This is my first-ever Yelp review, and what inspired me to write was a small moment that happened…read moreseveral days ago: I was struggling to roll up a yoga mat when my almost 10-year-old daughter walked over and said, "Mama, let me help you. I know how to roll it up. I learned at Beyond because that's what we did every day after nap time, we rolled up and put away our own blankets." Then she confidently demonstrated exactly how to roll up the mat like a pro! This simple moment stopped me in my tracks. Five years after graduating from preschool, she still remembered and applied something she learned there--not just the skill itself, but the confidence and independence behind it. To me, that is the lasting impact of Beyond Montessori!
My daughter joined Beyond Montessori shortly after turning two and stayed until she graduated from preschool. Before joining Beyond, we were trying to find a suitable preschool. We visited several so-called "Montessori" schools in the area, but none felt right. We knew we wanted an environment that respected children, encouraged independence, and nurtured curiosity; not one focused primarily on academics at such an early age. When we visited Beyond, we were immediately drawn to the spacious playground, the garden, and most importantly, the atmosphere. Meeting Ms. Sophia was what truly convinced us. Her passion for early childhood education and her understanding of Montessori philosophy deeply resonated with us, and we felt our daughter would be in caring and capable hands.
Throughout those years, Ms.Sophia and the teachers provided thoughtful updates, meaningful feedback on our daughter's development, and invaluable parenting advice drawn from years of experience. As parents of a strong-willed child, we especially appreciated guidance that focused on understanding and supporting who she was becoming rather than trying to change her.
Now, we still stay in touch with Ms. Sophia and have brought our daughter back several times to visit. It brings us so much joy to see our daughter growing into a cheerful, creative, capable, helpful, and responsible person.
As one of the many Asian families in the area, we sometimes feel caught in the pressure to keep up and make sure our children never miss an opportunity. But over time, I've come to believe that the most important goals of early childhood are not getting ahead academically, but helping our children develop confidence, independence, responsibility, kindness, and a lifelong love of learning. For our family, Beyond helped lay that foundation, and for that, we will always be grateful!