Our Testimonials

Our children loved the school and teachers. Because of Caroline and her great teaching and support staff, our children developed strong academic and social skills. Their Chinese language is so good (reading and writing during kindergarten, for example) that they are able to start school in Taiwan no problem (even a grade level ahead).

The staff is so kind and caring - always taking time to listen to a story or calm frayed nerves, and leading the children in creative play and learning activities.

We would wholeheartedly recommend this school and staff to any family looking for a great Montessori experience and bilingual education.

Dan S

My son start attending Language Garden in March and within months his mandarin improve tremendously. He was very reluctant to learn the language when I introduce mandarin to him. The nurturing and encouraging environment at Language Garden helps him to grow and learn so much the past few months. His writing skills improved and is capable of communicating with me in Mandarin. Ms Caroline not only teach but care for the well being of my child. I am so glad to find a school where he enjoys and look forward to go to everyday.

Joy D

I feel so lucky to have found such a wonderful preschool with such a nurturing environment.  This school is taught in both English and Mandarin Chinese, which is exactly what my family was looking for.  We do not speak Chinese at home, and we are so pleasantly surprised when our kids try to communicate with us in Chinese.  My older daughter started at this school when it first opened in December 2013, and always looked forward to going to school.  She's moved on to kindergarten in public school now, and at least once every couple of weeks she tells me she wishes she can go back to Language Garden!  

I feel that her time at this preschool has prepared her well for the transition to kindergarten.  The academic material (reading, writing, math, science, etc) she had learned is not too far off from what she is learning now.  Everyday, she came home with artwork and worksheets.  I feel there's a good balance of all areas of learning.  But most importantly, she learned how to act appropriately and respectfully to the teachers and her classmates.  This is something I had been trying to teach her for a long time, and the teachers at Language Garden helped bring home that message in ways that I was unable to.  Thank you so much for that!!!  

Ms. Caroline is so kind and patient, and makes all the kids feel so loved and welcome.  My younger daughter now goes to Language Garden.  When she first started a few months ago, she was having some separation anxiety at drop off in the morning.  Ms. Caroline or Ms. Chih-Ying would come over comfort her, so that I can leave without my child clinging to my legs. I felt confident that she is in good hands, and I know she got special attention during this period of transition (as do all new kids who join the school).  They are just so nurturing and so good at calming kids down, and showing them how much fun school can be.  

It is the same way in the English classroom.  Ms. Henderson is very calm and patient when my child acts up.  My daughter just loves her and talks about her all the time.  I like how she tells me candid stories about the funny things my daughter does, and sometimes will show me the different work that she is learning that week.  I have so much respect for all the teachers here.  

The day to day school operations are very organized.  There is a schedule that they follow, and developing that routine is important for young children. Transitioning from one activity to next is so much smoother when they know what to expect.  That's not to say there isn't any flexibility in the schedule.  Sometimes I see special fun projects, like cookie decorating, or they may have a guest speaker (eg. reptile man and his reptiles).  Or they may celebrate a child's birthday.  And they can ease right back into the schedule after all the fun, without any hiccups. 

I love how they invite parents to celebrate special holidays.  The children put on a little performance that puts a smile on all our faces.   What a great way to show the parents what they are learning in school!  It's so nice to have to have the opportunity to meet the other kids in the class, as well as their parents at these school parties.  

My kids have developed great friendships in this school (as have I with some of the other moms!).  I believe it's due to the positive influence from the teachers.  It gives the whole atmosphere a happy vibe.  I am so impressed with all they have established in the year that we have been here!  They are truly amazing!!!

Amy C

This school was established by an exceptional teacher.  Ms. Caroline not only helps kids excel, but also makes kids love school.  She truly loves kids and cares for them. Having a good first impression about school is so important for kids at this young age.   I cannot trust my daughter any more than in Ms. Carolin's capable hands.

Anna C

My boys are currently enrolled in Language Garden and have been there since January 2014, shortly after the school opened.  For us, this has been one of the best decisions we have made for our kids.

We are a bilingual family and really try to speak Mandarin at home.  Having the split Mandarin and English classrooms really provide the boys with a great foundation in Mandarin while preparing them for our local public school kindergarten this fall.

For starters, the teachers are experienced, professional, creative and really pay attention to even the smallest details.  I truly feel that Ms. Caroline and Ms. Henderson really care about and adore the children.  They set a wonderful tone to how kids should treat one another and it really shows.  I can't tell you how many times Ms. Caroline or Ms. Henderson pointed out something new and interesting in my kids' behavior or progress.  They are calm and loving yet firm with the children.  They are also great listeners and very open to suggestions and recommendations. Ms. Caroline and Ms. Henderson worked with us to come up with a plan to help one of the boys improve his fine motor skills when that  became necessary.   They also met with me to work out the best class placement for the boys when it became apparent that it would be best to separate them.   I always felt as if I can go to them with any concerns and be heard and that they have the best interest of my child in mind.  My boys feel safe and loved at school.

In addition to Ms. Caroline and Ms. Henderson, we also really like the teaching assistants, Ms. Chih-Ying and Ms. Perez.  They are friendly and caring toward the children.  

The classrooms are clean, comfortable, well situated and sunny.   The teachers have done a lovely job creating an inviting space for both fun and learning.  I love how the kids have plenty to explore everyday.  The boys love to point out the new crafts or decorations on the walls at drop off.  The playground, albeit a bit small, still allows the kids to have fun outdoor play.

One thing that is really special about Language Garden is how many fun and thoughtful activities Ms. Caroline plans for the children.  From the Thanksgiving feast, Valentines' Day, to a spectacular Lunar New Year Party, the kids always have special activities to look forward to.  Often times, the parents are invited and it is always a real treat.  My boys still talk about the time when the Reptile Man visited and they got to meet some really awesome live reptilian friends!

In terms of academics, I must say that the kids are learning much more than I ever expected.  My boys have a deep love for books and are extremely interested in natural sciences.  Ms. Caroline and Ms. Henderson really feed their desire to learn with interesting lessons and hands on experiments.   I am a huge proponent of letting the kids explore their own interests and giving them plenty of time to play while they are young.  As an avid reader, I also spend a lot of time reading to my kids.  However, imagine my surprise when one of the boys came home with a BOB book and began reading it to me.  (I was thrilled when I found that he learned his alphabet but I did not expect that he would be able to read so quickly)  Now both boys are reading Chinese books using the bopomofo system.  The good thing is, I don't feel that the kids are being pressured to learn.  Rather, I attribute their progress to the ability of the teachers to know what each child is capable of doing and encourage and teach accordingly.  In our situation, one child needs plenty and constant challenges to keep him interested while the other requires a lot of gentle encouragement to continue to stay on task.  The teachers are providing just what is needed in each case.   

The boys are in separate classrooms and have formed some beautiful friendships with other children in their respective class.  They are attached to their buddies and even remember which days their friends go to school and especially look forward to those days.  My sons come home with all kinds of stories about playground drama and how they resolved a conflict (or not).  It is fascinating to see how social skills are developed even at this early age.  

We were looking for a place with great teachers, good environment and the opportunity for the boys to learn more Mandarin.  But with Language Garden, we got so much more!  The boys are having a blast, learning lots of important life skills and well prepared for kindergarten.  We could not be happier with our choice.

Annie F