About Us
History & Vision
Educational Philosophy
Multi-Age Level Classes
Benefits Of Bilingualism
History & Vision
Welcome to Girotondo Italian Academy. In 2004, Rosalia Pusateri-Gissendaner/Rosella Pusateri started an Italian based playgroup in Sausalito called, “Bambini Let’s Play in Italiano.” The goal of the playgroup was to provide a safe and loving environment that enriched the lives of the students, with a unique opportunity to learn a second language/culture while celebrating the time-honored traditions of Italy. A strong sense of community among the families and friends of these children was formed and with it a respect and awareness of diversity and multiculturalism.Now six years later our community is much stronger and bigger, growing from the initial 8 families to 80. The desire for our students to speak Italian is still our central vision, but our objectives have expanded -- we would like for our students not only to learn the Italian language and heritage, but also to learn all subjects with the highest academic standards.
Our long-term goal is to become a Kindergarten through 12th grade school that will satisfy U.S. and Italian requirements. Currently, we offer Preschool, Pre-K, Kindergarten and First Grade.
Educational Philosophy
Girotondo Italian Academy embraces the Reggio Emilia approach which values community involvement—one that relies on the active participation of our children, parents, and their educators.At the heart of the Reggio educational approach is the integration of “emergent curriculum” that allows educators to develop a balanced curriculum based on each child’s interests, actions or serendipitous events. We provide materials and provocations that help children to develop a deep and connected understanding of the world through art, music, drama, and sculpture/construction.
We believe that children come into the world with a love of learning and actively construct theories about their world and test their hypotheses through play and social interactions. We trust and treat our children as individuals and respect the way they express themselves mentally, emotionally, physically and socially.
Multi-Age Level Classes
Girotondo Italian Academy classrooms are rich learning environments that offer time and support for young learners, respecting differences in their learning styles, ages and paces. Thanks to our low teacher-to-child ratio (1:8), each child is guided by his/ her individual readiness, ability and interest, and not by his/ her age.Our multi-age program recognizes learning as a developmental process in which students learn at different rates and styles. The program offers an integrated, student-centered, project-based approach that facilitates greater individualization. Our standards-based curriculum encourages critical problem solving skills, logic, imagination, creativity, self direction and motivation.
We offer an educational approach that focuses on the academic, physical and social and emotional needs of the child. The program’s nurturing environment gives students an opportunity to explore their interests, encourages risk-taking and ensures that learning is relevant and meaningful.
Benefits Of Bilingualism
The benefits of bilingualism to a child's cognitive development are well-documented. Exposure to two or more languages at an early age can make a big difference in later academic performance and decision-making.Research has shown that bilingual students benefit from enhanced cognitive brain functions, cognitive flexibility, problem solving skills, academic achievement, and creativity. As students from Asia, Africa, South America and Europe have known for decades, bilingualism is a readily attainable and fundamentally invaluable skill.
Learning a second language at an early age:
- Positively affects intellectual growth.
- Enriches and enhances a child's mental development.
- Leaves students with more flexibility in thinking, greater sensitivity to language, and a better ear for listening.
- Improves a child's understanding of his or her native language
- Gives a child the ability to communicate with people he/she would otherwise not have the chance to know.
- Opens the door to other cultures and helps a child understand and appreciate people from other countries.
- Gives a student a head start in language requirements for college.
- Increases job opportunities in many careers where knowing another language is a real asset.
You can learn more benefits of raising bilingual children at...
http://www.multilingualchildren.org/http://www.champs-elysees.com/community/why_another_language.aspx http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090519172157.htm