What is the Early Learning Academy?

Building on our already successful pre-first program, Darlington's Early Learning Academy opened this fall for students in pre-K and kindergarten. Headed by longtime kindergarten teacher Janice Cox, who has over 30 years of experience in early childhood education, the new program helps students reach their fullest potential and provides each individual with a curriculum plan tailored to his or her strengths and weaknesses.

The question on everyone’s mind is: "How does it work?" The students, aged 4 and 5, are sorted into classrooms originally by age group, so they begin the year with their same-aged peers in similar fashion to the traditional system. After a few weeks, the three teachers and our learning specialist collaborate and review Children’s Progress Computerized Testing, oral evaluations and extensive teacher observations to shift students for math and reading, placing the students with their performance peers, and taking into account the individual student’s needs. Students will spend 45 minutes each day in these performance-based core subject groups. We like to use the term "performance based" rather than "ability based" because the groups are fluid, allowing a student to shift from one performance group to another as he or she progresses. 

Students complete both pre-kindergarten and kindergarten. Every student receives the same curricular content and has access to the outstanding teaching exhibited by all three Early Learning Academy teachers. Some students will complete the program in two years while others will do it in three, but the end result is the same--truly solid preparation for first grade.

An innovative approach to early childhood education built around differentiated instruction, Darlington's Early Learning Academy is simply an expansion of our already unique early learning program. Students participating in the Early Learning Academy experience a curriculum that is tailored to their needs and progress. This program allows teachers to best serve each student and continue the goals that have always been a part of the early grades at Darlington--building solid foundations for the future, and creating a love of learning in the present.