English Language Inmersion
Our Early Childhood Program is based on an English immersion model in which Colegio Menor’s students’ first experiences are designed to assist them in acquiring and speaking English naturally through day to day interactions with teachers and classmates.
Values – Based Education
We understand the important role that values play in the development of each child which is why we include the six pillars of Character Counts (Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship) in practical activities, debates, and educational simulations.
Academic Model
Our team of professionals, specialized in Early Childhood education, carefully prepare daily lesson plans to include sensory exploration, rich language learning experiences, early literacy skills for reading and writing, math activities, physical activities, creative expression, discovery and science activities, and opportunities to develop socio-emotional skills and values. In order to provide this wide array of learning experiences, classes are divided into learning centers which include reading, writing, blocks, manipulatives, sand and water tables, art, and dramatic play. Through this well-designed and teacher-guided environment, our program promotes the development of independence, a positive self-image, a sense of curiosity, and intrinsic motivation to learn about the world that surrounds us.
Enriching Experiencies
Colegio Menor, as a liberal arts school, promotes an integral approach to education and our Early Childhood program includes a variety of enriching classes for the youngest members of our community such as music, expressive movement, technology using learning software and applications, weekly visits to the library, sensory exploration, and cooking.
Staff
To maintain quality amongst our teaching staff, all employees are required to participate in approximately 30 hours of training, workshops, and professional development courses every year. This ensures that all educators in Early Childhood stay informed regarding the latest trends in education and research, which allows them to implement the best teaching practices in their classrooms.
Support Services
In the Early Childhood section, we are aware that each child is a unique individual who matures and progresses at his/her own pace. As a result, the rate of development can vary from child to child. Nevertheless, according to research based on age-group parameters, some children can require different types of support in order to reach milestones at age appropriate stages and according to established developmental guidelines. For this reason, our program offers social and emotional guidance and support provided by a professional psychologist and a learning specialist.
CounselingÂ
In Early Childhood, the role of the psychologist or counselor is to monitor and support students in the acquisition of necessary social, emotional, learning, behavioral, and team work skills. At this level, the Guidance Department pay particular attention to the development of interpersonal skills, self-esteem, decision-making and mindful learning.
Learning Support
In Early Childhood, the main role of the Learning Specialist is to support students by providing early intervention in order to address the areas of difficulty that a child may present with, therefore, avoiding the development of learning difficulties that may appear in time. The Learning Specialist also works with children or groups of children that require extra support. In some cases, children may require additional support from an off-site Learning Specialist to overcome difficulties or to learn strategies in order to adapt to different learning styles.
School, Parents and Community
At Colegio Menor, we believe that our program is only a part of the essential pieces necessary to facilitate healthy, integral and positive childhood development. For this reason, we offer a wide array of opportunities to encourage the school and parents to work as a team, while also offering parents the support and ongoing communication that is necessary in order to establish effective collaboration. Additionally, as part of a greater community, we make the effort to help children develop a sense of connectedness and belonging within the wider community through our community service project by encouraging significant interactions between our students and the senior citizens of our community.
