Our Philosophy & Educational Approach
Ya Ya Preschool follows a progressive educational approach that focuses on experiential learning. We respect every child as a unique individual who learns best through playful hands-on activities that allow them to make meaningful connections to the outside world around them. Children have access to plenty of open-ended materials to create, use their imagination, and build their creative confidence. Through both independent and collaborative projects, children bond with their peers and acquire their language skills organically in the process.
Mandarin Immersion
When our children go through the door of a Ya Ya classroom, they are transported into a nurturing and playful space where they become immersed in a full Mandarin environment, which itself acts like the invisible teacher. The classroom bookshelves are stocked with our original Ya Ya Big Books, created in-house for each topic we study, as well as plenty of Chinese storybooks, introducing the visual and tactile world of Chinese characters early on to our children. All our classroom teachers speak to the children in Mandarin and all the Mandarin instructions are delivered with vivid visual aids to support comprehension. Our original Ya Ya curriculum was designed in Chinese to be taught solely in the target language, which is what makes our school different (100% in Mandarin) from a typical bilingual program that splits their instruction time (50% English and 50% target language).
Click here to learn more about how Mandarin Immersion works.
TOPIC STUDIES
To get a glimpse into some of the Ya Ya classroom actions, please click through the photo slideshow above.
Ya Ya curriculum is structured in topic units, and each unit incorporates many interactive activities for children to experience real-world scenarios. All the topic learning station activities are thoughtfully designed to seamlessly integrate components of language, music, art, science, math, movement, dramatic play, and more.
In the photo slideshow above, you will see examples of topic studies that we have done, such as opening a Chinese restaurant and learning about the types of food you would find on the menu. In one activity, math concepts were incorporated when the children had to count and keep track of the number of food items ordered. In another topic study of farm animals, the teachers set up the Ya Ya Farm, where the children could experience “feeding” the chickens and “milking” the cows. When we studied what it means to be postal workers, we turned the classroom into a post office, building mailboxes and mailing letters to each other.
A TYPICAL YA YA SCHOOL DAY
Each school day is filled with different class components, each with its own purpose and learning goals. Teachers may tailor and calibrate the curriculum and activities depending on the circumstances of a given school day. Read Monna's Scoop to get insights on what children do at our school everyday!
Components may include but not limited to:
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Independent Work Time
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Circle Time
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Topic Studies
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Topic Learning Stations
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Music & Movement
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Hands-on Projects
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Arts & Crafts
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Science Experiment
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Cooking
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Storybook and Library Time
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Sensory Explorations
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Specialist Visit
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Gross Motor Activities (such as Ya Ya Sports Day)
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Outings (neighborhood walks or nearby parks)
LOTS OF LOVE
We are known to be a school filled with much love and warmth. The beauty of being a small school is that it allows our team of dedicated teachers and loving administrators to know every single child’s name and who they are. We are here because we love what we do and we all want to create the happiest place for the children to learn and grow during their early childhood years which have profound influence in defining their wellbeing and success later in life. Each child is unique and there is no single teaching method that works for all. Most importantly, we want our children to feel loved and able to be themselves! Every school year, it never ceases to amaze us how quickly our students become comfortable and settled in our environment, regardless of their language background. Ya Ya Preschool truly became their home away from home!
Pictures speak louder than words. Read Monna's Scoop to learn more about what our Ya Ya children do in school!
