While Darlington School's Early Learning Academy is designed for pre-school-aged children who would typically enroll in a pre-kindergarten or kindergarten program, the ELA is so much more than just a pre-school. Let me tell you why.
Currently in the second half of its inaugural year, the Early Learning Academy is an innovative expansion of the work Darlington has been doing for years in early childhood education. Among the many ways the ELA differentiates itself from standard pre-schools, the most important is its focus on the students as individuals, their unique academic needs, and setting them up for success both in school and in life. Here are just a few specific ways that Darlington's ELA stands apart from other early learning programs:
Daycare and pre-school programs typically divide children by age only, but the progressive ELA program at Darlington bases instruction on the students’ individual development. The Early Learning Academy takes into account the many different levels of ability, allowing children to progress through the curriculum at their own pace. ELA students spend about an hour each day in small, performance-based groups to learn about reading, writing and arithmetic. These groups are fluid, and our teachers regularly evaluate each child’s abilities and adjust the groups as he or she progresses through the program.
Differentiated instruction is integral to our ELA program, but we believe that interaction with peer groups is just as important for the children’s academic and social development. That’s why Early Learning Academy students spend much of their day in a structured learning environment with kids their own age. For our teachers, this classroom time is essential to understanding each student. We use this understanding to continually adapt our lessons to meet the needs of each learner.
The unique structure of the Early Learning Academy curriculum enhances the learning experience of each child. In addition to teaching the academic essentials, our program creates the foundation that allows each student to build friendships and express themselves creatively, all while collaborating and learning with others. Often, ELA students are learning important life skills as they practice reading, writing and even math. Our lessons promote independence, self-control, creativity and the importance of serving. Darlington's ELA students often participate in assemblies, academics, athletics and fine arts events alongside older students. This unique integration is an essential part of our commitment to teaching the whole child.
The ELA team of extraordinary teachers knows the curriculum backwards and forwards because we spent a year researching and developing it ourselves. We decided early on that finding an existing program and trying to fit it to our particular needs was not satisfactory option. Instead, Darlington School committed to developing its own program. We were able to create lessons and curriculum based on the needs and necessities we experience every day as teachers. In some cases, this meant continuing what was already working. What we have now is unlike any other program -- and it works. Click here to take a look at some highlights from our very first half-year.
Every grade at Darlington, from ELA to the Upper School, benefits from the Teaching and Learning Center. Through this program, trained learning specialists work with both teachers and students to identify learning differences and exceptional abilities, and help meet the academic needs of all kinds of learners. For students as young as ours, learning can be affected by even simple things like a family sickness or a few snow days. Renee Hutchins, the dedicated learning specialist for ELA-4, is able to pay special attention to these events in the lives of our students, and adapt to ensure that every student is challenged and successful.
Students who begin their Darlington experience in the Early Learning Academy have a distinct advantage over those who enroll later in their educational careers. Unlike traditional pre-schools that end at kindergarten, ELA is vertically integrated with Darlington’s entire academic program. Our teachers understand your child’s abilities and needs, and that learning history is passed along to future teachers as your child develops at Darlington. By enrolling your child in ELA, you are setting him or her up to be challenged and cherished from pre-school through graduation day and beyond.
