MAREAS PRE-SCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN
"When you send your child to school in a country different than the one in which you yourself grew up, it can be hard to know what to expect. In the case of Mareas Academy, what we have found is a great education paired with a very supportive environment. It’s almost like our son gained a second family at school. His independence and self-confidence has grown by leaps and bounds. The teaching staff and administration have been so nurturing toward our kindergartner, while also encouraging him to go beyond his comfort zone. Our son has always loved books, but since his teacher started showing him how to spell words out phonetically he’s developed even more excitement about the world of writing. One thing we didn’t expect was how inspired he would be to learn new things. When you ask your son how school is and he responds by explaining Kandinsky's struggles as an abstract painter in a world of realists, you know he’s being inspired in kindergarten. I would highly recommend Mareas to any family looking for a unique, nurturing, and inspiring education for their child."
-Lilah & Brandon Park, Playa Samara, 2017
The basis of our Preschool & Kindergarten program is learning through play. Research has shown that children learn best throughout their lives when allowed to explore their world through interaction with each other and their physical environment at an early age.
Our Pre-K and Kindergarten students work in a dual language classroom, they have two teachers, one who is a Spanish language native, and one who is an English language native. The teachers switch of between groups and all material is covered in both languages. Math, science, and other subjects are taught through interactive hands-on activities and experiments.
Teaching through song, dance, art, movement, and assorted manipulative materials gives our students many opportunities to develop confidence and coordination. The National Association for the Education of Young Children states that, "Children practice and reinforce their learning in multiple areas during play. It gives them a place and a time for learning that cannot be achieved through completing a worksheet... Play provides rich learning opportunities and leads to children’s success and self-esteem."
Our philosophy strives to develop imagination and indepedence in each child, through fostering a nurturing environment and encouraging each student to explore their own directions and follow their creativity. Once in Kindergarten students are encouraged to explore letters and sounds, building the foundations for literacy but not pushing a child beyond their comfort zone, setting them up for a smooth transition into the elementary school phase of their academic experience.
