Preschool Programs：
Class:
Sapling Class(mixed-age group):
2.5-5 years old, 1 teacher for every 4 children (maximum size 18 children)
Kindergarten Class(one year before children going to elementary school):
5-6 years old, 1 teacher for every 5 children (maximum size 23 children)
Curriculum:
Outdoor activities: To encourage physical development and cultivate life-long healthy habits, outdoor activities at The Little Oak last at least 2 hours everyday. We also offer courses in roller-skating and swimming and play popular English and Chinese outdoor games.
Practical Life: In practical life activities, children learn to take care of themselves, take care of the environment, and learn social etiquette in order to become independent and confident. At the same time, they develop longer attention spans, coordination, and other abilities needed for further education.
Sensorial: With sensorial practice, children develop concentration and master their senses, learn to identify, compare, contrast, and categorize through observation and analysis of objects and experiences. Such activities will form the basis for further intellectual development.
Math: Montessori Mathematics materials are unique and move from concrete experiences to abstract concepts. Through these learning materials, children learn the unity of quantity and symbol, the decimal system, and the four mathematical operations. The goal for children is not to memorize mathematical knowledge but to develop mathematical minds.
Language: The language curriculum in The Little Oak combines the Montessori phonics approach with a whole language approach. The Chinese curriculum covers oral language and pre-writing that meets the Beijing Preschool Education Outlines issued by the government. The English curriculum uses textbooks from the US and the UK. American and Chinese teachers supplement the textbooks with an activity-oriented approach. Montessori language materials such as nomenclature work, sandpaper letters, initial sound boxes, and command boxes are combined with creative writing and literary appreciation.
Science and Culture: Through first-hand and books experiences, children gradually learn about the world around them. The science and culture curriculum emphasizes “learning by doing”, including but not limited to experiments with air, water, magnetic, electricity, light, and movement.
Music: For young children, music education should not start from learning an instrument, but from learning to use their own bodies. The music teachers in The Little Oak have degrees in music education and have also received extensive training in early childhood music and movement education from German and US experts. The Little Oak adopts its early childhood music curriculum from the US and Taiwan and assimilates it with Chinese language and music materials. Our classes include Music Play and Musikgarten as well as music courses from Taiwan that involve more music literacy.
Arts: In art classes, children experiment with different colors and materials and do creative paper-cutting, children’s oil-painting, molding, and all kinds of crafts.
Construction: In the block room, children can play with many kinds of construction materials, from blocks of different sizes to robots.
Cooking: Children love preparing food. Cooking activities not only include recognizing raw materials, learning the different ways of food preparation, and making cookies, but also include making traditional Chinese food such as Jiaozi and Zongzi.
Gardening: Taking care of vegetables and plants in our garden is one of the things children enjoy very much. Currently, we have sunflowers, carrots, corn, potatoes, pumpkins, and cucumbers.
Fieldtrips: Biweekly, children go on fieldtrips to places of interest. Here are some of the places we visited before: fire station, dental clinic, railway museum, Beijing Aquarium, Beijing Zoo, puppet theater, vegetable farm, aviation museum, elderly home, art gallery, and sewage treatment works.
Facilities:
Shady outdoor playground, Orff percussion and bar instruments made in Germany, standard Montessori materials, computers and English early childhood software, and a myriad of books including the classics of both Chinese and English Children’s literature
Own kitchen is licensed by the government to provide nutritious and delicious three meals and two snacks every day;
Clinic: two experienced nurses provide routine examination and first-aid;
Shuttle bus service is available on certain routes.
Our Staff:
We select our staff very carefully in order to provide the best possible care and education for the children. We seek people who are warm and nurturing, who understand child development, who respect each child as an individual, and who value working as a team with colleagues and parents. Our teachers have college or university degrees in early childhood education or art education. Each staff person attends training in first aid, communicable disease recognition, child development, Montessori education, guidance for young children, and other teaching methods workshops by trainers from both in and out of China.
Admissions:
Children aged 2.5-6 years old. To get on our waiting list, please contact us after your initial visit.
Contact:
Email: oak@oaky.com.cn
Phone: 64669309, 84483550-8011
Office: weekday 9am – 5pm
Open House:
Every Wednesday morning 9am – 11am, children welcome. Reservation is prefered..