Children are individuals – special, unique complex, and fascinating. They are born with an intense desire to learn. If nurtured, this will sustain a whole lifetime of learning.

Children learn best when they are involved in the process of learning within environments best suited to their age and their stage of development.

Our approach to teaching

Is strongly influenced by theories and practices of the “developmental-interaction” approach associated with Bank Street College of Education (New York City), a pioneer in progressive education.

This approach “stresses children’s active engagement with materials and with other children and adults in their classroom”. It emphasizes the need to understand child development and to use it as a basis for developing curriculum.

“The developmental-interaction approach to learning involves creating a curriculum that responds to the capacities and needs of children at various stages of growth and providing opportunities for an interaction with the environment – people, materials, natural resources – that is co critical to learning.”

Our programs

• Classes for children aged two to eighteen

  Early Childhood program (lower school)

  Elementary (middle and upper school)

  Secondary (high school)

• A Family Center Infant/Toddler (2 to 18 months) play groups and extended day programs for two to seven year olds enrolled in the School for Children (8-5 P.M.)
• An Inclusive program: (from early childhood to adolescence) for children with special needs that provides for responsive and flexible placements on the basis of individual children’s minds. E.g. integration in regular classes; a small-group or individualized sessions; occupational, physical or speech therapy; and after school tutorials are attended as needed.
• After-School Programs for 4-5 years old and above-Catechism, Dance, Sports/Music, Tutorials (Language, Math and Science)
• Summer Programs – Day Camp, Sports, ArtOur Special Features

Our Special Features

• Age-appropriate class sizes with an adult-child ration that provides for close-adult guidance and supervision
• Decentralized classrooms with interest centers and work/play areas e.g. block areas, reading and writing centers, science corner
• An integrated curriculum that maximizes social studies as the core through unifying themes and units of study about people and the environment-past, present, future
• COLF applies the Multiple Intelligences Framework developed by Dr. Howard Gardner and other development and evaluation of student’s learning
• Individualized assessment and evaluation procedures that provide qualitative information about children’s development and learning experiences within a year
• “Hands-on” mathematics and science programs that apply innovative, research-based principles of teaching for all age-levels that emphasize problem solving and understanding of basic concepts instead of just memorizing facts and figures
• Our approach to the teaching of early literacy and the language arts program throughout the early childhood and elementary grades combine time-tested methods (e.g. phonics, sight reading) with more innovative, experience and literature-base approach to the teaching of reading and writing (e.g. the whole language approach)
• COLF believes in strong effective partnership with families, thus close collaboration between parents, teachers and school administration is integral to our approach
• Our Music and Movement program and Media education programs are integrated within the school curriculum and considered as essential to children’s learning and development