As a developmental psychologist, I am very particular and specific about what I feel my children need through the very important preschool years.
ALV is a great program that takes all aspects of a child's development into consideration.
The emphasis on socialization has been invaluable to my twin boys' growth.
Other parents often comment on the boys' manners and sophisticated ability to assess social situations.
The staff at ALV have helped to develop these skills in a way that would be especially challenging for a large preschool with an academic emphasis or a preschool that allows children to interact socially all day without teaching or facilitation involved.
The foundation for appropriate social skills and ability to interact with peers and adults is often cited as a better predictor of success in life than how early one learns the ABC's or how to count to 100.
The staff at ALV also promote play and a multi-sensory approach to learning, which is the most appropriate method of instruction for young learners.
Prompting creativity in thought as well as input through all of our senses enhances a child's ability to "think outside of the box" as they grow older.
Additionally, exposure to a second language opens synapsis in their little brains that improve flexibility in thinking. The boys performed very well at their recent evaluation at the French American School of Silicon Valley.
We have been so happy with the staff and curriculum at ALV, and feel very fortunate to have found such a great school with such caring adults... (and the food is great!)
~ Mom to twin boys, Licensed Educational Psychologist
We are very happy to have chosen a la Vanille preschool for our son.
We are a Franco-American family where French is the primary language spoken at home.
My son easily adjusted to the pace of preschool and his transition from home to school was facilitated by the nurturing staff at ALV.
Since the language spoken at ALV is French, my son felt immediately comfortable in his new environment.
He comes home happy and always wants to know if he can return to his little school during the weekend!
My son enjoys books and the staff at ALV has fostered his love for literature and his inquisitive nature by reading books to him and letting him browse through books as well.
Another bonus was the outdoor garden. During the spring, the children plant in the garden and spend a lot of time exploring outdoors.
Overall, this has been a wonderful experience for our son and I highly recommend ALV.
~ English Teacher, French American International School, SF
A la Vanille's (ALV) small-school setting enables the teachers to provide appropriate and relevant guidance to their students in addition to fostering open communication with the parents.
This esteemed level of communication allows the parents to know what occurs within the school overall in addition to receiving specific information about their child/children.
Moreover, the teachers are knowledgeable about not only the physiological, cognitive, and emotional development for children at each age level, but they are also aware of the gender differences in development at each age level.
Part of ALV's focus is to help develop students' social skills.
Common courtesy and manners are expected of everyone.
Please. Thank you. You're welcome. Hello. Good-bye.
What may seem trivial to many, ALV builds vocabulary for mono- and multi-lingual children with these polite phrases.
Additionally, students learn patience, how follow multiple directions, clean up, and to focus for various lengths of time.
For instance, students wait in an organized fashion to wash up before eating and learn to complete one activity prior to starting a new one.
After touring many early childhood settings, ALV was the only school that we left feeling 100% confident and sure of for our child.
Schools should not be chosen based on name or reputation, but by the needs for the child.
ALV has exceeded all of our expectations and has definitely kept our child's needs at the forefront of his education.
Our child is learning life-long skills and we have ALV to thank for that.
~ This parent holds a Masters Degree in Curriculum & Instruction/Language & Literacy. Also Ed.D. Candidate, ABD in Learning & Instruction with a focus in instructional design and cognitive psychology.
ALV has been amazing in so many ways for our daughter, Mailen, especially around developing her social skills.
ALV has been a nurturing, warm environment which is exactly what our daughter needed.
We have watched Mailen flourish in terms of her confidence and we attribute this to the supportive, loving staff who have coached her along the way.
In addition, it has been priceless to watch Mailen's face light up as she has come home and practiced her French songs or described her special French meals (she has even learned to like a few more vegetables!)
Also, in spite of getting little repetition at home with respect to speaking French, Mailen has made great strides in learning the language.
As her parents, it has been so rewarding to see Mailen's excitement the mornings of ALV which has reassured us that our daughter and ALV were a perfect match.
Merci Rossanna and team!