Brighten Academy Preschool

More has been learned in the last 10 years about the human brain than in the last 100 years! Synapses (connections) in the brain are formed as an infant experiences the world. The connections used regularly in everyday life become reinforced, or protected, and become part of the brain’s permanent “circuitry.” By age 2, the number synapses a toddler has is similar to that of an adult. By age 3, the child has twice as many synapses as an adult. This large number is stable throughout the first 10 years, but by adolescence, about half of these synapses have been discarded or “pruned.” The key question is: How does the brain know which synapses to keep and which ones to prune, or discard? Early experience seems to be much more critical than first realized. Experiences activate neural pathways. Information, in the form of chemical signals, gets stored along these pathways. Repeated experiences strengthen specific pathways. A particular pathway takes on a “protected” status; it is not pruned because it has been repeatedly used. These protected, strong pathways remain into adulthood. Brain research emphasizes the importance of quality experiences and responsive care for very young children. It indicates that these early experiences, if repeated, actually form stable, neural pathways. High-quality, responsive care must be provided in order for this critical process to occur.”

-Janet Gonzales-Mena and Dianne Widmeyer Eyer Infants, Toddlers, and Caregivers: A Curriculum of Respectful, Responsive Care and Education, 7th Edition,(New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007), pp. 94-96.


Curriculum:
Our academic program focuses on developing skills in the areas of reading, writing, math, science, social studies, as well as life skills. All strategies and activities are assessment-driven and are at the developmental level of each individual child. Core curriculum will involve small group instruction with learning centers employed.