Testimonials
“We searched the city for a school like Exploring Minds. Exploring Minds combines the Montessori method with the warmth and love of our own home.”
-Andrea and Tommy
“Thank you for bringing out the best in our children, for setting very high standards, for believing there are no limits, for encouraging and nurturing them to go beyond our highest expectations, and for doing it all with enthusiasm, dedication and love.”
-Wendy and Eric
“From the moment our son started at Exploring Minds, we have felt welcomed with open arms. All of the teachers have shown an active interest in his growth socially and academically. They have taken the time to see who he is and, on several different occasions, I have been approached by various teachers who have warmly shared stories about him with me.”
-Leila and Josh
“This small school with its tireless staff and its philosophy of inclusion and caring- for the environment and one another- has literally changed the lives of the students who attend and their parents who recognize how precious this preschool is. My 4-year-old daughter now insists on serving her guests first and herself last, something she observed and absorbed from her time at school. She also knows that you cannot float out of your bed and on to the moon because, “Gravity would pull you down, Daddy.” When my husband heard this his jaws dropped. And yet, everyday we experience more jaw-dropping moments due in large part to the quality of care she receives at Exploring Minds Montessori Preschool. It’s not just the exposure to dance and music, French and Spanish, art and science that impresses parents about this preschool. It’s the dedication of the teachers and the school’s director that wows us again and again. Rare is the institution that does not seem to be in it for the money and yet the staff at Exploring Minds constantly demonstrates that their motivation for working so hard is simply to affect the future for the better, one citizen at a time.”
-Cecilia
“The love that the teachers have for the children is reflected in each child’s eyes as they walk through the purple door excited at the prospect of learning something new today.”
-Karen and David
“Our son, graduated from Exploring Minds Montessori Preschool this past June. We do not believe that he could have received a better education anywhere else. Not only were the students engaged in enriching academic activities, but were also taught about the importance of being a valuable member of their families, school, community, and world. We are both pleased and amazed at our son’s development over the past two years. This was made possible in by the commitment and dedication of the teachers, and their focus and attention to develop the “whole” child, as believed by the Maria Montessori Philosophy. This included exposing our son to drama, yoga, gymnastics, music, art, ballet, French and Spanish languages, and performing yearly large-scale productions.”
-Craig and Raquel
“Our son, age 4 has been going to Exploring Minds since he turned 2 1/2. In fact we were a little reluctant to send him at such an early age, but felt that his desire to learn was more important. We have been amazed at what the school has exposed him too, truly amazing. Way beyond what we thought a child his age would be able to learn or grasp for that matter. How wrong we were. The best way to describe our first experience at the preschool (just the observation part) was a classroom full of children and you could almost hear a pin drop. Not what we expected to find with a room full of 2-5 yr. olds. My husband whispered to me “I want our son to come here”. And so you have it. A year and half later happy parents, happy child, just waiting for little brother to get old enough to join big brother at school.”
-Karen and Rick
“When my daughter started at Exploring Minds Montessori I had no idea that I’d be having to look up things on the internet to keep up with her! I am constantly amazed at the depth of knowledge my toddler comes home with and how the teaching at Exploring Minds feeds her unending curiosity. Participating in so many arts, activities and languages as well as furthering our social responsibilities and the exploration of our world with its different cultures is invaluable to my daughter’s development. Enrolling my daughter in Exploring Minds Montessori is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”
-Amiira
“Our daughter loves to go to school every day. And why wouldn’t she? Each day she’s surrounded with children ranging in age from 2-6 who love to learn. She is exposed each week to dance, music, French, Spanish, literature, science to name just a few of the areas covered. In addition, the teachers took it upon themselves to encourage my daughter to read and write at an early age because they knew she was ready to learn. I am so grateful for their knowledge and feel sure my daughter is benefiting socially and academically in a way she could not elsewhere.”
-Meghan and Oliver
“The Montessori philosophy of fostering independence and supporting and nurturing individual differences in the children’s development teaches both discipline and self- confidence. The teachers at Exploring Minds are exceptional in their dedication to education as well as loving guidance.”
– Dr. Beth
“One of the first things that appealed to me about Exploring Minds was the atmosphere. I walked into the school room house and discovered the neatly organized shelving at the children’s height, toilets and sinks at their height, a print of Vermeer on the wall, a rug on the floor with a figure inspired by Matisse, the wooden toys or tools for Montessori play and discovery. And then I met Doha. I wanted to be a student. My child has been exposed to an entire world through this school. The other part of the school experience that I found so appealing was treating the children as capable individuals. So often it was what we would like to do at home but sometimes we do not always allow the time it takes for the child to complete a task, such as cleaning up and putting away their job or pushing their chair in when they leave the table.”
-Laurie
“Our daughter, now alumni, spent 2 wonderful years at Exploring Minds Montessori. Our son is, currently, in his second year. Our children have bloomed here. We can only tell you what a special and different preschool this is. The activities go full spectrum: from academics to arts. From gardening, to cleaning or preparing their snacks in their child size kitchen. Children learn to be independent, care for one another and teach each other. And Yes! They play a lot….”
-Marseille and Andy
“When your son doesn’t even turn around to give you a kiss “Goodbye!” when he runs in the school, you know you have chosen the best.”
-Shawn
“From the moment I walked through the door at Exploring Minds, I knew that it was the right place for our daughter and son. Teachers and students spoke to each other with kindness, respect, and genuine affection. The physical environment in the classroom was incredibly warm and inviting–I had to resist the urge to pick up the materials myself. As I watched the children engage with their projects, I wanted to be a kid again. I feel so lucky to have found a school that honors, encourages, and celebrates a child’s curiosity.”
-Oona
“As Plato said, ‘The direction in which education starts a man will determine his future life.’ We value the importance of a great education as much as any of the other necessities of life, food, shelter, clothing, and love in the family. We believe that these are the foundation of any person. We want Alexander to be a citizen of the world, to be able to think globally, to learn of the cultures and practices of all people, and to be able to articulate his thoughts intelligently. We can think of no better way to lead him in this exploration of life than to provide the best education that we possibly can. The principles behind the Montessori system, the curriculum implemented by Ms. Doha Zohbi, and the atmosphere fostered by the teachers, students and families create the exact type of education that we want for Alexander. And Alexander has rewarded us with his enthusiasm and joy for attending the School. We could not be more supportive of Exploring Minds Montessori Preschool.”
-Lauren and Michael
“One night, when our little one was three, we were having dinner with her Oma and Opa. Someone mentioned something about a heart and she sang out – “The heart is like a pump! The heart is like a pump!” Oma just looked at us a shook her head – “where did she learn that?” Exploring Minds, of course. Doha and the other teachers at Exploring Minds are born educators. It is their passion. And because of that passion our eldest daughter still runs off to 3rd grade with a smile on her face, excited to learn. Exploring Minds engages, excites and stimulates – and perhaps most importantly, encourages independent exploration. It is simply a lovely place to play, in the best sense of the word.”
-Scott and Nadine
“We just relocated to southern Cal a couple of months ago. My daughter who will be 5 in February, had been in a highly regarded Montessori preschool in Northern California since she was just 2, so Josh and I were committed to finding a similar academic situation for her down here. I was quite saddened to discover the utter lack of quality Montessori schools in the Valley. Just as we were about to give up hope, we found Exploring Minds. Doha, Vanessa, Amy, Miriam and the staff were wonderful to our daughter and her family the minute we walked through the door. As a former employee at her Northern California school, I understand what it takes to execute on the Montessori philosophy — the training, the materials, the environment, the spirit, and the patience. We couldn’t be happier!!!!!”
-Dina
“People have an idea about Montessori and preschool. Kids just need to have fun, with abandon, draw with as many magic markers that are available and come home dirty. There will be enough order when they go to elementary school. I am here to tell you, we were those exact kind-of-people. Until we realized our second daughter needed more. And was capable of more. When she started at Exploring Minds, Doha helped make her transition smooth and incredibly profound. She was made to feel that she was special, applauded for her individuality and was guided to share and interact with other children in a gentle and caring way.”
-Pamela and Felix