I took an intro French course recently with Celine Val. I really liked the class and our teacher. I…read morethought it was reasonably well structured and that she did a good job teaching us first how to pronounce, then how to read and write. We studied formal and informal. If you have any background in a language I would suggest you refresh yourself and test into something other than the intro course. Starting at the beginning was perfect for me since I have never studied French before, but it was very, very basic stuff. Had I taken that level for a language I had previously studied I think I would have been bored. Pros: - Conveniently located to the 84 and 101 (and Caltrain?) - Convenient times after work - Great way to sample a new language to see if you're really interested in it. - You get to keep the text book (they are used, mine had writing it...) Cons: - When you are only meeting once a week it's really easy to say: "I'll study this weekend." "I'll study tomorrow." "Oh crap, class is tonight, I better study." - Cost - it's roughly $40 a class (give or take) so if you're going to stick with it long term it's going to add up. A college course may be cheaper (though with the way college tuition is these days maybe not?). Private lessons seem to run $30-$40+ an hour, so I think their costs are reasonable. It just adds up over time, which hurts my head when I do the math... - $50 one time set-up fee per student

I took private intro spanish lessons with Erick. He was very flexible with my scheduled and allowed…read moreme to have a different meeting time each week to accommodate my schedule. Erick did a great job of assessing my current level of proficiency and then adapting an appropriate curriculum to advance my skills. We met at the Menlo Park school at times, which is a very easy to access right next to the Facebook campus off of Willow Road. Other times we met at a location we decided upon. The staff at ABC were very helpful in my billing or any questions I needed to get answered. Highly recommend ABC for anyone interested in any foreign language, no matter what level they are in. They will have an instructor for whatever language you are interested in.

I can't speak for the entire school, but I had a very bad experience trying to enroll in a night…read morewood working class. I had previous experience in woodshop classes I took at Mount Tam high school in Marin, so I wasn't a novice. I paid the fee and enrolled in the class. However, when I met the teacher Ray, he decided not to let me take the class. I think he just didn't like me. Disappointed, I tried to get a refund but the school wouldn't give it to me, so I had to open a dispute with my bank. None of my calls or emails to the school or the teacher were ever returned regarding the class or the possibility of taking future classes. It felt like the class was a private club not open to outsiders. Its this kind of elite snobbery that gives rich cities like Palo Alto a bad name.

I am all about learning something new. I have taken classes from financial, to building your own…read morewater fountain to a basic sewing class. Classes are mostly held at Palo Alto High School on Embarcadero Road and El Camino Real across from the Town and Country Shopping Center. They follow the semester system. I get a hard copy catalog in the mail. You can register online, by phone, by fax and by mail. How easy is that? Classes are very reasonable and can range from $35 on up to $200 depending on how often it meets and the types of supplies you pay for. Geared toward the adult, so evening and weekend classes. They have arts and crafts, cooking, financial, computer, language, music, health and fitness, birdwatching, dancing, acting, CPR and first aid, ...you name it.

Amazing, fantastic, cozy, loving preschool! My daughter spent three years here and loved it. She…read morestarted out in the younger kids room and moved onto the bigger kids room when she was ready. Her teachers were all incredible and the director Ms Marthe is amazing as well (I heard she used to teach at Odyssey too)! During her years at preschool my daughter made countless friends and had a ton of fun. And amidst all the play, the preschool also, to my surprise, managed to teach her how to write and sound out words - I definitely didn't do anything on that front myself! The bilingual circle time was great as well - turns out my kid picked up quite a few Chinese characters and phrases along the way. Logistics wise I was amazed by how flexible and caring the school is: super easy process in terms of changing between part day and full day, random pickups, etc.. Hot lunch program is delicious according to what daughter told me - and super convenient. I really think the fact that there's a younger kids program (18-36 months) really helped make the preschool program super kind and loving. Overall I couldn't recommend this preschool more. It's a total gem!!

Odyssey Montessori in Palo Alto has been a wonderful preschool for our family. Our three children,…read more5-year-old twins (now graduated) and a 3-year-old, thrived and loved their time here. Director Marthe's excellent administration of the school contributed greatly to our positive experience. Our kids loved their teachers. Ms. April, Ms. Sophia, and Ms. Bianca helped our twins develop confidence and mastery in foundational concepts such as colors, shapes, letters, manners, counting, addition/subtraction, and basic Chinese characters. Ms. Nuo and Ms. Lupe helped our younger child grow in his motor skills, language skills, and ability to play with others. All three children are fluent in both Chinese and English with support from Odyssey's diverse bilingual atmosphere. The teachers alternated to prepare school lunch, including accommodating our kid's allergies. The thoughtfully implemented Montessori approach fostered independence and curiosity, while ensuring our kids felt happy and secure. Classrooms are well-prepared with engaging, age appropriate activities. For a preschool with energetic caring educators who inspire learning, we highly recommend Odyssey Montessori Palo Alto.

First of all the German is bad, second a Chinese teacher in 4th grade was too strict but taught 1st…read moregrade math, because the Chinese teacher taught math in Chinese. Last The food service is really bad.

Never pressed submit so my review is dated but still accurate. - I just have to give a shout out to…read morethe staff at my children's school during such an insane time in the world. I feel incredibly fortunate that we are part of this community during such trying times. Many people have been so negative and I believe that is primarily due to the fact that this is obviously a terrible time for so many people. INTL is doing everything in their power to provide the best education possible during a world wide pandemic. We have to keep this in mind. My children's teachers have been exceptional considering the challenges of the world right now. We are lucky they even get to go to school. They are excited everyday, I feel like they are safe onsite and that the school is doing everything to the best of their ability. Teachers have found unique ways to share what happens at school with parents online. Pandemic aside- my children are only exposed to Chinese at school and come home singing to themselves in the mirror in Chinese. The program is IB which focuses on creativity and questions. They learn through discovery. The school is as international as you can get in the Silicon Valley which was really important to me having grown up internationally myself. Thank you INTL for working so hard to make such an unreal time in our lives as good as humanly possible.

Janet is an outstanding teacher with extensive experience in coaching non-native speakers who want…read moreto improve their language skills. She is quick to identify and understand your challenges during the trial class and designs personalized modules that cater to your specific needs. Janet is patient when correcting repetitive mistakes and provides constructive, consistent feedback. She is also flexible with scheduling, making it easier for you to find time for lessons. Beyond language skills, Janet is someone you'll enjoy getting to know. She is friendly, approachable, and genuinely interested in your life story. As a kind, honest, and easy-going person, she creates a comfortable learning environment. Throughout my time learning with Janet, I've gained a much better understanding of native speaker intonation and effective communication. My pronunciation has significantly improved after just a few months of coaching. I now comprehend the reasons behind my accents and am actively working to avoid reverting to my old habits, ensuring I deliver my messages more clearly. You will achieve remarkable results and gain a friend and mentor through her class!

This review is from my wife Aleksandra U. I took 10 week (1.5 hr/wk) course costing her $2100. My…read moregoal was to learn sentence formation and grammar however the course was focused on accent reduction. I believe it was just mismatch in expectation and think if accent reduction is what you are looking for, you cannot go wrong. However, for basic communication- i suggest you find another coach.

Our daughter has been at Cornerstone for almost 2 years and we absolutely love it. Her Chinese is…read morefluent now, and this is one of the only schools that we toured for the children actually speak to each other in Chinese on the playground, instead of reverting to English. The project based and play based curriculum for three and four-year-olds is truly unique and engaging. The teacher to student ratio is low and the teachers genuinely understand and are invested in each child's development. Unlike many traditional Chinese schools, they also focus on children's social emotional development, and my daughter has matured substantially in this area. Helen and Teresa are wonderful and made time to meet with me anytime I had concerns. Truly, an exceptional environment for Chinese immersion, and in my opinion (after touring nearly every Chinese school) the best on the Peninsula.

Summary: A great immersion school with caring staff. My chicks have been attending here for many…read moreyears. 99.8% of their Chinese ability is from CLF. ( yeah, I will take the .2 %). Their Chinese is not native level but enough to help new student from China in school. ;) We know plenty of kids go to other Chinese schools that have shuttle services, homework hours, extra enrichment options etc. let's be clear. CLF doesn't offer any of that. When you sign up CLF, you are there to learn Chinese. Guess what? Unlike the norm that kids dislike Chinese school and eventually drop out, Most CLF kids stay and continue for many years. My chicks have close friends from CLF kinder days. The same class pretty much grow up together. My chicks love their Chinese school and excited to go. Students learn Chinese though regular activities like singing, performing, cooking, science projects. Last key point: CLF fosters a healthy culture of handwork and effort. Not purely on how fluent/good you are with Chinese. Students who don't have the opportunity to practice at home can equally feel empowered and recognized. On rainy days, you can see teachers escorting the kids with their umbrellas up and down the stairs. Now that is caring!

I came across Rebecca's YT channel one day and was instantly hooked. Her take on the issues that…read moreMandarin speakers have when it comes to English is spot on. I was delighted to find out she is in the same city as me and I signed up on her one-on-one class for 15 sessions. On the first class we worked on breathing techniques, postures and how to project voice. We took a before vs after video and it was literally night and day difference. My voice was much stronger and I sounded more confident. Over the next several sessions we worked on vowels, consonants, diphthongs. She would listen to my pronunciation carefully and provide me feedback. We'd drill those tricky sounds over and over until I got it right. The last few sessions we worked on more advanced topics such as reductions, different T pronunciations, stress and intonation. Finally I recorded a video, putting everything I learned together and review with Rebecca. I got valuable feedback and ideas that I can use to refine and improve my pitch. Rebecca's strength lies in she can identify students weaknesses pretty quickly and provides target exercise and suggestions for students to work on. I highly recommend her if you want to take your English communications and accent reduction to the next level.

I took 20 sessions with Rebecca. She encouraged questions while she covered concepts and…read morepainstakingly pointed out the areas that require pronunciation, tone improvement. I enjoyed it even after long workdays. Interestingly though, I feel I benefited in areas that were totally unplanned for me (which resulted in some mental clarity, lesser people pleasing, conflict resolution, drawing boundaries); more than the reasons I reached out to her for (accent reduction, pronunciation, executive presence). It was a pleasant surprise that she was able to offer effective solutions to everyday situations I found challenging to respond to. She is more than a accent coach and I'm so grateful for that experience.

Sharon is a wonderful teacher. She is kind and tolerant. I love her sophisticated comments and…read morefeedback. And what makes her special is her flexible program. If you really want to improve your English skill, then you should not miss the chance to study with her! Additional updated review: Sharon's career course was so powerful and critical that I could complete my resume, CV, elevator pitch, and R-A answer for an interview. And because of them, I was able to get my new job! I couldn't made it without her. I appreciate her for everything. Thanks Sharon!

Sharon is an excellent ESL (English as a second language) teacher. I take online English lessons…read morefor 60 minutes once a week. I wanted to improve my English grammar, pronunciation, writing, and conversation skills. In a few lessons, not only did I notice big improvement, but my colleagues did too. Her approach is to work on quick fixes and to give immediate feedback so I can incorporate that learning immediately in my daily life. In addition to helping with daily conversation, she has expertise in resume/LinkedIn profile review and job interview preparation. With the help of her sessions, I landed a wonderful job opportunity.

Our son joined Amigos when he was 2.5 years old and has thoroughly enjoyed his 2+ years as a…read morestudent. We've been thrilled with all the teachers - the love they show our child and others, and the quality of education he has received. The other families and students, many associated with Stanford University, help to round out a nurturing, family friendly environment with high quality Spanish immersion education. Our younger son is in a Spanish immersion preschool that is also wonderful, but we plan to pull him out and put him in Amigos when he is old enough to enroll.

Our son LOVES Amigos! It is his home away from home, that just happens to be his preschool also…read more The staff are extremely warm and friendly, they truly love the kids and are invested in their success. Our son brings home his art and proudly gives us a lesson in the word of the day. Our newest family phrase is "como se dice _____ en español?" From day 1 they had him practicing writing his name and learning how to hold his pencil, etc. He loves school and we are thrilled he is able to have this baseline exposure to a structured learning environment. There is so much diversity here also. Our son is Korean and Japanese and although we speak English at home, he speaks Spanish beautifully. I am absolutely thrilled to have a Spanish speaking Asian munchkin. We couldn't be happier with our experience at Amigos!

I had the same experience as another reviewer below who was charged without receiving the…read moreagreed-upon services. Before I paid, they were extremely enthusiastic about getting me onboard: daily follow-up emails, very responsive communication, and multiple calls to make sure I paid upfront. Once payment was made, the service essentially disappeared. At my first class, I didn't receive the full 30 minutes even though I arrived early, because my instructor had to cover the front desk while the front desk staff was on break. I accepted that at the time. After class, I asked to be assigned practice drills. The instructor never responded. I followed up by email, still no response. Eventually, the front desk said they would "chase" the instructor. Then, on the day of my next class, I finally received the homework--and it was a vocal drill for a completely different student, even though I was taking a keyboard class. For my second class, I was running late and called the front desk to notify them. No one answered, I left a voicemail, and no one returned my call. I still went in person and arrived before my class was supposed to end, only to be told that my instructor had already started working with someone else because I was late. I received no notice or communication about this. When I told them I wanted to cancel, they stopped responding entirely. The front desk said there was no way to get a refund because I had paid upfront. Emails about cancellation have gone unanswered yet again. This is honestly the worst service provider I've dealt with. Be very careful, once they have your money, responsiveness and accountability seem to disappear.

First and foremost--This is coming from a student who took guitar and vocal lessons and has met all…read moreof the teachers and staff. I've attended School of Rock Palo Alto for 4 years now, and I'm leaving next week. To be clear; School of Rock is a wonderful program that I am comfortable to say gave me great advice, experiences, and relationships with friends and teachers. I don't regret meeting any of my instructors, they are great people that know what they're doing. But I do want to say that the experience of being a student has gone downhill tremendously. The groups used to be organized so that kids in similar age groups and skill levels were together, so they could all have a pleasant, team-like band experience. But now, near 18 year olds are grouped with 10 year olds, making the program uncomfortable for both. The staggering skill levels in the group make it near-impossible to make it work. While performing, I was embarrassed more times onstage than I wasn't. The quality in venues has gone down from genuine places with stages to parking lots and cramped community centers that can hardly accommodate the audience and the performers. The equipment provided in the rehearsal rooms, especially the drum kits, usually have something wrong with them and take forever to actually repair. There's not enough seating or space for how packed the performance groups are. I feel as if my family is paying for something that isn't worth it. This place has just disappointed me time and time again, and it truly makes me upset because I adore my teachers and I hate to leave them. They were the only aspect of the school that made me stay as long as I did. They are great people who want to share their love for music with their students, and I have nothing bad to say about them. They are smart, honest people. It's just the organization and management of the establishment that made it unpleasant and disappointing. If you're a parent looking to enroll your child in School of Rock, I encourage you. It taught me great skills I use everyday, and the love I now have for my voice and guitar. But I do encourage you to enroll them at a different location. Don't go through all of the trouble my family and I have.