. Great instruction in both English and Mandarin. Its amazing to see how much my child and others have learned (e.g. reading and writing in mutiple languages at age 6) The teachers, who are some of the best I have ever seen, are very attentive to the needs, strengths and weaknesses of the students. Also the school is one of the few in the Baltimore area that actually abides by Association Montessori Internationale teaching philosophies so the kids actually experience a Montessori education, not a "Montessori-themed" or "inspired" education. Would whole heartedly recommend this place to anyone looking for an excellent bilingual education for their child.