Curriculum

Language. At Ecole Claire Fontaine, we communicate through many languages to deepen our dialogue and neurological capacities – French, English, Spanish, Russian and Arabic, the language of mathematics. Using their native language only, teachers speak to the children using the OPOL Method – One Person, One Language. Children absorb the languages, deepening cultural awareness, fluency and neurological capacities. Each language plants a root within the child — the more roots fostered, the stronger and more grounded their tree becomes.

Nature. Intrinsic to the pedagogy of Ecole Claire Fontaine is ensconcing the children in the beauty and importance of the elements of nature, and their remarkable place among it all. Exploring, imagining and playing in the gardens is a part of every child’s day. Faculty are ready to assist and guide, while also honoring the inherent capacity of children to discover new ways of co-existing and creating with their friends. As the children live through the changes in nature around them, they transform in harmony with seasons of growth and rest. We welcome the experimentation, the blossoming before our eyes, as it is not that we know our children once and forever but rather they unfold. In ECF’s gardens, surrounded by leaves, seeds that are planted firmly in the ground blossom into flowers with faces as varied as our children. With an international family and teacher base, we learn from, and are sensitive to, cultures other than our own, particularly the culture of children.

Holistic Development. At Ecole Claire Fontaine, children discover the beauty of art, mathematics, and language through creative, tactile experiences that inspire curiosity and delight, including:

As it relates to managing a new life at school, these articles offer insight and approaches to prepare:

• Transitioning & Separating
• Tips for Bathroom Independence
• Spring Changes
• The Dreaded Lice
• Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease
• Seasonal Shifts