IMD Educational Aproach

IMC curriculum includes objectives in four major areas.

Ways of Thinking: This area includes cognive procedures, reasoning, and creativity.

Ways of Being: This area includes self-awareness, self-confidence, growth mindset, gratitude, curiosity, self-regulation, and grit.

Ways of Interacting: This area includes empathy, perspective taking, communication, collaboration, and building relationships.

Knowledge and Experiences: This area includes language arts, history, culture, media, citizenship, mathematics, science and the environment, entrepreneurship, and health. We also want each child to have the experience of going deep in an area of interest.

These learnings objectives draw from a variety of standards and metrics as a framework for instructional design.

Our programs are developmentally appropriate and Inquiry-based, utilizing an approach that emphasizes autonomy and collaboration as children build self-esteem and respect for one another. Children learn Spanish through everyday interactions and play.

"We don't just learn Spanish, we learn IN Spanish!"

Research shows that early childhood offers a unique opportunity to learn languages, as well as providing a critical basis for all future development and learning. Furthermore, immersion in a second language supports children to excel in linguistic, academic, social and cognitive development. By exposing your child to Spanish at an early age, you stimulate brain activity which can open doors of opportunity later in life.

We believe that children are robust learners who actively construct theories about their world and test their hypotheses through play and social interactions. Teachers provide materials and encouragement that help children to develop a deep and connected understanding of the world. Paint, Clay, Water, Sand and blocks are a part of every day at Imagina Menlo, as pre-academic skills are smoothly integrated into the children's play.

Of special importance, a Mediterranean style, Spanish lunch and Snacks (made with organic ingredients whenever possible) is a cornerstone of the Imagina Menlo experience. We especially value coming together to share our meals, and we see this time as a special opportunity to enjoy and experience the social skills and friendships that naturally develop in this context.

At Imagina Menlo  children play and learn in Spanish. The Spanish  language is fully integrated in the curriculum with songs, story telling, games, Spanish lunch cooked on site and projects. Teachers will only use English when a child that is not fluent in Spanish is distressed or in case of emergency.

Children do not need to know Spanish to enroll at Imagina Menlo, but parents are encouraged to expose them to the Spanish language at home through songs and books. If there is an Spanish speaking parent in the household we strongly encourage you to only use Spanish with your child, even if your child responds to you in English. This is called receptive bilingualism (when the child understands but does not speak) and it is the first step to full bilingualism.

"The principal goal of education in the schools should be creating men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done; men and women who are creaive, invenive and discoverers, who can be critical and verify, and not accept, everything they are offered,"

                 Jean Piaget