The Academy for Children has a comprehensive curriculum that is based on research, neuroscience, and child development.  Teaching techniques are developed to provide the most positive and enriching environment in which children feel happy and comfortable learning.  Our modular schedule keeps our students’ experiences fresh and engaged as they move throughout their day. Through these disciplines of professional faculty development, data collection, and team-work between our coordinators, directors, teachers, and parents, children learn at a rapid pace and feel good about themselves and care about their peers and their environment.  We feel strongly about building character through give and take in play and learning.

In light of our on-going research and keeping abreast of curriculum and how children learn best, we are always delighted when we are supported by the latest news and professional research.

The Academy meets and exceeds state core curriculum requirements. Our program emphasizes opportunities for growth in small and large motor skills, balance, tactility, language, math, cognitive development and social skills.

Curriculum/Parent Resources

Parents look forward to reviewing on our Parent Link” seasonal activities, photos of children engaged in learning and having fun, an outline of curriculum and other interesting information as to the children’s activities and upcoming events at The Academy.  This gives parents the opportunity to discuss Academy events at home, encouraging the learning process and helping children “love to learn.”
Educational materials, such as books, software, puzzles, specific educational toys, and hands-on manipulatives are used in coordination with our unit studies.
Frequently sent home and displayed throughout the school are projects, learning cards, curriculum “memory books”, experiments, and art work, giving parents hands-on opportunities to learn along with their children.

CLICK ON EACH TITLE LEARN MORE

Why Choose Us

  • Fun Unit Studies
  • Reading for Me
  • Handwriting & Cognitive Development
  • Math for Me
  • All That Music
  • Mac Computer Playground
  • Art for Me
Image
This program is exclusive to The Academy. The Unit Studies Program is flexible in developmental presentation. Each unit of study offers information within a positive and structured environment which is designed for each child. Hands-on experience makes learning fun and provides the intensity and frequency necessary to promote learning.
    • Picture and Word Fact Presentation
    • Projects and crafts
    • Skits
    • Talking about "wh" questions
    • Experiments
    • Word fun
    • Globes and maps
    • Brain Pop Jr. & NASA Jr.
    • Research activities such as dictionary, encyclopedia, using the library, and Internet "look-ups"
    • Exclusive outdoor  " Rain garden and butterfly garden
Image
This program is exclusive to The Academy. Incorporated into “Experience Stories” and “Other Academy Reading Series, such as “Reading for Me” and “New Practice Readers”, are high interest reading and vocabulary words as well as comprehension activities. This progresses into individually designed programs to develop continued reading skills. The Academy provides each child with an individual reading-cognitive-language program, which incorporates:
  • Computer Software Programs Specific to our Curriculum
  • Listening to stories
  • Talking about stories and picture books
  • Asking "wh" questions
  • Tracing and copying words and letters.
  • Reading independently
  • Weekly sight words
  • Weekly letter-sound phonics
  • Reading "along" activities
  • "Reading for Me" individual story books
  • Progressive vocabulary and comprehension development
  • Creative Writing
  • Illustrator & Author Study: Caldecott & Newberry Award Books
Image
Learning Benefits of Handwriting and recent research (see NY Times, “What’s Lost as Handwriting Fades”, Maria Konnikova, June 2, 2014) has shown that when children draw letters “freehand”, reading and language skills become enhanced. As a child forms letters, while planning and executing the action, learning is stimulated. It is the actual effort of writing that delivers this result. It has been studied and found “ (printing, cursive writing, and keyboarding all have distinct and separate brain patterns”, resulting in … “distinct results”. Children who engaged in handwriting text produced more words and expressed more ideas. The Academy for Children upholds a web-based and differentiated handwriting program inclusive of many of the strategies and curriculum of “Handwriting Without Tears”. Our methodologies continue along child development practices for how to teach and afford opportunities while enabling progress, and building confidence in children so they feel proud of their accomplishments while feeling “in charge” and know they are “having fun” with their “success”. Exciting manipulatives and hands on fun activities enhance The Academy’s Handwriting Program.
    • Fine motor manipulatives and activities
    • Specific handwriting “tools”
    • Tracing, copying, printing
    • Block Printing
    • Printing words to text
    • Story printing and composition
Image
This program is exclusive to The Academy. As adults, we recognize that math is progressive and developmental. Math at The Academy is taught based on differentiated instructional levels unique to each child. The Academy's "Math for Me" series is individualized and includes:
    • Counting, skip counting
    • Numeral recognition
    • Size and measurement (big/small, tall/short, more/less)
    • Matching: correspondence
    • Visual computational math
    • Finger math and games
    • Mental math games
    • Math facts and math fact families
    • Problem solving
    • Pre-algebra
    • Geometry
    • Graphs
    • Story problems and manipulatives
    • Mac Computer programs to reinforce counting, math facts, core curriculum standards, everyday math
    • Math through skits
    • Everyday math
Image

    "All That Music": Music and Developmental Movement and Physical Education
    This program is exclusive to The Academy .

    Music and Movement:

    Children learn about themselves and the world around them through play and physical exploration. This is known as the sensory-motor stage of development which is achieved through proprioceptive feedback. Children develop certain cognitive, social and emotional skills through movement of their bodies. "Musical" and "kinesthetic" experiences are imperative to learning. Children must explore and interact physically and musically with their environment.

    All children are musical in nature and all children can achieve musical competence. Musical competence is the point in which a child can sing a song in tune and with accurate rhythm. Music and movement empowers cognitive development and processes, which are closely related to language acquisition and in carrying out activities requiring concentration, following directions, problem solving and language.

    "All That Music," offered daily and held in The Academy's large gym or outside, provides numerous positive psychological benefits and skills for children and builds a sense of community by working together in a creative process and cooperating socially. The Academy's goal is to provide opportunities for growth in music and movement within an enriched, playful and positive environment.

    The Academy for Children also reinforces classical music through it’s multifaceted approach to an introduction to composers, music, and instruments.  Movement with classical music reinforces learning and music appreciation.

    Music Appreciation:

    Music appreciation is an integral component of "All That Music". Musical compositions of Mozart, Bach, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven and other composers of classical music are emphasized throughout the year. Classical music stimulates high-level cognitive skills, such as math and reading. Music contributes to a child's ability to accelerate learning, focus attention, and enhance health. At The Academy, children listen daily to classical music while children are engaged in their activities. Music us also used as a filter for extraneous sounds within the environment that may otherwise cause a distraction to the children. Through participating in musical activities, growth in fine motor development and proprioceptive feedback as well as the development of gross-motor skills. Activities designed for each child are many.

    "All That Music" is conducted daily in large gym and/or outdoor playground with specialized instruction and with a differentiated approach to education, based on each child's individual needs and abilities, while utilizing a creative teaching methodology.

Image
This program is exclusive to The Academy and is integrated throughout the curriculum. Computer Playground is available to all enrolled students. Technology can support and extend traditional materials in valuable ways, enhancing cognitive and social abilities, improving eye-hand coordination and fine motor skills. Through the use of Mac Book Pro's, our software specifically enriches our curriculum in Math, Reading, Geography, Art, Music and Unit studies. Fundamentals of the Computer Playground program include:
  • Understanding the effects of computers on young children's development
  • Evaluating and selecting software that complements our individualized program instruction
  • Teaching children how to handle and use hardware, software, and the value of the Internet
  • Promoting parent communication and education
Image
This program is exclusive to The Academy. "Art for Me" is available to all enrolled students 3 years and above. In addition, The Academy utilizes a creative teaching and learning method for teaching art through a visual/developmental approach. Children are introduced to abstract, fantasy and realistic still lives. Don't be surprised to hear your child mention "Claude Monet, Mary Cassat, Pablo Pacasso, or van Gogh"! The program:
  • Promotes visual and auditory processing
  • Improves eye hand coordination and fine motor skills
  • Produces artists who are very proud of their work
  • Enhances visualization skills.