Smiley Faces Wonderschool

Our Teachers

My name is Iliana Cortez and I have 24 years of experience as a mother and 10 years working in an academic setting. I am passionate about working with young children and have completed numerous courses with both 4C’s and the First 5 program in addition to having 18 units of early childhood education.

For me, the best moment of working in childcare can be found in the moment when a child is surprised by what they have learned. Being able to help the children in my program discover new things and understand the world around them is why I am proud of everything we accomplish at Smiley Faces Wonderschool.

Philosophy

At Smiley Daycare & Wonderschool, we know that play is a natural way of learning, through which the child’s growth and development can be used to put his ideas into action and catalyze mental and emotional development so that the child learns to communicate who they are effectively.

Each child will be given the opportunity to interact in a positive way with their classmates in order to accept diversity and differences which develops their own sense of self.

My goal is to create an atmosphere in which I invite children to observe, experiment, discover, create, feel, touch, choose, try, be active, relax, and enjoy a variety of learning activities, within a space that also feels like home.

Creemos que el juego es una forma natural de aprendizaje, a través de la cual el crecimiento y el desarrollo del niño se pueden utilizar para poner en práctica sus ideas e implementar el desarrollo mental y emocional para que el niño aprenda a comunicarse de manera efectiva.

El niño tendrá la oportunidad de interactuar de manera positiva con sus compañeros y de aceptar la diversidad y las diferencias para desarrollar su propia autoestima.

Mi objetivo es crear una atmósfera en la que invite a los niños a observar, experimentar, descubrir, crear, sentir, tocar, elegir, probar, estar activo, relajarse y disfrutar de una variedad de actividades de aprendizaje, dentro de los límites del hogar de los niños.

Location

Our single-family home is located less than 5 minutes from both downtown San Jose and San Jose State University’s campus, making us a centrally-located program that is accessible to many families and along both 280 and 87. Despite being so close to the urban hub of the city, we still have a single-family home and an outdoor area that is fenced in and gives our children the chance to comfortably develop with us.

About our program

We named our program Smiley Faces because we believe that children grow and learn best when they are happy. Our interactions with children are always positive, and we do our best to make sure that from a young age children are encouraged to treat each other with respect. Children guide each other through their development, and as a class we see students are at their best when they are given the chance to play and grow together.

When you arrive, you will see an outdoor space that allows children to explore and play safely with one another or on their own in various play structures. Our indoor space provides an organized atmosphere that students can navigate independently and confidently. As students choose their next activity and with whom they are going to play, their socio-emotional growth develops as they understand themselves and each other.

As a director, my favorite activities with the children in my care help them use their creativity. When children are given the option to create through art, we can better understand their interests. When a child paints in our program, it can start an entire conversation!

Admissions

Join the Smiley Faces Wonderschool 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 Smiley Faces Wonderschool 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 here – 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.