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Austin, TX
Bright Horizons Family Ctr (Davis Ln)

Parents at this school would recommend this school to other parents.

Review this preschool

Telephone: (512) 301-9449  · Website: www.brighthorizons.com

• Summary
• General Info
• School Philosophy
  & Day-in-the-Life
• Curriculum &
  Teaching Approach
• Quality of
  Teaching
• Home/School
  Connection
• Discipline,
  Health & Safety
• Ages, Schedule
  & Tuition
• Application &
  Admissions
• Kindergarten
  Placement&Tips

General Approach to Learning

	Play-based
	Play-based with some structure
	Predominantly teacher-led instruction
	Montessori
	Waldorf
	Co-op
	Reggio-Emilia

source:

Savvy Source's Comments

The World at Their Fingertips Education for Bright Horizons, based on a rich tradition of early childhood education theory and practice empowers children to become confident, successful, lifelong learners and secure, caring people. We help children see the world as an invitation to learn, grow, and live fully by seeing possibilities within their reach. We help children approach school and academics with skills, confidence and a drive to succeed.
Children are active learners who learn best from activities they plan and carry out themselves. However, teachers at Bright Horizons Family Solutions provide the environment and experiences from which children learn. Based on observed skills and emerging ideas of the group and individuals, they create experiences appropriate for each child, ask stimulating questions, provide challenges, and help children find new answers and new opportunities. Teaching also involves helping children achieve the confidence and self-discipline to increasingly develop more sophisticated social and intellectual skills and knowledge that will prepare them for success in school.

Social Skills & Work Habits

OVERALL RATING (4.4)
This school has increased my child's:
Ability to listen and follow directions
Ability to sit still for longer periods of time
Ability to be a part of a group of children
Self-sufficiency and independence
Awareness of others’ feelings
Cooperation with other children

source:

Curriculum and Teaching Approach

	PLAY-BASED	PLAY-BASED WITH SOME STRUCTURE	MOSTLY TEACHER LED	NOT FORMALLY IN CURRICULUM	CONDUCIVE ENVIRONMENT
Language					Yes
Oral language	-		-	-	n/a
Nursery rhymes, poems, songs	-		-	-	n/a
Storybook reading	-		-	-	n/a
Emerging literacy skills	-		-	-	n/a
Cognitive Development					n/a
Math and number sense	-		-	-	Yes
Time & space	-		-	-	Yes
Sci. reasoning/physical world	-		-	-	Yes
Music	-		-	-	Yes
Visual arts	-		-	-	Yes
Physical activity	-		-	-	Yes
Other subjects taught	Some Bright Horizons centers offer foreign language.				n/a

source:

Savvy Source's Comments

The World at Their Fingertips Program for Learning is Bright Horizonsâ?? comprehensive early education curriculum. World is designed to prepare children for success in school and life, and encourage them to approach life as an invitation to learn. This is achieved through both an approach and a sensibility that infuses interactions and the planned environment. Individual elements such as Language Works, Math Counts, Science Rocks, Projections, Our World, ArtSmart and The World at Home are integrated into each of the developmental programs' environments and into the "sensibility of the center," rather than isolated in artificial, discrete components. Each Bright Horizons Center is encouraged to extend and enhance The World at Their Fingertips, staying within the overall approach. For example, aspects of the approach of Reggio Emilia, Montessori, or Waldorf Schools can be used to add richness to The World at Their Fingertips at a Bright Horizons Center. Centers are expected to take advantage of the world outside their center and to be part of their communities, taking advantage of local resources and culture.
For more information on The World at Their Fingertips Program for Learning, as well as our Growing Readers and Growing Scientists initiatives, please visit www.brighthorizons.com/growing.

Parents' Comments

Parent #1
A variety of learning 'centers' are part of each classroom... dramatic play, blocks, math center, science center, reading, writing, etc. Children may choose the center in which they play and are encouraged to stay at that center for 10-15 minutes before moving on. This is to allow the child to truly engage in an activity and develop the ability to focus. Children must pick up the toys/tools/manipulatives with which they were working before moving on to another center. It was interesting to me that the children were required to ask their teacher before moving to a new center. At first, I regarded this as a bit too much structure, but I now realize that the teachers are trying to develop the child's ability to think ahead and plan their actions. Rather than simply running off to where their friend du jour is, they tend to scan the room and give it some thought before choosing a center and verbalizing it to the teacher. Both my son and daughter respond well to this structured approach to unstructured play, as they seem to be overwhelmed when there is a room full of toys with no 'centers' or such organization.

Parent #2
One of the BEST parts about Bright Horizons is that it has a very robust and well rounded curriculum that is customized by classroom. It covers all areas mentioned in this survey and more. The learning is approahed in hands-on application that allows the children have fun while still providing enriching learning experiences.

Parent #3
none

Parent #4
The curriculum is developmental and plays off the student's interests and strengths.

Parent #5
A very bad environment for children.