Garden of Joy Montessori International School

I have so many things to say that I don't know where to start! I am a VERY protective mom who was anxious and nervous about sending the daughter to preschool for the first time. However, Garden of Joy Montessori International School won me (and my husband) over quickly and allayed all my fears! This month marked one year since our daughter started at Garden of Joy Montessori International School and we could not be more pleased with our decision to send her here. As working parents, we try to be realistic about the amount of time that we have to consistently teach our daughter the skills that she needs to be successful when she enters school. Garden of Joy Montessori International School is the perfect blend of academics, culture appreciation, and socialization. They foster independence, creativity, and a genuine pride in learning in all of their students. Ms. Sierra, the Founder, is completely committed to providing a warm and nurturing environment for children. Beyond our happiness with the school is our daughter's, which is most important. She cannot wait to leave for school every morning. We are absolutely thrilled to have found an environment that is allowing our daughter to flourish and preparing her for her future education, while at that same time providing her an opportunity to have fun with the friends she has made. We look forward to watching her continued development as she continues her pre-school years at this school. We highly recommend Garden of Joy Montessori International School.

My daughter attended GOJMIS for 1 year until she turned 5 years old. Ms. Sierra has created an excellent environment which is conducive to learning, but also incorporates many fun activities in her program. Even during fun activities, I can see the thoughtfulness that went into planning them to still help teach the kids while they are playing. My daughter enjoyed school so much that she wanted to stay even when the school day was over! On top of the academic skills taught in the school, the kids learn independence, manners, social skills, problem solving, the list goes on! It’s apparent how much Ms. Sierra cares for the kids, but she also knows how to strike a balance of keeping the kids to an organized regimen while also ensuring a good amount of playtime. It's clear how much work and thoughtfulness goes into developing the vast programming at the school. With the quantity also comes a level of high quality in the curriculum. I am amazed at how well Ms. Sierra balances all parts of the curriculum while also managing to give personal attention to and keep track of each child's development in detail. In addition to all this, Ms. Sierra also does a wonderful job balancing the requests of parents with her understanding and willingness to work with the parents. I’m very happy to see the progress my daughter has made, how her confidence has grown, and continuing to see her reach more of her full potential as she moves onto elementary school equipped with the many skills she learned at GOJMIS. Positive Communication, Quality, Professionalism

I am beyond thrilled and grateful that we have found Ms. Sierra Tan and Garden of Joy Montessori! Our search in the East San Jose area for a nurturing, safe, and compassionate school was extensive and exhaustive. We toured half a dozen preschools in the East San Jose area, and each time were met with disappointment. My son had quite a few challenging experiences in a few schools before we found Garden of Joy Montessori (being bitten and bullied at one preschool, and outright neglected at another). As a result, he had been experiencing a bit of social withdraw and apprehension about the school environment. In a very short amount of time with Ms. Sierra, Ms. Katherine, and the rest of her wonderful support staff, he has blossomed once again back into the little boy I know. Confident, outgoing, playful, and excited to run to the door every morning and greet his friends and teachers. Upon first meeting Ms. Sierra, I was immediately impressed with her extensive knowledge of not only the Montessori method, but also of children. I come from an educational background myself, and was really pleased with how much Ms. Sierra's passion for educating young minds showed through in our initial conversation. The space the children spend their days in is filled with enriching materials that ensure they are kept busy learning through play and exploration. I love getting photo updates throughout the day of my son engaging with a variety of materials that are geared towards encouraging his own curiosity in the world around him. Planned field trips and outings that include parents and caregivers are an added bonus that lend themselves to the community feel of the school, and are a wonderful way for everyone to get to know each other, and enjoy time observing how the children interact with one another, and their teachers. Words cannot express how truly grateful I am to have found Ms. Sierra and Garden of Joy. Ms. Sierra is completely dedicated to every single one of the children in her care, and it is apparent in her unwavering desire to see them each succeed at their own pace, through love, support, and compassion. Thank you Ms. Sierra for everything you have done to help my son regain his confidence, reignite his love of learning and exploring, and for being such an integral part of our lives, and an extended member of our family. We are forever grateful for you!