My wife and I have had the pleasure of sending both of our children (1 girl & 1 boy) to Mariposa…read moreover the past 4 years. They are well staffed with a team that has been there for years. They are empathetic and adjust their care to each child's differentiated personality and needs. From young toddlers in diapers to 4 & 5 year olds heading to TK and Kindergarten, they are very experienced at every stage of their developmental needs. They are also great about communicating what is happening at the school from birthday and school events to illnesses to keep parent informed and equipped to make the best choices they can for their children. When my daughter entered TK she was able to help ESL kids at her new school and has continued to take after school Spanish classes. We hope to see our son continue to build on and leverage the early Spanish he learned at Mariposa as well. We can not recommend them highly enough! 10 out of 5 stars!

An Amazing Bilingual Preschool…read more If you are looking for an amazing bilingual Spanish preschool, I highly recommend Mariposa Bilingual School. Ms. Patty, along with Ms. Jessica, Ms. Brenda, and Ms. Harmon, run an incredible program filled with love, learning, and so much care for the children. My firstborn was with an au pair for his first four years, so transitioning to preschool was a big change for him. The teachers at Mariposa made that transition so positive and comfortable. He has learned so much, developed wonderful social skills, and grown tremendously in confidence. One of my favorite things is hearing him sing in Spanish, it makes my heart so happy! He absolutely loves going to school and looks forward to all the activities, celebrations, birthdays, and holidays throughout the year. The special events they organize are always so much fun for the kids and create beautiful, lasting childhood memories. We are incredibly grateful to the entire Mariposa team for creating such a warm, nurturing, and engaging environment. It truly feels like a second home for our children. We couldn't recommend Mariposa Bilingual School enough!

I debated where to enroll my kids for French lessons. I went with Anne-Andrée's French Academie…read morebased on her enthusiasm and use of the French curriculum standards. She has been excellent, keeping me up to date on their verbal, reading, writing and grammar progress by phone. However, with a day off from work, I recently had the pleasure of observing her teach my kids. Wow, what truly an incredible teacher! Her teaching environment is cozy, and she makes use of multimedia, games, conversation, etc. She doesn't skip the rigor, my kids are learning grammar, vocabulary and beautiful conversant french AND she makes sure they are having a blast the whole time. It's been amazing to watch them deepen their knowledge and appreciation of French despite me and my husband not being French speakers; people marvel at their lovely accents and comfort with the language. My kids and I both love the French Academie.

Anne Andree is a wonderful teacher and is a delight to know. She is creative in her approach to…read moreleaning French and makes the process fun. I have been taking classes with Anne Andree for over a year now. I took French in high school and college and lived in Paris for some time but then stopped. Fast forward 30 years and my goal now is to speak and understand French when traveling. Anne Andree met me at my level and used many common sense and creative ways to help me achieve that goal. She offers her own practical techniques for learning French and then utilizes several study guides to reinforce and practice what I have learned each week. Also, she offers great advice on traveling in France. I look forward to my weekly classes and am grateful to have such a wonderful and patient teacher.

My space of joy in my life is being in class. I have moved from beginner to Intermediate-Advanced…read morein 3 years, and am grateful for the chance to meet great people, and learn Spanish. Everyone in class expresses the same sentiment. We enjoy learning about one another, while learning how to listen well, and to express ourselves. Our storytelling is the best part of class-learning about one another's lives. I plan on doing this for the foreseeable future!

I have been taking classes with Jacek, Who is a very talented and amicable teacher. Over the course…read moreof six months I have improved my vocabulary and Comfort level , thanks to Jacek's persistence , patience and enthusiasm. I am so pleased with my experience at SunSpanish that I plan to continue to study here for the foreseeable future as I would like to become fluent enough to interact with Hispanic patients. In summary, I could not be happier and more grateful to share in this opportunity I have been taking classes for 3 years now. I continue to be thrilled. And even more grateful that Jacek had rolled all workshops and lessons into zoom sessions. I get full benefit and am progressing even during the pandemic.

It's 3 years later and I still look forward to my weekly classes with Isabella. We now meet…read moreonline via Zoom and I actually find it to be MORE convenient and easier to share information. In addition to building my skills and confidence in reading, writing and speaking Italian, I've learned more about grammar in general than I ever did in school. Isabella has an arsenal of tools and materials to offer and nothing beats having access to someone as knowledgeable and friendly as Isabella to help explain EXACTLY what you need to know. Highly recommend!

Isabella taught my daughter Italian for 4 months. My daughter was challenged with the personalized…read moreprogram that was outlined for her. Isabella was patient and flexible with our busy schedule. If you want to learn Italian from a native speaker and learn about Italian culture, then Isabella is a great choice.

A love letter to Tía Karina's House…read more When my son was just six months old, I dropped him off at Tía Karina's House for the first time and as a brand-new mom, I was a wreck. Leaving your baby with someone else for the first time is one of the hardest things you'll do as a parent. A year later, I can honestly say it was one of the best decisions we ever made. Karina, Anna, and Betty have given our son nothing but warm, attentive, loving care from day one. They run a mixed-age program with dedicated pods for infants, tots, and preschoolers, so every child gets care and activities suited to where they're at developmentally - while still being part of one big, connected daycare family. Watching our son grow up as part of their little community this past year has meant so much to us. We are NOT ready to leave, and honestly, that's the best endorsement I can give. If you're searching for childcare in the San Rafael area, you will not find a more caring, trustworthy group to look after your child. On that note -- they will have an opening for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday care coming up soon! If you're looking for a daycare home that will feel like family, don't sleep on this one. Thank you to TKsH, we are grateful!

Karina and her staff have been an excellent source of support for our family. When my daughter is…read morewith her, she is well-looked after. I also love that they provide healthy breakfast and lunch every day. Karina is open and supportive, and has also helped me out many times when we've needed additional care. My daughter loves going to her place! I highly recommend her establishment.

I've been studying with Alessandra for 2 years and I can positively say she is an amazing…read morementor/teacher of not only the Italian language but also culture i.e., current events, music, film, history and of course, explaining the cultural references you will often find in reading and watching films. She is personable, patient, very bright and committed to your pursuit of the language. I take online as well as in person lessons and I find her teaching style works well in either setting. Her vast library of teaching tools, regardless of your level, is amazing; you will never get bored with Alessandra! The class sizes are perfect - usually less than 7 and I find that supplemental private lessons are a great compliment to my studies. If you are just starting with the language or a C2 level, you will find that she will meet you where you are in your journey and will walk with you as you progress. I am grateful to have found Alessandra - a wonderful teacher, a good person and someone who I trust to help me on this challenging, yet rewarding journey.

I have been taking Italian language classes with Alessandra for over three years, interrupted a bit…read moreby Covid. At first they were in person and now they are by zoom. I have taken other language courses. So much depends on the instructor, whether they make you feel comfortable, how much they are able to make it lively, and how they engage you in the language and the culture. Alessandra is a star in all respects. I am learning not only the language but about the country, the culture, the food, and the little idiomatic expressions that help you speak like an Italian. I recommend Alessandra's classes very highly!

What an awesome experience! Whether you're and experienced woodworker and just want to make…read moresomething cool or a total novice with zero wood experience, this is the place for you! Michael provides clear instructions, quality equipment, and personalized advice to help you through the build process. Classes are flexible and he allows you to customize your project however you like. It makes the project feel much more personal! I took the cutting board class and he let me choose my materials (I chose walnut with maple), size of the board, and unique touches that I thought looked cool (rounded edges, handles). I couldn't be happier with how it turned out. It's fun to say to be able to say that you built something with quality materials that is going to last for years! The class took about 4 hours which I thought was totally reasonable. And I walked out of there with a finished project that I could show off right away. The shop is easy to get to and Michael works with you on scheduling to make sure you complete your project in a timeframe that works for you. The whole thing is really easy convenient! I'm looking forward to returning and taking other classes!

I had a great day learning from Michael this week. He's patient and flexible with the curriculum,…read moretailoring the session to exactly what I needed and asked for. I learned the proper a/k/a safe way to use: miter saw, jointer, planer, table saw, track saw, and router table all in one day. He's open for collaboration on future projects outside of the fixed classes, so when I come up with something that goes beyond any of my skills, we'll work together to design and execute. Awesome experience all around. Lesson learned: safe woodworking means no gloves and no long sleeves, so prepare to keep your core warm for sessions during the winter months.