Brookside Academy's approach to learning makes the difference
Brookside Academy's unique Kindergarten Readiness Program (KRP) is a progressive and comprehensive program that follows the child from infancy through pre-school. The attainment of age-appropriate goals and developmental milestones is accomplished through careful staffing and academic planning and scheduling. Children learn through play, instruction, and role modeling; the younger the child, the more play required. Even in infancy, children must be able to play in a safe, challenging, and structured environment and experience learning as safe and fun. This environment will contribute to the development of self-esteem and a hunger for knowledge.
The Brookside Academy KRP is a culmination of proven academic practice and research combined with nationally accepted curricula and good ole teacher "know how". The primary areas of our KRP include language development, cognitive development, creative and sensory activities, math and computer science, large and small motor development, and social skills. The social, emotional, and cognitive development of the child is accomplished through his/her daily activities, schedule, and interactions with other children and adults. The methods by which children are taught at Brookside Academy as well as the activities that are chosen are based upon what is developmentally appropriate for the child's age group. For example, in language development, the young toddler learns vocabulary through several means, one of which is through the use of simple one-object vocabulary cards. The four-to-five-year-old teacher uses sight words and/or flannel boards with several objects to have children tell a story.
Many times, cognitive development is addressed through math and science activities. For a two-year-old in the Sophomore class, numbers are repeated after the teacher and/or in sing-a-longs. In the Junior-A classroom, the three-year-old begins to understand the concept of quantity.
Every classroom at Brookside Academy builds upon the one before. In the Sophomore class, the child identifies zoo animals by sight and sound. The Senior can identify the animal in its natural habitat.
As previously mentioned, play is the primary way young children learn to interact with others, manipulate objects, and develop memory and language, among other things. Many of the activities in which the child will be engaged at Brookside Academy are experiential in nature. For example, the young toddler will play with Playdough from the can, whereas the Senior will mix a concoction and make his/her own playdough.
The Senior year at Brookside Academy is a challenging, highly progressive mix of experiential and didactic instruction, play, role-modeling, field-trips, and guest speakers. The level of difficulty for tasks in this class increases as the year progresses. The program is individualized for each child when necessary so that all children will accomplish most of their educational, social, and emotional goals by graduation. Children progress through these goals at different rates, so it is incumbent upon teachers to keep parents appraised of their child's development. Brookside Academy does this through quarterly reports as well as evaluations and parent/teacher conferences throughout the year. Parental participation is paramount and Brookside Academy offers many opportunities for such participation and encourages parental visits anytime.
Brookside Academy curricula are theme-based and academic-driven. The Senior program, in particular, offers many theme-based activities. The "Down on the Farm" theme includes a field-trip to a farm, a cooking activity that might include making a fresh salad from farm-fresh vegetables, growing and measuring plants, counting and sorting tools, learning the significance of the farm in American culture, and having a horticulturist as a guest speaker at our school.
Of course, the key ingredient to the Kindergarten Readiness Program is the Brookside Academy teacher. Our well-trained and dedicated staff provides a loving and safe atmosphere in which learning is fun and exciting. Add all this to our unique curriculum and your child will never want to leave for Kindergarten, but he/she will be ready nonetheless!