Irma's Expect Wonders with Wonderschool

Our Teachers

Hello! I am Irma Cuenca, the founder of Irma’s Expect Wonders. I was inspired to start my own program because it has always been my dream to design my own space where children can blossom and grow. Beyond my own children, who are in college, I have 20 years of experience working with kids and started my own program in 2004. I have taken many courses throughout my time leading a program and have my A.A. in Early Childhood Education from Mission College.

¡Hola! Soy Irma Cuenca, la fundadora de Irma’s Expect Wonders. Me inspiró para comenzar mi propio programa porque siempre ha sido mi sueño diseñar mi propio espacio donde los niños puedan florecer y crecer. Más allá de mis propios hijos, que están en la universidad, tengo 20 años de experiencia trabajando con niños y comencé mi propio programa en 2004. He tomado muchos cursos a lo largo de mi tiempo dirigiendo un programa y tengo mi A.A. en Educación Infantil de Mission College.

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Philosophy

Valuing the child as an active learner in their own critical thinking while encouraging creativity, love for learning, and providing a carefully designed environment with an emergent curriculum. At Irma’s Expect Wonders, we prioritize the safety, care, and whole-being development of children. Our program fosters meaningful social experiences and bilingual development to ensure that every child is socio-emotionally and academically prepared for the kindergarten transition.

Location

Expect Wonders is located in the Willow Glen neighborhood of San Jose on a safe street with ample parking. Our home has two rooms devoted to our program and the fenced-in backyard is set up for play. There is a bus that runs down Hillsdale towards D’Anza College, and nearby freeways (85, 87, 17, 280, and the Almaden Expressway) make us accessible.

Expect Wonders está ubicado en el vecindario Willow Glen de San José en una calle segura con estacionamiento. Nuestra casa tiene dos habitaciones dedicadas a nuestro programa y el patio trasero tiene una cerca y está configurado para jugar. Hay un autobús que corre por Hillsdale hacia D’Anza College, y las autopistas cercanas (85, 87, 17, 280 y la Autopista Almaden) nos hacen accesibles.

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About our program

In our program, we focus on the whole child and the caregivers who support them. Children are capable of more than what we adults often give them credit for, and my program encourages students to trust in their abilities and pursue their interests. My role as an educator is to observe, provide hands-on guidance when necessary during students’ learning process, and to encourage them as they practice new things.

Socio-emotional development is another key aspect of Expect Wonders. We use music — an art form that helps children’s personalities mature — to help students learn how to interact with one another, how to pay attention and helps develop a sense of creativity.

Health and nutrition are also important components of development. Children have time outside in the backyard at minimum two times per day, and more if the weather permits. I also provide two snacks and three meals, all of which are home-cooked.

Finally, we value working together with parents in my program because the bridge between the home and school environments is so important for children. When parents are involved and help to foster independence, children thrive.

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En nuestro programa, nos enfocamos en todo el niño y las familias que los apoyan. Los niños son capaces de mucho, y mi programa alienta a los estudiantes a confiar en sus habilidades y perseguir sus intereses. Mi papel como educador es observar, apoyar el proceso de aprendizaje de cada estudiante y alentarlos mientras practican cosas nuevas.

El desarrollo socioemocional es otro aspecto clave de Expect Wonders. Usamos la música, una forma de arte que ayuda a las personalidades de los niños a madurar, para ayudar a los estudiantes a aprender cómo interactuar entre ellos, a prestar atención y a desarrollar un sentido de creatividad.

La salud y la nutrición también son componentes importantes del desarrollo. Los niños tienen tiempo afuera en el patio como mínimo dos veces al día, y más si el clima lo permite. También proporciono dos refrigerios y tres comidas, todas ellas hechas en casa.

Finalmente, creemos que el puente entre el hogar y el entorno escolar es muy importante para los niños. Cuando los padres participan y ayudan a fomentar la independencia, los niños prosperan.

Admissions

Join the Irma’s expect wonders community in four easy steps:

1. Explore our website

We’ve provided information about our philosophies and offerings to help you decide if our program may be right for your family.

2. Tour our program

Come see what makes Irma’s expect wonders unique. Please schedule a tour or attend an Open House event.

3. Submit an Enrollment Application

If you would like to enroll, please submit an application. Please note that we require tours for all prospective families. Please do not submit an application if you have not visited the program.

4. Enroll

After reviewing your application, we’ll send an enrollment invitation. Upon accepting your invitation you’ll pay your enrollment fee, fill out enrollment documents and review our Parent Handbook.