Garden of Joy Montessori International School

Our Teachers

I love children and am proud of myself for having a childlike spirit. My own little boy has brought me tons of joy, hope and fulfillment. This love has led me to work in several Montessori schools and become a certified Montessori teacher after having worked extensively in the field of education in China, UK and US. As a matter of fact, my love for my son and for children in general has defined the purpose of my life - to become a child advocate, to embrace and implement the essence of Montessori philosophy in modern times, and to nurture future generations into independent and intelligent global citizens with intercultural competence, creativity and compassion.

In July 2011, I came to the US and studied Translation & Interpretation at Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. In August 2012, out of my passion for international education and intercultural communication, I switched to the inaugural International Education Management program, and graduated with honors in December 2013.

There is nothing which a mother would not do for her son. After giving birth to my son, my life was forever changed (for good). I always remember Mr. Honey-Jones (the founding Principal of The British School of Beijing - an international school for children of expatriates) once said to me, “Sierra, whatever you do, you do the best!” The truth is, whatever I do, I give it my heart and soul. This is even so when I become a mother, I strive to become the best mother I could. Such desire has eventually led me to the establishment of Garden of Joy Montessori International School.

I cherish the spirit of “Live to Learn”, and continue to improve myself through professional and personal development. I am a member of the American Montessori Society (AMS), Bay Area Montessori Association (BAMA), and Bay Area Childcare Network Group. As such, my inspiration is constantly renewed throughout ongoing Montessori training, Early Childhood Education workshops, child development classes, conferences, and frequent group network meetings.

​ My educational credentials:

• A certified Montessori Teacher
• Ongoing training with AMS, BAMA, and First 5’s Quality Matters Program
• MA in International Education Management
• One year’s training in Translation & Interpretation (English/Chinese)
• BA in English at Beijing Language & Culture University

My professional background: ​

• Chinese Teacher for preschoolers at Word of Grace Chinese School
• Teacher at several Montessori preschools
• Inaugural San Francisco Summer Program Coordinator for Boston University
• Independent Translator for Elfenworks Productions LLC., translated the book “Intelligence & Compassion in Action: The Seven Pillars for Social Entrepreneurs” written by founding CEO Dr. Lauren Speeth
• Head of School Services & Facilities and a founding member for The British School of Beijing

In my spare time, I like to spend time with my family. I practice yoga (I am a certified yoga instructor in China), and I like jogging, hiking, salsa dance, and watching movies. I am also a dedicated Toastmaster, having obtained Advanced Communicator Gold and Competent Leader certificates.

Ms. Katherine Tan Assistant Teacher A mother of two boys, Ms. Katherine has a master’s degree in Mathematics from Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Province, China. She truly enjoys being a mother as her sons bring her tremendous joy and happiness. This love leads her to a great deal of volunteering work at their schools over the years (3D Preschool, Kinderwood Children’s Center and Stratford Schools). She is an active member of Parent Committee at Stratford Schools, helping the schools to organize events on the class and school levels.

Being around children, watching them grow and learn, and being a part of their lives give Ms. Katherine a great sense of satisfaction and fulfillment. She is constantly inspired by their innocence, love, and sense of humor. Striving to be the best teacher she could possibly be, after having finished Myteachstone Teacher Training Program provided by First 5, Ms. Katherine is currently on a 2-year Apprenticeship Program to obtain her Associate Teacher permit. In her spare time, she likes cooking, singing, dancing, painting, hiking and traveling, as well as spending time with her family and friends.

Ms. Maggie Su Assistant Teacher

Ms. Alma Jimenez Spanish Teacher

Hello there! My name is Maggie, and I am thrilled to join the team of this wonderful preschool – Garden of Joy Montessori. I am originally from China and I have a passion for working with young children. I’m a lively, cheerful, and easygoing person, and I love making new friends with the little ones. As a teacher, I aim to create a nurturing and engaging environment where children can learn, grow, and have fun. I look forward to getting to know each child and their unique personalities, and to embark on an exciting learning journey with them together!

Hola, I am Alma Jimenez. I’m so glad to be part of this wonderful team at Garden of Joy Montessori International School teaching Spanish to the little ones. I’m a mother of two beautiful daughters, the younger one has been in this school since October 2021, my husband and I cannot be happier with the progress she has made.

I love to be around children helping them to discover everything around them. I have taken the course of Early Childhood Education at West Valley College and I loved it! This course has enlightened me on child development, making me a much more confident and well-informed mother/early childhood educator. I am prepared to give my best to the children and guide them to learn in their own way.

Ms Sarita/Grandma Assistant Teacher Hi I am Sarita Carey, but you can call me Grandma; all the kids do. I have been working with Ms. Sierra since the beginning of the school. I am not a certified teacher but my many years of experience with children and my having taught Sunday school, help me to fit in quite well. I was raised here in the Bay Area and twenty-five years ago moved up north to Paradise/Chico area. After the devastating fire in 2018 I found myself back in San Jose with my family.

One of my main duties here is planning the menus and cooking the food for the children. I studied nutrition in college, and I make sure the children get a balanced food program. I usually do the shopping and pride myself on choosing the best items and still aim for a reasonable price. I try to accommodate the children’s likes and dislikes and create a variety for everyone.

If you like the bulletin board displays and holiday decorations, you should know I love that part of my job. It is fun and the children seem to enjoy my efforts. ​ It is an honor to work here with Ms. Sierra. I like the passion and love that she brings to her school and the students. She always brings her best and that brings out the best in us.

Testimonials

All reviews on Yelp: https://biz.yelp.com/r2r/hVS7a1Eed2zzKQjLL4sg4w

1. Tiffany Pham on 3/1/2023: “Once our daughter turned 16 months, we’ve decided to put her in a Montessori program, but which one? I spent an incredible amount of time researching the best infant care programs in San Jose because I did not want to send her to a typical childcare and I wanted to place her in an environment where she would undoubtedly develop confidence and independence, ultimately enabling her to thrive throughout each stage of life. We enrolled our 18 months old daughter eight months ago at Garden of Joy Montessori International School and it was one of the best decisions we made for our daughter. As an only child, it’s great seeing her get to play and interact with other children around her age and older. We’ve seen that she’s learning things quicker by being in a mixed age classroom and playing more independently at home. We love seeing the progress that she has made, academically, emotionally, and socially. It has been a joy to see her curiosity and sense of independence blossom, which build her confidence, and it’s clear that she is developing a true love of learning. Teachers form close bonds with the children and the classroom really becomes a special and safe place for a child to grow and thrive. In addition to providing a nurturing environment, the teachers are compassionate, caring, knowledgeable, and their prepared environment is a place my daughter feels at home. My daughter is always excited and looking forward to going to school every single day ever since her first day of school. The teachers at GOJMIS instill a love and excitement for learning, which in turn gives the children a life-long positive learning experience while provide space and opportunities for students to figure things out on their own can foster independence and self-confidence in them. I saw a difference in my daughter the first month. It has been a pleasure watching her grow and achieve her milestones. The amount of independence and confidence that she has achieved during this course of time has been amazing. GOJMIS do a great job at bringing families together and host a monthly field trips where parents gets an opportunity to meet and connect with one another while watching our children engage and interact with each other in an outdoor environment. This gives me a sense of community and to know the families my child is attending school with regularly. It’s been great to watch her world expand as she meets other children, and as my husband and I connect with other families. I am grateful beyond measure that we’ve found GOJMIS. Being pregnant during the pandemic had raised a lot of concerns and worrisome for new parents, especially us. However, I feel like I have a “team” raising our daughter and, as I like to say, “it takes a whole village to raise a child.” THANK YOU to everyone at GOJMIS for loving, caring, and educating Tessa. You mean the world to US and I am eternally grateful.”

2. Sarah Golden on 11/30/2022: “I am beyond thrilled and grateful that we have found Miss Sierra 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.

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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.

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 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.

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!”

Philosophy

As dedicated Montessori followers, we respect the child as an individual and follow his natural development. We do not make a child to learn; rather, we guide him to follow his innate desire of learning. As such, we provide a joyful, loving and nurturing environment for his intelligence to grow.

We prepare children to become the masters of themselves so that they are ready not just for school, but for a well-ordered life.

Within the community of a multi-age classroom—designed to create natural opportunities for independence, citizenship, and accountability—children embrace multi-sensory learning and passionate inquiry. Individual students follow their own curiosity at their own pace, taking the time they need to fully understand each concept and meet individualized learning goals.”

Location

Location: We are located in East San Jose, close to Lake Cunningham Park & East Valley YMCA. The nearest intersection is between White & Tully.

About our program

Why Garden of Joy? To answer this question, perhaps the best way is to listen to what our parents have to say. Their heart-warming comments are the highest rewards for us, which inspire us to do even better! Please check out their “Testimonials”, available on Yelp too.

Additionally, these are the reasons that you might want to consider our school:

1. Caring Staff

As the founder, I am a mature and experienced Montessori Certified Teacher and a caring mother. I take it as my calling to provide quality care and education to our precious little ones, who are the future of mankind. I am so devoted to this cause that I think of how best to care for our children, morning, noon, and night! :) Not surprisingly, I set very high standards for my team. As such, all our staff members are loving, patient, and dedicated educators, who love children and treat them like they are our own. For example, when a child doesn’t want to try a certain food, we try to feed them a small piece of it in a fun way. Guess what? Most of the time, they decide that it actually tastes good and will eat it all! They just need some creative ways to encourage them to take the first step. Another example is that we tuck our children in comfortably for their nap, and check back on them to see if they have kicked off their blankets.

2. Individualized Curriculum

Every child is different - they have their own developmental needs and grow at their own pace. Using Montessori Compass to track students’ progress, we are able to make lesson plans that meet every child’s individual needs. Our diverse yet balanced curriculum covers the following areas:​​​​

Practical Life (including Gardening & Cooking) Sensorial Language Mathematics Music and Movement Art and Crafts Science Character Education (Socio-Emotional Development) Field trips (we take our children to a park nearby once a month) A variety of Cultural Subjects (e.g. History, Geography, Botany, Zoology & Cultures

3. Trilingual Exposure

Our children are exposed to the three most commonly used languages in the world - English, Chinese, and Spanish. For Spanish, we use the amazing curricular materials designed by Ms. Susy Dorn, founding director of “Let’s Play In Spanish”.

4. Effective Parent Communication

We share photos with our parents through Montessori Compass on a daily basis. With these photos, parents can talk with their children about their day in school. During a child’s first couple of weeks, to ease parents’ anxiety, we also use LearningGenie to share photos and/or videos throughout the day. Twice a year, we have Parent Teacher Conference.

5. Convenience & Peace of Mind

We offer lunch and two snacks for our students, sparing parents the daily hassle of preparing lunch for their children. In addition, we wash our children’s beddings on a regular basis. One of our parents once said, the peace of mind offered by our quality care and education for our little ones is priceless!

6. Continuum Education

There is no concern for high teacher turnover ratio, which is a common thing in preschools. Such consistency is crucial for the healthy development of young children.

7. Low Student-Teacher Ratio

Between the ages of two and six, our little ones need and deserve a great deal of personal attention. Such luxury is exactly what our children enjoy since the maximum number of students we can have is 12 to 14 (two school-aged children).

8. Healthy Lunch and Snacks

We participate in the California Childcare Food Program through Love Little Children Inc., a program designed to provide healthy and nutritious food for children. We take it as our priority to make sure our children are well fed with nutritious food. In a home environment, we are able to provide children with alternative items when they do not like certain food at meal or snack time. Another example of our high quality diet is that we have been providing organic milk since September 1st, 2021!

9. Nurturing Environment

Our school is nestled in a warm and beautiful family environment. The loving, joyful, and nurturing atmosphere is perfect for all children especially those who are leaving the comfort of their homes for the first time.

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