April is Earth Month! This is a wonderful opportunity to educate our youngest generation about our planet, how it sustains us, and what we can do to help care for it. At Spanish Schoolhouse, we celebrate La Tierra (Earth) throughout the month, planting seeds of environmental awareness that will help create a more sustainable future for all of us earthlings! Focus on Plants Plant Week is a time we can […]
Read more
As a parent of a preschooler, you’re already quite an expert in child communication! You understand your child’s unique ways of saying things and can decipher his or her developing language. But even the most engaged parents with the chattiest kids can sometimes come up empty-handed when they ask about a child’s time at school. “How was your day?” or “What did you learn about?” will often generate responses […]
Read more
No Comments There are some things that naturally go together: Batman and Robin, Ben & Jerry’s, Peanut Butter and Jelly. Let’s add another to the list: Language and Music. If you think about it, music itself is a language. Even if there are no words set to a tune you can still grasp what it’s trying to express. It could be a happy song meant to make you smile, a love song […]
Read more
Preschoolers are fun to watch – just ask any new mother, father or proud grandparent! A young child’s awkward attempts to try new things or early efforts at conversation can be captivating. Everyone enjoys observing them. Children are charming, creative, active and emotional. We learn about a child’s development through observing and assessing. The word “assessment” comes from the Latin word meaning “to sit beside and get to know.” It’s […]
Read more
As our world becomes more and more interconnected, speaking multiple languages takes on a new value. At Spanish Schoolhouse, through our experience with thousands of students, we’ve seen how bilingualism empowers children. They gain proven cognitive and social advantages that give them opportunities for life! This is certainly exciting for parents, but some are hesitant about committing to an immersion preschool environment because they don’t quite know what to expect. […]
Read more
You may know tamales as a traditional Mexican dish of cornmeal and meat fillings. Tamales are a culinary staple in Mexico – up to 100 million are served there annually – but did you know that the tradition of tamales spans the globe and almost 9000 years of history? A Little History The earliest tamales were likely made by the ancient Mayans, Aztecs, and Incas. Pre-Columbian writings called hieroglyphs depict […]
Read more
Did you know that preschoolers whose parents sing to them, tell them stories, and read to them tend to develop larger vocabularies, become better readers and perform better in school? Language research shows that these effects are amplified in a multi-lingual environment! Literacy is most often defined as the ability to read and write. But before a child can read and write, he has to be able to listen and […]
Read more
No Comments In this digital age, where face-to-face contact is minimized by self-service, online ordering, and social media, one might wonder if manners are becoming less relevant. We say no! In fact, at Spanish Schoolhouse, manners are a core part of our identity and program. At Spanish Schoolhouse, teaching manners comes not only from the curriculum but from the earliest memories of our Spanish-speaking teachers and directors! In Latin countries, the concepts […]
Read more
Yes, we are a Spanish-immersion preschool, but you may not know that some English is taught here as well! In addition to our dual-language Kindergarten, our three and four-year-old classes look forward to a 30-minute visit from a native English-speaking teacher every Monday – Thursday which helps prepare them for elementary school. This time is rich with learning opportunities – and not just in language arts, but in math, science, […]
Read more
No Comments Fresh Ideas for Lunchboxes from Far and Near If you find it a challenge to put together school lunches that are appealing, easy to eat, and nutritious, you’re not alone. Whether your little one is at preschool twice a week or every day, you may find yourself running low on lunchbox inspiration from time to time! A quick search on Pinterest and parenting blogs can bring up an endless stream […]
Read more