Peace of Mind
At Practice & Pass Driving School I'm the only driving instructor for my school. Your child will get the attention they need to become a safe driver ready to get on the road. My vehicle is equipped with dual pedals which are both brake and gas on the driving instructor’s side. This gives me the ability to completely control the vehicle from the passenger seat if needed. Lessons are calibrated to the skill level of each student while building confidence throughout their lessons.
Please note: your FIRST lesson should be scheduled as soon as possible in order to validate the permit. Due to high demand, my schedule fills quickly — I strongly recommend booking your REMAINING lessons at least 3 months in advance to secure your preferred dates and avoid any scheduling conflicts.
Get In Touch — (805) 297-3097Schedule your lessons over the phone or text only —
Business Hours For Behind The Wheel Lessons
Monday – Friday
Lessons 8:00AM – 5:00PM
Saturday
Lessons 8:00AM –12:00PM
Sunday
Closed
Note: During holidays and summer vacations, lesson times will vary.
Course Structure
Following each driving lesson, the student will get a detailed worksheet summary outlining what was covered and improvements needed.
6 hour lesson
Lesson 1Building the Foundation
Expanding Skills
Test Preparation
Prices
Payment plan options are available towards certain hour packages for an additional fee. I currently serve the Simi Valley area ONLY. Students outside the area are welcome to meet in Simi Valley for their driving lessons.
For adults 21 and over, prices may vary. Payment plans available. Payments accepted: Cash, Check, Zelle & Venmo.
1 Hour
$140.00
No Refunds
Use of Car for Test & 1 Hr Practice
$195.00
No Refunds
2 Hours
$175.00
No Refunds
3 Hours
$315.00
4 Hours
$345.00
6 Hours
$485.00
10 Hours
$795.00
12 Hours
$925.00
Referral Programs
Looking for Mature and Teen Driver Online Courses? Use our referral links for quick and easy enrollment.
Instructor
Therese Carnicella Chaides
I've called Simi Valley home my entire life. I'm proud to have raised my three children here in this beautiful community. For the past 17 years I've dedicated myself to training the next generation of drivers to be safe, responsible, and confident drivers. To me, this is more than a job, it's a passion. I am committed to helping every student master their driving skills.
No matter your goals for your teen, adult, and senior drivers, it's easy to tailor my driving lessons and services to suit your exact needs. I offer home or school pickup and drop off. I strive to make my driving lessons affordable, flexible, and will work with your busy schedule. I recognize that each student learns differently and I tailor my teaching techniques to that student's needs.
Teen drivers under age 17 1/2 are required by DMV to complete 6 hours of behind the wheel drivers training while holding their permit for 6 months. The first lesson should be scheduled as close to obtaining the permit as possible to validate the permit and make it legal for the student to start getting their 50 hours of practice in with a parent or adult over 25. The second lesson should be after the teen driver has had time to practice the skills taught during the first lesson. The last lesson I highly recommend it being a few days before the day of the actual DMV drive test so that I can make sure my students are confident and ready for the test. I ask that you please call or text me BEFORE scheduling the DMV test so that I'm able to get that last lesson in. I'll be going over DMV test material with the student and making sure that they are ready to test.
DO NOT SCHEDULE THE DMV DRIVE TEST UNTIL ALL LESSONS HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED
I start out teaching each student the fundamentals of driving and move on to more complex driving skills such as safe lane changes, U turns, merging onto the freeway and how to handle unsafe drivers. Each lesson is different and is geared towards each students driving experience.
What Parents & Students Say
"She was very honest with me about what I needed to work on while driving. After every lesson, I gained more confidence in my own driving skills. I felt confident and well prepared for my behind-the-wheel driving test. Because of her excellent teaching, I was able to successfully pass my driving test with a perfect score!"
Tessa Nutley
Verified Student
"I have had two children learn to drive with Therese and was really happy with our experience."
"Loved having her as my instructor! I passed when I took the test and she was extremely helpful and encouraging! 10/10 would recommend!"
Thomas Martin
