We believe that each child is an individual who actively learns at their own pace and in their own style.

 Our programs are built upon this understanding of child-centered, play-based learning in a

relaxed - yet structured - environment that stimulates curiosity and enthusiasm for learning.

 

Daniel Island Academy is a private early childhood development school serving children from 1 year through 6 years of age, including kindergarten. Our qualified staff of teachers and assistants meet the standards required to obtain national accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

 

To ensure that a child's needs are met, we place an emphasis on developmentally appropriate practices, with a combination of cognitive skills and developmental tasks. We create a relaxed environment that simulates both curiosity and enthusiasm for learning. A developmentally appropriate adaptation of the Creative Curriculum covering language, literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, art, music and movement is utilized.

 

What are developmentally appropriate practices?

We ensure that each child is introduced to activities and skills that meet the needs of a particular child. We start with where the child is and plan lessons and activities that will move that child toward developmentally appropriate competencies.

 

How will we teach our objectives? Young children learn best through concrete, rather than abstract, experiences. The five senses, seeing, hearing, touching, tasting and smelling are avenues for learning. By providing hands-on learning experiences based on the five senses, all children will be engaged in classroom activities.

 

Appropriate regular assessments allow teachers to gain insight into each child's individual needs. Classroom activities include ‘Small Group Time’ which gives students an opportunity for self selected activities.  In ‘Circle Time’ students learn through music and movement, fingerplay, and other special skill that they are concentrating on within that unit. Within centers the small groups practice creative arts, block building, and tactile lessons.

 

A "family style" lunch is served between 11:15 a.m. and Noon in the classrooms and is followed by a quiet rest time. When students wake up from nap, they enjoy outdoor play, an afternoon snack and enrichment activities.

 

Mixed within each day are items such as computer time and indoor gross motor activities. Another component is a rich study of different cultures. All students are exposed to different languages, customs, and symbols of other countries.  For example, classroom items may have labels from different languages, and numbers and songs can be learned in other languages as well.


Both Half Day and Full Day students have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of exciting Enrichment Programs of music, tumbling, science, physical development, and more.