The Goddard School Academic, social & creative development in early education By Michelle Martin When it comes to your child's education, those early foundational years play a vital role, not only in cognitive development but also social and creative development. The Goddard School in Hickory Flat/Canton, part of a national franchise of more than 400 Goddard Schools across the country, takes a "whole child" approach to learning, incorporating a variety of activities that encourage exploration, stimulation, curiosity, creativity and interaction as part of its curriculum to make learning fun. The Goddard School's unique approach is designed to "nurture your child into a joyful, confident learner who is successful in school and in life." Mary Kay Buquoi, Ed.S., who taught kindergarten in metro Atlanta for eight years, was so impressed with her young daughter's experience at The Goddard School that she wanted to run her own center. "I firmly believe in The Goddard School's education philosophy, because I saw my daughter thrive in it," she says. "I had always dreamed of owning a preschool. The Goddard School's emphasis on early education matched my own ideas about early education, so my husband and I talked about it and decided to make the dream a reality." Buquoi and her husband purchased the Hickory Flat/Canton Goddard School franchise in July 2011. As Buquoi explains, The Goddard School's "child-centered learning" is tailored to each child's individual academic and social development needs, not necessarily according to age. "Our measurement is development and ability rather than an age cutoff," she says. "We won't hold a child back from pre-kindergarten or kindergarten if he's ready. We assess each child individually to determine the best classroom placement. Parents appreciate that The Goddard School isn't just a cookie-cutter preschool, that we offer a better academic program that mixes flexibility and creativity in their child's early education." The Goddard School offers programs for infants through kindergarten, as well as after-school programs up to age 12. Daily learning activities based on The Goddard School's own FLEX curriculum (a Fun Learning Experience) cover eight core subjects Personal and Social Development; Language and Literacy; Mathematical Thinking; Scientific Thinking; Social Studies; Creative Expression; and Physical Development that are essential to nurturing academic skills, social skills, creativity and confidence for well-rounded development. What makes FLEX unique and so effective, Buquoi explains, is that teachers are not "boxed in" to set lesson plans. "We encourage teachers to be flexible and creative," she says. "If a student finds a neat bug outside and all the other students become fascinated by it, for instance, it's OK for the teacher to let the children explore and learn more about the bug back in the classroom. Our goal is to help children learn by engaging them in activities that are fun, peak their curiosity and help them to think for themselves however teachers find it works best for their students." Technology plays a big part in how The Goddard School at Hickory Flat/Canton engages children. One of the most popular learning tools is the ActivBoard by Promethean, an interactive board that allows students to access ready-to-use educational activities, tools and resources, and fosters collaborative classroom learning. "Students age 2 and up here use the ActivBoard for all types of learning, including learning the alphabet, numbers and handwriting," Buquoi says. "The kids love it, and it really helps them to learn to interact socially and work together." The school soon will have a similar ActivTable as a second interactive learning tool for students.The Goddard School Hickory Flat/Canton also uses technology to ensure the safety of children and teachers. Parents must sign in and out, as well as enter a password when entering the school each day; any others authorized to pick up must present two forms of identification. The school also is monitored with five outside and three inside security cameras. "We take the safety of our students seriously," Buquoi says, noting that they practice safety and fire drills regularly. "In addition, we have a good relationship with local law enforcement and meet with them twice a year to get their recommendations for extra safety and security measures." Just as The Goddard School values safety, it sets high standards for teachers as well. Lead teachers have a degree in early childhood education (or related field), and all teachers are trained through The Goddard School's exclusive Goddard Systems University. This training program coaches teachers in Goddard's approach to health and safety, curriculum, developmental guidelines, and enrichment programs to ensure that teachers provide Goddard's high standards for academic, developmental and physical care for all children. "Our teachers, including myself, are very dedicated and in tune with our students," Buquoi says. "We're more than just teachers, though; we're all family. We know what's going on at home and are here to help whenever, however we can. Many of our students are here 10-12 hours every day, so parents trust us to be their partner." Buquoi understands what parents expect from The Goddard School because she is a Goddard parent herself. Both of Buquoi's children, ages 5 and 18 months, attend The Goddard School every day. "Wearing two hats as parent and owner gives me a unique perspective," she says. "Being a parent of students here allows me to see what the other parents see. And because I'm both professionally and personally invested in The Goddard School, I take care in hiring teachers that I would feel comfortable teaching and caring for my own children." Buquoi is involved every day in every part of The Goddard School Hickory Flat/Canton greeting parents in the mornings, visiting all the classrooms, and helping the staff and parents however she can. "It's important to me to be a part of what's going on and connect with the parents. This isn't just my business; this is my school. Parents want the best education for their children, and they chose The Goddard School because they believe in us just like I believed in The Goddard School for my own children, and wanted to provide that same Goddard experience for other children." The Goddard School140 Foster Road, Woodstock770-720-1311GoddardSchool.com
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