Indirect Support:
Kaban Montessori School, located in west Mississauga, is a caring school committed to the personalized development of the entire child. We take great pride in the work we do everyday to advance the physical, social, cognitive, and emotional growth of each child. We run an Infant, Toddler, Casa and Elementary programs for children 6 months to 12 years old.
Despite what many might perhaps naturally assume, not all Montessori schools are created equally, even within the class of schools that hue very closely to the core of the model. As Maria Montessori would herself have approved, each school takes on a unique character through the passions and personalities of those that work and learn within it, and Kaban is a good example of that. The name, Kaban, is a Mayan word meaning “earth,” and was chosen to represent the unique cast of the program, one that seeks to highlight stewardship to the environment both within the school and outside in the natural world. It’s a nice touch, and one that brings forward some of the core elements of the method that perhaps get short shrift. Yes, manipulatives are a part of it, though they are tools toward achieving the goal of mastery of the concepts and, in working with peers, a confidence in who we are and how we relate to others. Kaban nicely focuses its efforts very clearly around those concepts, both within its physical space as well as in the delivery of the curriculum. The size of the school is big enough to allow for diversity in programming while also allowing all of the students to feel that they are known and have a role and responsibilities in the life of the school. Instruction is student-centered and individualized, something that is an important draw for the families that enroll within the school. In all of that, and more, there’s a lot to love.
Gallery showcasing school life and general photos of Kaban Montessori School.
Gallery showcasing specific locations and facilities found at Kaban Montessori School.
Kaban Montessori Children planting their seedlings in the garden the created!
Kaban Montessori Children enjoy a fun sunny day in the snow!
Kaban Montessori Children preparing garden beds for plants they have grown from seeds in the classroom.
Kaban Montessori Children find shade under the swiss chard the have grown from seeds!
Kaban Montessori Children discover all the new vegetables in their Life Lab!
A Kaban Montessori Student practices "pouring" which is an activity that develops concentration and fine motor skills. This will prepare the child's logical and mathematical mind for the future.
| Program | offered |
|---|---|
| Montessori toddler | |
| Casa | |
| Elementary | |
| Middle School | |
| High School |
| Focus |
|---|
| Academic |
DIBELS Testing: This school does not use DIBELS testing to assess reading progress.
| Subject | offered |
|---|---|
| Biology | |
| Chemistry | |
| Ecology | |
| Geology | |
| Meteorology | |
| Physics | |
| Physiology | |
| Zoology |
| Subject | offered |
|---|---|
| Evolution as consensus theory | |
| Evolution as one of many equally viable theories | |
| Evolution is not taught |
| Subject | offered |
|---|---|
| Acting | |
| Dance | |
| Drama/Theatre | |
| Graphic Design | |
| Music | |
| Visual Arts |
| Subject | offered |
|---|---|
| Computer science | |
| Robotics | |
| Web design |
| Toddler | Primary | Lower Elementary | Upper Elementary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age groupings How children are grouped by age for each class.' |
18 to 30 | 2.5 to 6 | 6 to 9 | 9 to 12 |
| Uninterrupted work periods The longest uninterrupted work period for each class.' |
3 hours | 3 hours | 3 hours | 3 hours |
| Tests and assignments How often students are given tests or assignments in each class.' |
Never (Orthodox) | Never (Orthodox) | Semi-regularly (Moderately Non-Orthodox) | Semi-regularly (Moderately Non-Orthodox) |
| Graded work How often students have their work graded in each class.' |
Never (Orthodox) | Never (Orthodox) | Regularly (Non-Orthodox) | Regularly (Non-Orthodox) |
| Arts and crafts The percentage of a typical student's day that is spent on arts and crafts in each class.' |
10% | 10% | – | – |
Whole-class lectures should only be given occasionally (e.g., at the beginning of a term or unit). Students usually learn best through small group lessons, interaction, and independent work.
External special education support is quite important. Outside specialists are needed for a fairly wide range of special needs, such as developmental and learning disabilities.
We only use specialist teachers and classes in rare cases (for instance, to teach a second language). Core teachers are well-equipped to teach almost all subjects.
Modern-day technology is very rarely used in class, since it can be a distraction and interfere with development. Students at the upper levels, though, might be permitted to use a computer or a tablet to do research for a specific project.
Overall approach : Which option best describes your overall curricular approach?
Schools that adhere to the original Montessori program and principles. On occasion, though, they supplement it with modern curricular approaches or materials.
| Flexible pacing style | offered |
|---|---|
| Subject-streaming (tracking) | |
| Multi-age classrooms as standard | |
| Ability-grouping (in-class) as common | |
| Frequent use of cyber-learning (at-their-own-pace) | |
| Regular guided independent study opportunities | |
| Differentiated assessment |
Kaban Montessori offers no/limited support for students with learning difficulties or special needs.
| Subject Ttype | offered |
|---|---|
| Learning strategy and study counselling; habit formation | |
| Extra support and minor accommodations for children experiencing subclinical difficulties |
| Subject Ttype | offered |
|---|---|
| Accommodations | |
| Modifications | |
| Extra support |
Read our guide to special needs schools and special education
| Program | offered |
|---|---|
| Full-time gifted program (parallel to rest of school) | |
| Part-time gifted program (pull-out; parallel to rest of class) |
Curriculum delivery: This information is not currently available.
| Program | offered |
|---|---|
| Custom subject enrichment (special arrangement) | |
| Custom curriculum compacting (special arrangement) | |
| Guided independent study (custom gifted arrangement) | |
| Cyber-learning opportunities (custom gifted arrangement) | |
| Formalized peer coaching opportunities (specifically for gifted learners to coach others) | |
| Custom subject acceleration (special arrangement) | |
| Career exploration (custom gifted arrangement) | |
| Project-based learning (custom gifted arrangement) | |
| Mentorships (custom gifted arrangement) |
| English - 60% | French - 20% | Spanish - 20% | |||||||
| Prose (narrative)-based feedback | Nursery/Toddler to Gr. 6 |
| Parent-teacher meetings | Nursery/Toddler to Gr. 6 |
| Sports Offered | Competitive | Recreational |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball | ||
| Basketball | ||
| Ice Hockey | ||
| Lacrosse | ||
| Martial Arts | ||
| Soccer | ||
| Softball | ||
| Swimming | ||
| Tennis | ||
| Track & Field | ||
| Volleyball |
| Clubs Offered |
|---|
| Foreign Language Club |
| Outdoor Education |
| Environmental Club |
| NS | PS | JK | SK | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| Day | $14,600 | $14,100 | $14,600 | |||||||
Discounts
| Discount Type | Enrollment Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd child (sibling) | Day | 10% |
This information is not currently available.
This information is not currently available.
| Grades | Gender | Living Arrangement | Enrollment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | Nursery/Toddler to Gr. 6 | Coed | Day | 127 |
| Total enrollment | 127 |
| Average enrollment per grade | 13 |
| Average class size | 15 to 24 |
| Gender (grades) | Nursery/Toddler to Gr. 6 (Coed) |
| Boarding offered | No |
| Percentage of students are international students | |
| Number of different nationalities within student population | 0 |
| Five-day boarding programs offfered |
| Assessment | Required | Grades |
|---|---|---|
| Interview | ||
| SSAT | ||
| SSAT (out of province) | ||
| Entrance Exam(s) | ||
| Entrance Essay | ||
| Application Fee |
Day students: N/A
Student Entry Points
| Student Type | NS | PS | JK | SK | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day Acceptance (Acceptance rate) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Below, find stories and testimonials about Kaban Montessori School.
...We thank you both, and the staff at Kaban, for the wonderful memories and for making us part of the Kaban family. We will treasure you all in our hearts and wish Kaban the best of luck as it continues to grow successfully. You should both be so proud of yourselves to see how much your school has grown over the years. With hard work, dedication, nurturing and love, you have left a spot in the hearts of many parents as you both enriched the lives of our children. We hate goodbyes, so as we have said, this is not the end of the road for us. We will continue to keep in touch and can truly say that both of you are in our list of friends we treasure. Again, thank you for all you have done for us as a family - Kassia has grown so much with the help of both of you. Thank you for building such a strong foundation as she embarks in the journey of life. All the best, Sandy & Dennis ...
My two children have greatly benefited by the care and attention to learning they have received at Kaban. I continue to enjoy seeing my children excel and realize a real zest for education that is nurtured and presented at their individual pace. Watching your child hug a directress on walking through the door tells you the parent that your child feels comfortable with the directress and is in a great environment. I couldn't ask for a better or more understanding preschool for my children. They already have the best! H. Zubkavich ...
Dear Blanca and Karla, I am writing to express my deepest appreciation for everything you have done for my son. As a Montessori alumnus and a Montessori teacher, it was very important to me for my son to get a good start, and I could not have found a better environment to support his development than Kaban. I am impressed not only by the genuine Montessori program you offer, but by the community that you are building and the support that you give me as a parent. My son has truly flourished in all areas; for his age, he is independent, has great concentration, speaks wonderfully, takes instruction well, is responsible for his things and actions, is curious, active and resilient. Kaban has aided and supported him in every way I could have hoped for. When I pick him up at the end of the day, and he would rather stay and continue working, I know that he is happy and at home with you. Warm Regards, Andrea Lulka ...
We decided to enroll our two year old son into this school after doing some research on the Montessori methods of teaching. My son was ready for greater learning outside of the home. This choice was on of the best things we could have done for him. The teachers were there for him every step of the way to transition him into his new environment and teach him a variety of practical life skills which he has carried into our home everyday. Two years later and he is learning so many new things, he is constantly surprising us. He is a happy, well adjusted child who loves going to school everyday! Valerie Franzoi ...
To All Staff at Kaban Montessori: As this school year draws to a close, my husband and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all that you do. It was after much investigation and pondering that we chose Kaban Montessori for our son Conor, largely due to the warm feelings we both experienced when we visit the premises. It is now apparent that our parental instincts were correct, as Kaban has turned out to be the right choice for our son and family. We thank you for educating Conor and setting the foundations for a lifelong love of learning. We thank you for loving Conor and giving him heartfelt hugs and genuine smiles. We thank you for communicating with us on a regular basis about his development. You all demonstrate a genuine love of children and respect for a child's developing mind and body. We look forward to many more years at Kaban Montessori. Sincerely, Sarah Sturino and Matt Doran ...
June 16, 2011 Dear Karla & Blanca, We wanted to extend our gratitude to you for the last three years that our daughter Lauryn has spent at Kaban. We have enjoyed all of the moments we've shared with the Kaban family, and we know that Lauryn is a better person because of her experience with you! Our daughter was just a toddler when she began at Kaban, and has since blossomed into a happy, well-rounded young girl who is confident and excited for what each day will bring. We attribute this to the warm and caring environment that Karla, Blanca and the wonderful staff have provided on a consistent basis. We were first drawn to the school because we found the staff to be very warm and loving, which we felt would help our 2-year-old as she learned to spend her days away from us. We also found the school facility to be very clean and safe, and were impressed with how it was fully equipped with materials inside the class and had a secure and diverse playspace outdoors. Lauryn has been guided through the Montessori teaching methods by skillful and patient teachers, and we feel they have not only taught her very well but educated us as parents, too. We love that Kaban is not just a school, but an extension of our own family. We've always felt comfortable approaching any staff member with our thoughts, questions or concerns and have felt that we were treated with the utmost respect in every situation. We appreciate the helpful & educational Parent Nights that were hosted throughout the years, as well as the other social events that helped us to meet other parents and get to know the teachers better. Communication has always been open and encouraged at all points of contact, which made us feel valued as members in the Kaban community. Lauryn is graduating this year, and we feel confident that she will continue to grow and thrive throughout her childhood years because of the strong foundation she received at Kaban. We hope you are able to share this testimonial with any current and future Kaban families, so they can appreciate the beautiful community you have created. We feel blessed to have been part of your school, and while we will miss seeing all of you on a daily basis, we will always cherish the positive influence Kaban has had on our lives and hope to always stay in touch. Warmest regards, Lianne, Ron, Lauryn and Darren Tokey ...
