Raising Global Citizens at Spanish Schoolhouse

What are the most important factors when choosing a preschool? As a parent, you’re likely interested in the quality of the curriculum, student:teacher ratios, convenience to your home or work, and affordability. But in today’s interconnected world, a new priority is emerging for families searching for preschool and childcare – global perspective.

Parents want their children to be exposed to cultural diversity and different ways of thinking. They value giving their kids a broad perspective of the world from a young age and teaching them to be kinder, more compassionate, and more inclusive.  Raising global children takes effort. Spanish Schoolhouse rises to the top when it comes to raising global citizens who appreciate world cultures, languages, diversity, and inclusion! We are passionate about enlightening children’s minds and inspiring them to become the leaders of the future.

Learning the Language

Language, culture, and global awareness are key components of the Spanish Schoolhouse Mission Statement. Full Spanish immersion unlocks more than just language learning in our students.  It also brings out an innate awareness that the world is full of people who live and speak differently than they do.  Parents often tell us how excited their children are when they hear someone speaking Spanish in public. They happily join in conversations and are proud to translate for others when needed!

Since our teachers come from Spanish-speaking countries across the globe, students hear a wide variety of accents and conversation styles.  This helps them learn even more about diversity!  They see that even within the Spanish language there are differences in the way it’s expressed, and they learn that language is influenced by culture.

One SSH family in our recent parent survey expressed their pleasure with their child’s language and cultural learning:

• We are constantly impressed with the amount of Spanish our child is learning. After only a short time at SSH Fort Worth, he can speak in full Spanish sentences and knows so much vocabulary. More than that, he is interested in other cultures and traditions.

Experiencing the Culture

Beyond the language, our curriculum is brimming with cultural experiences!  Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations, holiday traditions, music and dance, art, cooking activities, and more enrich the experiences of our preschoolers (and kindergarteners, too!).  We embrace and celebrate Hispanic traditions throughout the year. We also include other perspectives in our lessons.  Parents of different backgrounds, religions, or cultures are welcomed to visit their child’s classroom and read a story about their unique holidays or traditions.

While many of our children have not had previous exposure to the Spanish language/culture, some of our families have one parent or a grandparent that speaks Spanish.  In these families, Spanish Schoolhouse provides an opportunity to build and reinforce family connections to their Hispanic heritage.  Many parents share that SSH has helped them in this way, like this SSH Flower Mound parent:

“Our son has learned more about his family’s culture and explored other Latin countries’ customs. We are very thankful for the opportunity to have him at SSH.”

An SSH Arlington parent shared:

“This year, my son has really started to use Spanish in his everyday life. He speaks fluent Spanish with his father and grandmother and I have heard him play in Spanish with his toys at home.”

Creating a Bright Future

Many parents want to raise their children as global citizens. They give them opportunities for cultural experiences, travel, study abroad, and language learning.  They encourage curiosity and want their children to be able to interact, communicate, and empathize with people from different countries, cultures, religions, and backgrounds. Developing this cultural sensitivity requires a conscious effort on the part of parents.

There are lots of ways parents can contribute to creating a global mindset for their children. Check out this article:  https://www.huffpost.com/entry/top-10-tips-for-raising-a_b_4752102

A parent from SSH Creekside shared her joy at her children’s progress:

• They are learning Spanish!! We love that they are being exposed to another culture at such a young age, and hope that brings lifelong appreciation and curiosity for other cultures throughout their lives.

And here are thoughts from a family at SSH Coppell:

SSH has given our daughter the gift of learning to be a global citizen. She’s also gained empathy from the experience of sharing her day in a language that is not her own.   

Every Journey Begins with a First Step

Giving your young child the gift of a second language and exposure to the Hispanic culture is easy at Spanish Schoolhouse!  Don’t just take our word for it.  Here are even more testimonials from some of our parents.  They’ve trusted SSH to accompany them along the journey to raising global citizens:

We can teach our child everything at home except another language. We are so proud our child is bilingual and knows about other cultures thanks to SSH.  (SSH Coppell parent)

The language and cultural components are extremely important to our family and we are so blessed to be able to have both of our children here. (SSH Allen parent)

They view all staff members as part of their family and it really puts my mind at ease to know they are loved so much during the school day. (SSH Allen parent)

We drive about 50 minutes one way to get to this school.  It is not convenient, but we make the sacrifice for the program and Latin culture of love. (SSH Creekside parent)

As parents who studied abroad in Spanish-speaking countries, we are extremely grateful for the opportunity for our daughter to catch a glimpse of the beauty and value of Spanish-speaking cultures. (SSH Fort Worth parent)

Want to learn more about our Spanish immersion preschool, kindergarten, summer camps, and after-school classes?  Visit us at: https://spanishschoolhouse.com.