Little Creative Minds

I have taught in CPS high schools for seven years. This experience has taught me so much about literacy and pedagogy What I have found is that schools have focused so much on literacy skills that content has fallen by the way-​side. 30−40% of reading comprehension is background knowledge. Content is the background knowledge necessary to understand the words on a page. Little Creative Minds teaches that. Every month has a theme and every day they focus on one aspect of that theme. The stories they read, the daily art project, the songs, etc. focuses on that aspect of that theme. For instance, November may be camping. Every day will be some aspect of camping such as tents, bears, etc. They are truly providing the building blocks of learning, by providing students the context through which to analyze new vocabulary, etc.
Second, its bilingual. Actually, they only speak Spanish all day. Immersion is the best way to learn a new language. Students who are bilingual have shown greater cognitive flexibility and adaptability. Third, they not only focus on literacy and content but they ensure to develop students’ fine and gross motor skills. The students are active through dance, play, field trips, and nature walks. They even have a dance room with a piano! My child would have so much fun at school that she didn’t want to come home, which often hurt my feelings. lol Also, they are very communicative. They give daily written reports on infants and toddlers, monthly newsletters which include the menu and theme and suggested books at home so that you may support the learning objectives. These paper copies have transferred to a phone/​tablet app; so they’re technologically advanced.
Finally, and most importantly, they LOVE the children. They were second parents to my daughter. I knew that they loved her almost as much as I did. They hugged and kissed her and gave her affection. They were patient with her when she refused to sleep. They were proactive with concerns and gave me both conventional and research-​based advice. They even calmed my first-​time mom nerves. No matter who her primary teacher was, the teachers of the other classrooms still knew and loved my daughter. It truly felt like a family. I moved homes and jobs and ended up having to take her out. Its taken a month to find a place that even comes close. Mostly, because places of this quality have also cost twice as much. I’ve been truly distressed that she’s not there. This place is a diamond in the rough.