Today we’d like to introduce you to Janet Daly.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Fourteen years ago, I started Language Garden with a very personal motivation—my children. Having lived overseas, first in Milan for two years running marketing for a software company, and later in Yerevan, Armenia, for a few months on a pro-bono tech assignment for Geekcorps. I saw firsthand how easily people navigated between multiple languages. Most of my overseas colleagues told me they were fluent in second and third languages as early as grade school. I felt incredibly deficient, as I could barely speak English (Ha!)
When I returned to the U.S., I hired a nanny for my first child and instructed her to speak exclusively in Spanish. By the time my daughter was three, she had become quite capable in the language. However, when we enrolled her in a local English-based preschool, I saw her Spanish skills rapidly decline. I was more than bummed. I really wanted her to have the opportunity I did not have, and in Los Angeles, where there are over 224 different languages spoken, and roughly 40% of the population speaks Spanish; why not learn a second language?
This led me to explore immersion options when it was time for my other kids to head to preschool. Options were limited then, and the ones available either didn’t offer full immersion or didn’t align with what I envisioned for their preschool education. Having a start-up background working for various software and internet companies, I decided to take matters into my own hands and create the program I wanted for my children, and Language Garden was born.
Today, Language Garden provides French and Spanish immersion for children aged 2 to 5 through an interdisciplinary approach. We cover a wide range of topics through exploration and discovery while incorporating social-emotional learning (SEL) to support the whole child. Our mission is to offer an enriching, engaging environment fostering language development and emotional growth.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road definitely had challenges—all start-up journeys have their share, regardless of the industry. When I first got this idea, I visited a few preschools, talking to directors about their schools and business. One person told me point blank that she would never open a new preschool; getting it up and running was too hard. I thought about that for a while and ultimately decided I would rather try and fail than never try. I was willing to swing for the fences for my kids and believe learning a second language should start well before they are in high school.
Once I committed to moving forward, the next major challenge was finding the right space. I had a clear vision of the environment I wanted, but every place I considered lacked the right amount of outdoor space, didn’t work financially, or didn’t match the aesthetic I envisioned for the school. After searching for over a year and almost giving up, I finally found our current location. The interior had great potential, and with plenty of hard work, it could become the perfect play space I envisioned. But having the idea was one thing—bringing it to life was where the real challenge began.
Looking back, there are things I would have done differently had I known what I know now. The challenges seem to change from year to year. At first, I had to find the right teachers who shared my vision for language acquisition and then establish the curriculum. Next, it was all about convincing parents that our brand-new school was worth a tour and getting them to enroll. We also had to deal with the different needs of kids, especially neurodiverse children. Each year brought a new set of children with different needs and learning styles, so we continually tried to expand and adapt to those needs, which also brought fresh ideas for our program.
Then there are the everyday challenges, such as tracking down age-appropriate language books that align with our monthly themes, how to cover the skylights during nap time efficiently, or expanding our food offerings to help kids widen their palate,
When the pandemic hit, it brought a whole new set of challenges. Teaching young kids via Zoom was far from ideal (as I quickly realized with my middle schoolers too), and when we reopened, many families were still hesitant to return. Keeping the business running while keeping kids engaged, curious, and motivated behind masks became a major hurdle, especially since masks made it harder to develop social skills.
Given the necessity of childcare, I was hopeful that things would bounce back, but shifts in home schedules and employment patterns caused enrollment to drop. It felt like I had taken a giant step backward, forcing me to rethink everything—how we teach and how we reach parents to spread the word about our program. It was a rough and uncertain time.
Through it all, it’s been fun, stressful, and undeniably a learning experience (pun intended). Along the way, I’ve developed a deeper appreciation for small business owners and immense gratitude for every teacher who chooses this profession out of a love for children and a passion for inspiring, mentoring, and guiding young minds.
As you know, we’re big fans of Language Garden Preschool. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Language Garden Immersion Preschool offers a truly immersive experience in French and Spanish for children ages 2 to 5. Our interdisciplinary approach integrates art, music, STEM, and social-emotional learning (SEL) into a play-based curriculum that fosters language development, creativity, and social growth.
Students at Language Garden learn language naturally through fun and discovery without even realizing they are learning a second language.
While I am proud that other schools have sought to learn from our model, the most rewarding aspect has been our connections with families. Watching children (and parents, too) bond and form lasting friendships reminds me of the special environment we’ve created.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Wow! Important question. Many factors influence early childhood education, especially in an election year when both parties are considering childcare. policies.
The pandemic created a shift in parents’ working patterns, particularly with the rise of hybrid schedules, which has led to changes in demand for childcare. Families often do not need full-time care as frequently, and this has required our program to adapt their offerings. At the same time, children’s social-emotional development has become a more significant focus as many kids missed out on key social interactions during the pandemic. This prompted us to have a stronger emphasis on fostering those skills in the classroom.
Another major factor is the expansion of TK (Transitional Kindergarten) programs in LAUSD. With families enrolling their children in public school programs earlier, we see a younger age group than we have in the past.
Rising wage considerations in the early childhood education industry are also a significant challenge. The work teachers do, especially with this age set, is invaluable and often not aligned with their compensation. However, there is a ceiling to what we can charge families and what they can afford, which creates a delicate balancing act between offering competitive wages and maintaining affordable rates for parents.
Finding teachers who understand and embrace the developmental needs of this age group while compensating them fairly within these constraints is an ongoing challenge. This dilemma reflects the broader undervaluation of educators across all age groups and underscores the need for systemic change in how early childhood education is perceived and funded.
Contact Info:
- Website: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/languagegardenpreschool/
