CULTURAL EXPERIENCES
Throughout the school year our Rising 4s through Kindergarten are exposed to the cultures of various people around the world such as India, France, Great Britain, Kenya, Australia, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Japan, Australia, Mexico, Sweden, and Italy. Each year, we spend a few weeks learning about specific countries - we learn a bit of the language, get acquainted with highlights of their culture, try their traditional foods and typical dishes, and learn more about each country's customs and celebrations.
The children enjoy learning from native speakers (generally parents in our community) who visit our school to give presentations about their country. Our Rising 4s, PreK, and Kindergarten classes enjoy getting to know the cultures of the world, comparing and contrasting with their own cultures and become immersed in projects which help bring their learning experiences to life. Last year, the children created fantastic dioramas of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Machu Picchu and the Eiffel Tower. Our students enjoy learning about different peoples and cultures and we all look forward to this exciting part of curriculum each year as part of a special and popular learning unit.
Throughout the school year our Rising 4s through Kindergarten are exposed to the cultures of various people around the world such as India, France, Great Britain, Kenya, Australia, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Japan, Australia, Mexico, Sweden, and Italy. Each year, we spend a few weeks learning about specific countries - we learn a bit of the language, get acquainted with highlights of their culture, try their traditional foods and typical dishes, and learn more about each country's customs and celebrations.
The children enjoy learning from native speakers (generally parents in our community) who visit our school to give presentations about their country. Our Rising 4s, PreK, and Kindergarten classes enjoy getting to know the cultures of the world, comparing and contrasting with their own cultures and become immersed in projects which help bring their learning experiences to life. Last year, the children created fantastic dioramas of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Machu Picchu and the Eiffel Tower. Our students enjoy learning about different peoples and cultures and we all look forward to this exciting part of curriculum each year as part of a special and popular learning unit.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE EXPOSURE
Our school's curriculum weaves in a basic understanding of many different languages during the school year. In each class we have a native Spanish speaker and over 80 percent of our teachers and administration is fluent in Spanish.
Our students focus on both English and Spanish as a second language in a bilingual/two-way immersion (TWI) format. Children who are exposed to second languages gain numerous cognitive benefits including the ability to be more creative in their thinking. Second language instruction not only provides young children with better cognitive flexibility and creative thinking skills, but it can offer gifted students the intellectual and developmental challenges they need and desire. Exposure to both English and Spanish begins in our infant room and, by the time a child is three, we expose our children to the Spanish language for up to 50% of the day which increases as they reach Prek and Kindergarten.
Our school's curriculum weaves in a basic understanding of many different languages during the school year. In each class we have a native Spanish speaker and over 80 percent of our teachers and administration is fluent in Spanish.
Our students focus on both English and Spanish as a second language in a bilingual/two-way immersion (TWI) format. Children who are exposed to second languages gain numerous cognitive benefits including the ability to be more creative in their thinking. Second language instruction not only provides young children with better cognitive flexibility and creative thinking skills, but it can offer gifted students the intellectual and developmental challenges they need and desire. Exposure to both English and Spanish begins in our infant room and, by the time a child is three, we expose our children to the Spanish language for up to 50% of the day which increases as they reach Prek and Kindergarten.