PreK 3/4 Foundational Years: Building a strong foundation
To make learning meaningful and engaging, children at Amiguitos study a broad array of themes and delve into cross-curricular activities and projects. Though teachers decide of some of the themes, many are driven by the children’s interests, lives and outdoor discoveries.
Project Based, Drama Based, Story based, Nature Based and Inquiry Based education are at the core of our pedagogy. We also use Montessori materials and integrate elements of Reggio Emilia approach. These combined approaches enables to meet each student at his/her level of development and interest while making learning meaningful and relevant.
Aside from also being immersed in a new language and gaining socio-emotional skills, each child develops, at his/her own pace:
- Fine and gross motor skills
- Oral language and analysis
- Reading
- Writing
- Math
- Science
- Gardening and environmental awareness
- Social studies (geography, history, helping in our community)
- Movement (P.E., yoga, dance, gymnastics, soccer, etc.)
- Music
- Art
At Amiguitos, the low teacher-student ratio ensures greater bonds are created and children are given more individualized attention, enabling for greater socio-emotional, academic, linguistic, and community development.
Sample Daily Schedule
| 9:00 – 9:25 | Welcome, outside play |
| 9:30 - 9:50 | Snack time/story based learning |
| 9:50 – 10:40 | Outside play/exploration/gardening |
| 10:45 - 11:20 | Morning lesson and activity/project* |
| 11:25- 11:40 | Lunch time/story based learning |
| 11:45- 12:15 | Outside exploration/play |
| 12:15 - 1:45 | Rest time based on needs (sleeping, or reading to self and buddy; learning centers; small group activities; free art) |
| 1:45-2:15 | Closing circle time |
| 2:15 - 2:30 | Pick up |
*Activities vary based on theme studied and day of the week. They encompass: art, gardening, drama based activities, projects, movement activities (yoga, sports, dancing, etc), cooking, and integrate science, math, literacy.
Notes: Our schedule is flexible in order to best follow children’s needs and interests as well as the weather. Unless the weather is extreme, we are outside for our snacks, meals, some circle times and activities.