Words from Our Parents
We are so blessed with and grateful for the continuous trust and support from all our parents! Due to the limited space, we cannot display all of their heart-warming comments, so here are just a few of them.
Sarah Golden
November 30th, 2022
I am beyond thrilled and grateful that we have found Miss Sierra and Garden of Joy Montessori.
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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.
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My son had quite a few challenging experiences in a few schools before we found Garden of Joy (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 Miss Sierra and her support staff (Miss Katherine, Miss Alma, and Grandma Sarita) 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.
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Upon first meeting Miss Sierra Tan of Garden of Joy Montessori, 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 Miss Sierra's passion for educating young minds showed through in our initial conversation.
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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.
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Words cannot express how truly grateful I am to have found Miss Sierra and Garden of Joy. Miss 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.
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Thank you Miss 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!
I highly recommend Garden of Joy Montessori International School. My daughter has been in this school for half a year,
she has made a great deal of progress and she enjoys school so much so that now and then she would not like to leave when school is over​!​​​
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Ms. Sierra and her staff have created such a beautiful, loving, and nurturing environment that every child (and parent/guardian) feels comfortable, warmly welcomed, and greatly respected. They love children genuinely and the children love them back. In a way, this school is like an extended family for all families that they are serving.
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Ms. Sierra follows the natural development of every child. With the use of Montessori Compass, she and her staff track every child's progress and make lesson plans accordingly. This takes tremendous amount of time and efforts, but they are dedicated to providing guidance that meets each child's individual developmental needs.
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This school has a very rich curriculum, covering Practical Life (including Cooking & Gardening), Sensorial, Language, Math, Art, Music and Movement, P.E., Science, Biology, Zoology, History, and Geography. With the major language being English, they also teach Chinese and Spanish, and children are exposed to different cultures as well.
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I have found this school through the recommendation of my friend. Now, we would also like to recommend it to any family that are looking for quality early childhood education for their little ones.
Michele Pham
November 30th, 2021
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!
Mindy Vu
March 22nd, 2021
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.
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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 the 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 preschool years at this school. We highly recommend Garden of Joy Montessori International School.
Ms. Sierra has been a beacon of hope and comfort for us regarding our child’s education and social skills development. She exudes both professionalism and compassion as a preschool teacher.​​​
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She loves all her students, nurturing them in a way a parent would; from providing them with fundamental education in a fun, collaborative, and creative way to giving them healthy meals. In addition to teaching them math and languages (Spanish, English, and Chinese), she is very meticulous about tracking the progress of each of her students.
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Anh L. Truong
December 24th, 2021
Since the beginning of the term, she has been working with us to keep us updated on our daughter’s education by sending us reports and pictures daily, via fantastic use of technology. Not only do we feel completely satisfied with having our little one in her care, but our daughter also loves Ms. Sierra too. She cannot wait for school every day – we would say that this is a sign of her being an excellent educator and influence for the future generation.
Ms. Sierra has created an excellent environment which is conducive to learning, but also incorporates 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 enjoys school so much that she want to stay even when the school day is over!​​​
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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 ensuring a good amount of playtime.
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It is 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.
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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 developmental needs 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 am very happy to see the progress my daughter
Phi Ong
March 22nd, 2021
has made, how her confidence has grown, and seeing her reach more of her full potential.
Yan (Cindy) Luo
December 27th, 2020
I have no hesitation to recommend Garden of Joy Montessori International School, which my son has joined since the beginning of July 2020. As a part time helper there, I myself have witnessed how devoted Ms. Sierra is to her school, and what a loving and nurturing environment it is.
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Ms. Sierra’s love for children is striking and touching. As such, she has a natural talent to bond with children. Ms. Sierra is also an experienced Montessori teacher, who provides lessons to children based on their individual developmental needs. My son has learned a lot from her and we are very happy with our choice!
GOJMIS is a bona fide five-star choice for parents in the South Bay. Children receive a well-rounded educational program....Ms. Sierra loves her students, and they love her back. The variety of learning materials has children entertained and constantly learning. My daughter cannot wait for the next school day to arrive and anticipate each new experience...
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Please check out his detailed and thorough review on our school's Facebook page.
Khoa D. Truong
August 9th, 2021
Words from a Third-Party Specialist
Ms. Kellie
MA, BCBA
2020 Behavior, LLC
March 5th, 2021
After spending even a short time in Ms. Sierra's program, it is clear the kind of rich learning environment she creates for her students. Not only does Ms. Sierra tailor academic activities to each student's developmental level, but also selects activities that build upon students' unique strengths. In her classroom, students are taught social and emotional skills, as well as functional life skills necessary for the transition to kindergarten and beyond. Ms. Sierra and her staff model compassion, curiosity, encouragement, and a strong work ethic. Her students are lucky to have her!