Bright Horizons Family Ctr (Braker)

From the Director:

We have a balance of both free choice, structured -teacher directed and child directed activities.

From the Director:

Good blance between teacher and child-directed activies. We utilize an 'Emergent Curriculm.' An Emergent curriculm focuses on topics that children are currently showing interest in. Children direct which topics are introduced into the curriculm. For example, if many children are getting new siblings, the topic introduced may be about babies (e.g. learing how to play with babies, read to babies, feed babies, etc.) This way, topics appeal to what chldren are passionate about at that moment. In the end they are retaining much more.

We use a mulit-age appraoch in all classrooms Preschool classrooms have a mix of 3 1/2 to 5 year olds instead of just one age group per classroom. We hire teachers who can teach and are comfortable teaching different levels at one time. This is a mentor approach for older children to mentor younger children. Children learn better from peers.

We are pleased that our commitment to providing innovative programs that help children, families, and employers work together to be their very best has received some prestigious recognition. Bright Horizons has consistently been the only child care organization named to the '100 Best Companies to Work for in America' list by Fortune magazine. In addition, more than half of the organizations on The Working Mother '100 Best Companies' list are Bright Horizons clients.

Morning - Child signs into classroom (child signs in) and picks a job for a day, free choice play in morning, family style breakfast, morning circle time, moring projects, outside play, afternoon cirlce time, lunch (family style), nap and story, snack, cirlce time, then free choice projects

We have Parent/Teacher conferences twice a year. Teacher discusses the child's goals reached in the past 6 months and sets goals for next 6 months. We have a Curriculm night which parents attend to see milestons child has reached. The parents see art projects, pictures of children doing activities, writing samples, etc. Director sends emails to parents to nofify them of events or other annoucements.

We talk about the chld's mielstones and goals reached but do not make recommendations for Kindergarten. Our school as a Kindergarten Readiness Program in the summer to get children ready for kindergarten. In includes things such as (reducing nap time) teaching children social graces (ask to go to bathroom), carrying trays with food, etc.

Extra activities on hand to divert children.