• "Play is the highest expression of human development in childhood, for it alone is the free expression of what is in a child's soul." —Friedrich Froebel

What is a Stanley Early Education?

  • The Magic of K-1-2 Stanley's K-1-2 program reflects the magic of this stage of a child's life and begins with the premise that children do not need to be made to learn, but allowed to learn. 

    Hands-On Approach Knowing children are natural learners, teachers provide vibrant, engaging classrooms that allow children’s natural wonder to flourish, to manipulate materials and be actively involved in their learning.

    The Value of Play Our program upholds the value of play in supporting children’s social and emotional and brain development. Play encourages creativity and innovation, and teachers weave into the curriculum the skills, strategies, and dispositions students need to be problem solvers, friends, scientists, writers, artists, mathematicians and community members. 

    Strong Self-Concept Our school-wide emphasis on building a strong self-concept in our students is evident throughout the K-1-2 years. Students have frequent chances to make choices, to self-reflect on their learning, and develop a foundation of knowing and caring for themselves that supports their growth throughout their years at Stanley.

     

    Curricular Components

    • block  Reading: Focused on early building blocks of reading: Word Study, Fluency, Comprehension.

      block  Writing: Focused on emerging writing skills: Composition strategies, writing conventions and mechanics.

      block  Spelling and Word Study: Taught using a developmental approach to phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary and spelling instruction.

      block  Social Studies: Integrated through all subject areas with focus on: Study of self, family and immediate community. 

      block  Mathematics: Focus on number sense, operations, estimations, geometry, measurement, patterns and analysis through engaging projects and games and real-life problems.

      block  Science: Introduction of the scientific method with content integrated into curricular units and driven by student interest and curiosity.

      block  Choice: Teachers prepare developmentally appropriate choice activities that allow children to create, interact socially, make decisions, discover passions and take risks.

      block  Social and Emotional: Comprehensive integrated approach with mutli-age classrooms providing the foundation for learning to live and work collaboratively in a community.

      block  Foreign Language: Teach students to progressively develop the ability to read, write, listen and speak in Spanish using the Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling method.

      block  Technology: Student exposure at this age is intentionally limited to ensure social interaction and conceptual development with the real world.

      block  Beyond the Classroom: Students experience trips and special in-room guests related to curricular units.

      block  The Arts: Students learn to express themselves through the arts including visual arts, music, dance and drama.

      block  Physical Education: Focused on gross motor development and creative games that build fundamental athletic skills.

      block  Homework: Begins in January of 2nd-grade year in order to practice academic skills and prepare students for upper elementary grades.

    • The Positive Impact of a Multi-Age Classroom Children’s three-year experience in a multi-aged classroom allows the teachers to know their students well and for each student to experience being the youngest, middle and oldest, or leader, in the classroom. Students encounter diversity - of ages, cultures, and learning styles - learning to understand similarities and differences and to collaborate successfully.

    Leadership

    • Simone Brackett

      Head of K-1-2 Simone Brackett leads the lower elementary division at Stanley. Simone is an alumna of Stanley, as well as a graduate of the Stanley Teacher Prep Program. She is passionate about education and meeting the needs of a diverse set of learners.

    Stanley & Innovation

    • In #EdJourney: A Roadmap to the Future of Education, educator and author Grant Lichtman cited a number of innovations teachers find crucial to the future of education. Many of these are instructional values and approaches Stanley has had in place for over 50 years. 

      arrow  A need to break down traditional silos in schools of subject, age and time

      arrow  Instruction should promote student's ownership of learning 

      EdJourney

      At Stanley we have institutionalized each of these aspects of innovation by: 

      arrow  Creating multi-age classrooms, integrated teaching units and cross disciplinary learning

      arrow  Founding our instruction on the belief that both teacher and student are on the educational journey together and that students learn through experience, creating long-lasting ownership on the part of the student