FAMILY SCHOOL WEST
Family School West, our satellite school, is a beautiful, spacious one-room schoolhouse on Restaurant Row. Our Preprimary students East and West follow the same curriculum. FSW welcomes children between 2 and 5 years old in September. The final year of FSW is a kindergarten year. Children may remain at FSW for up to four years.
Everything is expanding for our Preprimary students. They are forming deeper friendships, developing their communication skills, learning to work collaboratively, transitioning among a variety of activities throughout the day, and choosing challenging work independently. They take pride in their work and look forward to showing us what they can accomplish. Students are not held to a static curriculum. We are constantly presenting them with new concepts and materials and following each child’s individual interests and abilities. Whatever they are ready for is available to them, while they have as much time as they need to gain mastery.
Students thrive in a setting built upon structured freedom. They rely on an environment that gives them the sense of security needed to explore safely, while allowing them to be independent learners, thinkers and leaders. Students move through our Practical Life, Sensorial, Cultural Arts, Math and Language areas with enthusiasm and a plan. Younger friends observe older friends at work and are motivated for what is next. Older friends take a break from their work to help or collaborate with a younger friend, proud that they can take on the role of teacher.
Our Preprimary students understand they are members of a community and that their constructive participation is important to the success of their classroom. They love being assigned a classroom job, whether it is Flower Arranger, Lunch Sweeper, Bag Carrier or Baker. They enjoy being exposed to a multitude of Specials, and discovering what they are passionate about, including Art, Music and Movement, Yoga, Physical Education, Chess and Public Speaking, They are also exposed to several foreign languages weekly. While children always look forward to Recess in our attached outdoor play area, most of our FSW students will actually tell you that their favorite part of the day is Work Period. They look forward to choosing their own work, and learn to make excellent choices, challenging themselves, and seeing their work to completion.
Work period is calm, relaxed and full of smiles. Children are welcome to work independently or with a friend. They may work at a mat on the floor or at a desk. They may physically handle all of the materials. They can move their bodies and have conversations while they work. It is highly academic while being frustration and pressure free. Within our mixed-age setting, children are engaged in a wide range of work. From beginning letter sounds to fluent readers, from teen numbers to division, our students thrive on an individualized curriculum that allows them to move at their own pace. Everyone is also regularly engaged in geography and writing work. Throughout the rest of their day, our FSW students are collaborating on group work and projects, enjoying group activities, and socializing across all ages.
Our veteran students have developed true leadership skills. They are empathic, responsible, confident and capable individuals. They are so proud of themselves!