Want A Better Idea What Move-N-Learn Is About?

Want a better idea of what your child will experience at Move-N-Learn Academy? Click the link below ! We are now registering for fall 2014.

Check out what Move-N-Learn Academy is about!

The Value of Small Classes?

Many parents find themselves clamoring after what everyone else wants for their children, not even thinking about the fact that their child may be lost in the crowd of the most popular activity, event or class. Although large classes or groups may seem like a great idea, since so many others already believe it to be as well, a large group or class can actually make your child uncomfortable and cause them to hold back and not help to move them forward.

In large classes or events, the perceived  "natural athlete" or "dancer"  are almost always placed in a forward position to "assist the teacher or coach". The teacher or coach more than likely are believing that they are actually helping everyone by having others assist with the activity or class. but some go forward, others are pushed back.

When young students see other students that have been brought forward to "help the teacher", many start setting themselves up for failure but believing they must not be very good already, because they were not called forward to help. They start moving towards the back row or take a back seat to the training.

In a smaller class, there are no back rows or back seats to take. So everyone is given a chance to learn and grow. It does not mean that another student will not be used as a demonstrator. It does mean that the teacher or coach will not frantically scan the room for the perceived "natural" and has more time to look over every single student and find something that each, as an individual, does very well. So in a smaller class, you will actually see and experience more students "helping the teacher". No one gets pushed to the back.

Even if your child is very shy or introverted, a smaller class allows for a teacher to work slower in bringing every child to a full blossom of abilities and knowledge. Every child is given a chance and there is less comparing the students against each other. There is less of a need to rush each child to reach a certain standard, because there are so many students!

In an early childhood learning situation, smaller classes actually allows a child to learn more in an inviting environment where the teacher has time for them. A smaller class offers a more leveled field of opportunity for everyone. Students are happier, teachers are happier.

The value of smaller classes? It depends on how much you believe your child's happiness and enthusiasm is. If your child is hanging back in participating in the activity, school or class you have them in? Do they move to the background? Don't raise their hand enthusiastically? Smile going in and smile coming out? Do they complain that they have no friends? That no one likes them or someone always hurts them?

Smaller classes does not mean smaller value! After all, some of the nations top private school highly limit how many students are allowed to enroll each year. They know that success is there for every student that they let in through their doors. They are selective in hiring teachers. They are selective in admittance.

So is a smaller class, school or activity the right fit for your child? Only their enthusiasm and smiles will give the answer away.

From The Mom's and Dad's Guide....Check it out!

The Many Benefits of Participating in Pre-school Gymnastics

Most people think of gymnastics as �the star� of The Summer Olympics. What people don�t know is that it is one of the most beneficial activities for children of all ages and abilities with fitness, academic and social benefits.

Fitness/ Sports Readiness Benefits:
Gymnastics requires strength, balance, flexibility and coordination. These are the cornerstones to sound physical fitness and athletic performance in all sports. Core strength is the �buzz� word in fitness and sport specific training these days. Core strength in childrenpres can help maintain proper posture while sitting in a classroom. Gymnastics is all about core strength. The simple skill of performing a forward roll requires core strength in maintaining a �rounded body� throughout the movement. Walking across a 4� beam requires balance and an ability to use the core muscles to maintain that balance. What seems like the simple task of running and jumping onto a springboard to vault onto the table requires the coordination of combining running, jumping and squatting onto a raised surface. Hitting a ball, kicking a soccer ball are both enhanced with improvement in balance and coordination. These are all elementary skills that are repeated over and over in a 45min pre-school class.

Academic Benefits:
Movement can be the architect of a child�s brain. Bilateral movements commonly found in basic gymnastics activities help in the communication between the left and right hemisphere of the brain. Reading is a balanced coordination of the left and right hemisphere. The left hemisphere sees the letter and the right side comprehends what it sees. Gymnastics requires a similar coordination of building simple movements into a complex skill or routine. This early learning transfers to the classroom helping your child with sequenced instruction from a teacher.

Social/ Organizational Benefits:
Participating in a class environment at an early age is crucial to helping a child adapt to a school setting. Gymnastics participation is no different. Your child will learn to move from station to station in a sequence without getting lost. They are required to sit and listen while getting instructions. Children are taught how to wait for their turn and that they are now always going to be first in line. Learning a new skill helps to show a child that success requires repetition. The joy of mastering a skill after multiple repetitions is the ultimate benefit in helping a child gain the confidence needed to succeed.

So the next time you see high level gymnastics, remember that it is the basics of rolling, jumping tumbling and running and swinging that will help your child build a foundation for a strong future in whatever they do.



Leo Doren operates Mass Gymnastics Centers. For more information on their preschool gymnastics program, visit them online at: www.massgymnastics.com or contact them via email at: leo@massgymnastics.com

Open House and Registration

Open House for tours and registration will be this Thursday and Friday from 2-6 pm at 609 Main street in Woodward. Families can talk to staff members and find out more information about the different age programs of Move-N-Learn Academy. Registration for fall classes is now being accepted on line and in person. Call our office at 256-3262 for more information or assistance in registering on line.

Welcome to Move-N-Learn Academy!

Welcome to the Move-N-Learn Academy Blog site. Here we will post new and upcoming information regsrding our blog as well as current standards in preschool education. We hope you find the information informative and useful in selecting the right educational program for your child.

Move-N-Learn Academy is based on arts based learning and we emphasize the imporatnce of movement, music and art in a child's life.