About - Kubo Montessori

Who We Are

Kubo Montessori LLC Mission and Vision Statement

Kubo Montessori LLC is committed to provide a home like feel school environment with the prepared Montessori classroom and philosophy. We strive to help each child reach their full emotional and cognitive potential. We aspire to have the family atmosphere so that each child will feel the support and love everyday as they discover the world. We recognize the importance of stimulating the inner drive of each child to learn, to positively encourage their curiosity and have the courage to always explore. Because every child is an unique individual, we tailor your child's education to fit their specific needs.

Our program desires to promote independence, organization, concentration, grace and courtesy, inner peace, drive to learn/explore and confidence to empower the child to achieve.

Children engaging in Montessori classroom activities

What is Montessori?

It is a method of education that was developed by Maria Montessori in 1897. Maria Montessori was the first Italian woman doctor in Italy. She focused on child psychology and pedagogy (Pedagogy refers more broadly to the theory and practice of education, and how this influences the growth of learners. Pedagogy, taken as an academic discipline, is the study of how knowledge and skills are exchanged in an educational context, and it considers the interactions that take place during learning). Using her scientific understanding and observation, Maria Montessori formulated materials that are auto educating. Allowing the child to learn on their own and prepare them to academics.

A prepared Montessori environment with organized learning materials

Prepared Environment

The prepared environment is essential in every Montessori classroom. The areas of Practical Life, Sensorial, Cultural, Math and Language are defined learning space for each child. All Montessori materials are designed to help the brain tap into its scientific and mathematical potential.

Inner Drive

Every moment is a learning opportunity. Every hands on concrete manipulation of the material is always a revelation. Always an “Aha moment” that build their self esteem and creates a better independent interpretation of information.

Mastery Through Repetition

Each Montessori material is sequenced accordingly and Montessori teachers are there to oversee each child’s ability to move forwards. Montessori teachers support mastery through repetition.

About the family behind Kubo Montessori LLC

Ms. Mary’s journey in education began in 1996, sparked by her time tutoring underserved children in Southeast Asia. This early experience ignited a lifelong passion for understanding how children learn, lead, and discover their place in the world. Initially trained in the Jean Piaget approach, Mary quickly realized her calling was to support the "whole child," leading her to pursue a Master’s in Special Education.

In 2000, Mary began her Montessori Teacher Training (AMS, 2002) right here in the Bay Area. Her goal was to create inclusive environments where children of all needs could thrive in a mainstream setting. Falling in love with the philosophy, she made it her mission to serve families through a blend of rigorous scholarship and deep empathy, eventually completing advanced ECE and Administration units at Cal State Hayward and Canada College.

In 2006, Mary opened her first home-based school to the families of Foster City and San Mateo. Today, that mission has grown into three vibrant locations across Hillsdale and Redwood City.

Education is a family affair in the Gonzalez household. Mary’s two sons—now 20 and 16—are proud products of the Montessori system. Her husband, Ron, brings a unique perspective to the school as a Distinguished Engineer and VP of AI and Data Engineering at WEX. Together, they bridge the timeless principles of Montessori—independence and self-direction—with the technical demands of the rapidly evolving Silicon Valley landscape.