Curriculum

Our curriculum and teaching philosophy has four main components:

Bilingual Component: The bilingual program component exposes the children in our programs to two languages, typically Spanish and English. Each class has two certified teachers, one that speaks and teaches the students in English and one that speaks and teaches the students in Spanish.

Hands on Learning: Research shows that children learn best through play and hands on activities. So the children are exposed and given opportunities throughout the day to learn through play and hands on learning activities. The children also play and learn in the different learning centers as well. Center time allows the child the opportunity to socialize, use their imagination, draw, paint, manipulate letters and numbers, and to read and write through play.

Structured Curriculum: Structured curriculum and activities is the other component. Each age group has a curriculum map that highlights most of the concepts that the children will be exposed to. We use a phonics based approach to teaching the children the letters, the sounds, pre-reading, and reading skills. Children are also exposed to structured pre-writing, writing, and math skills so that the child is exposed and well prepared for Kindergarten upon completion of the program.

Character and Physical Education: The social and physical component also plays a major role in the early development of a child. We incorporate character education so that the children develop good morals, character, habits, and self-esteem. The children are nurtured and taught to care and respect themselves, others, the environment, and to believe in themselves. We also strive to maintain a strong relationship amongst the home, the school, and the children.

Children participate in daily outdoor activities for their physical and gross motor skill development. Extra curricular activities are provided for an extra fee in order to encourage and facilitate physical fitness and exposure to different sports, dance, art, music, and other specialty activities so the children can also build on their individual talents.

CURRICULUM MAP

Curriculum Map / Scope and Sequence

Two Year Old Program

Language Arts: Language development and listening skills that include color words, shapes, animals, transportation, countries, community helpers, health, safety, manners, science

Numbers: Simple counting 1-25
Number concepts 1-10

Three Year Old Program

Language Arts:
Recognition of name, sound, and picture for short vowels and consonants
Formation of vowels and consonants in upper and lower case
Language development and listening skills that include color words, shapes, animals, transportation, countries, community helpers, health, safety, manners, science

Numbers: Simple counting 1-30
Number concepts 1-15

Four and Five Year Old Program

Language Arts

Phonics and Reading:
Recognition of name, sound, and picture of long and short vowels and consonants
Sounding of blends and one- and two-vowel words
Reading of sentences and stories with one- and two-vowel words

Cursive Writing:
Formation of letters, blends, and words
Writing of first name

Poetry:
Twenty-eight poems and finger plays committed to memory

Language:
Language development and listening skills that include color words, shapes, animals, transportation, countries, community helpers, health, safety, manners, science

Numbers: Number recognition and counting 1-100
Number concepts 1-20
Numbers before and after 1-20

BILINGUAL PROGRAM - ENGLISH AND SPANISH

Spanish Curriculum Map / Scope and Sequence

Two Year Old Program
Development of language
The ability to recognize colors, shapes, and animals
The ability to recognize parts of the body
The ability to recognize family members
Introduce numbers, letters, and greetings

Three Year Old Program
Development of language
Colors, shapes, animals, and greetings
The ability to recognize parts of the body
The ability to recognize family members
Recognizing nouns, vowels, and numbers
Learn to write numbers, letters, and their name
Introduce them to the sounds of the letters
Introduce the days of the week, and months of the year

Four and Five Year Old Program
Development of language
Colors, shapes, and animals
Parts of the body, family members, and greetings
Recognizing nouns, vowels, sounds, the alphabet, and numbers
Write numbers, letters, and their name
Learn the days of the week, and months of the year

CERTIFIED TEACHERS

It is during the preschool years where education begins. We have been highly selective in our hiring practices and screening process. We have created a wonderful environment to nurture, care for, challenge, and inspire the love of learning. Most teachers have completed a formal education and are working on completing post-graduate studies. So, most surpass all of the minimum requirements set by the State of Florida. We hold high expectations for our teachers and staff as well as our students. Teachers and staff are encouraged to keep abreast of current research, teaching methods, and techniques as well as expected to incorporate them into their daily routines.

EMPHASIS ON CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING

Developing critical thinking and problem solving techniques begins at the early stages of development. The students are encouraged to use their thought process to solve everyday occurrences in the classroom. Teachers give students the opportunity to elaborate and explain their ideas, opinions, thoughts, predictions, needs, works of art, and actions. They are also constantly presenting them with questions and situations that enable them to develop their critical thinking and problem solving skills.

EMPHASIS ON HANDS ON LEARNING APPROACH:

Children learn best through play. That is why we enable the students to experience the learning process through the use of manipulatives, educational toys, art, music, discovery, blocks, drama, and puzzles. The point is children learn best by being actively involved in the lesson. This involves actually experiencing what is being taught by doing it, seeing it, smelling it, tasting it, touching it, or hearing it.

Back to Top

DAILY EXPOSURE TO LEARNING CENTERS

Art, Circle Time, Music, Discovery, Blocks, Drama, and Quite Area

Learning Centers:
The children rotate around the learning centers that include art, music, discovery, blocks, drama, and quiet area. Each day the children also participate in circle time. In a typical day, children are exposed to:

Art:
Here students are exposed to clay, finger paint, crayons, markers, color pencils, painting on easels, glitter, crafts, glue, scissors, and encouraged to develop their creative abilities.

Music:
Here students are exposed to different musical instruments, toys that make noise, encouraged to develop their musical abilities, and enjoy the different sounds of music.

Discovery:
Here students are exposed to sand and water tables that give them the opportunity to experiment touching and feeling different objects dipped in sand and water, as well as exposure to other science related activities in order to develop their sense of touch, critical thinking, problem solving, and sense of curiosity.

Blocks:
Here the students are exposed a variety of manipulatives such as wooden blocks, Mega blocks, cars, string beads, Mr. Potato, lego table, and encouraged to develop and use their eye-hand coordination, imagination, visual discrimination, mathematical skills, and analytical skills.

Drama:
Here students are exposed to costumes, hats, props, kitchen furniture & supplies, doctor kits, dolls, cash register & store supplies, puppets, puppet theatre, and encouraged to develop their creativity, role-playing techniques, acting skills, and imagination.

Quiet Area:
Here students are exposed to books, magnetic letters & numbers, puzzles, thinking games & activities, and encouraged to develop their critical thinking, problem solving, cognitive, and reading skills.

Circle Time:
Here students are exposed to literature, songs, hand & body movements, stretching exercises, dancing, acting, and encouraged to tell stories, listen to stories, read aloud, create stories, predict what will happen in a story, and follow directions in order to use and develop their language, listening, cognitive, critical thinking & problem solving, and cooperative group skills, as well as develop their large-motor muscles.

Outdoor & Indoor Play Time:
Here students are exposed to outdoor and indoor play equipment and encouraged to run, play, use their imagination, and get physical exercise in order to develop their large-motor muscles.

INCORPORATING CHARACTER EDUCATION

We believe that character education is equally as important as academics. That is why we incorporate lessons and readings that assist in the development of the students’ character as well as model and encourage proper behaviors such as respect, self-esteem, good manners, self-discipline, responsibility, and moral values.

LARGE OUTDOOR PLAY GROUND

Children need to develop their gross motor skills and coordination through movement. We provide the students with both a large outdoor and indoor play area in order to enable them to use and develop their gross motor skills and coordination. Students use the play ground equipment and play areas to practice balancing, jumping, stretching, hopping, riding, walking, running, swinging, dancing, sliding, climbing, throwing, catching, crawling, and most importantly having plain old FUN!