classroom experiences & OUTDOOR LEARNING
Enroll in 2024-2025
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Enroll in 2024-2025 〰️
Enrollment OPENS Jan 31st!
Spots are limited! Enroll your child today to secure your spot in the 2024-2025 school year!
emergent based learning
At AOA, we use an emergent educational approach using nature based exploration in Mansfield, TX. Our educational approach is influenced in part by Reggio Emilia and Forest School educational philosophies.
Our educational approach is an invitation to EXPERIENCE our natural environment, while our students DISCOVER fundamental concepts that allow them to GROW in mind, body, and spirit. We strive to meet the Texas Pre-K Guidelines for School Readiness.
classroom experiences
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Arts & Crafts
Every week at AOA your child will get to experience the joy of creativity. Our crafts are designed to lead your child in discovering new materials and growing their ability to use different utensils such as scissors, glue, paintbrushes, etc.
All crafts will be delivered by the respective teachers.
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Chapel
At AOA we believe in not only growing the child’s mind and body but also their spirit in Christ. Chapel will give your child the opportunity to experience and discover God through lessons delivered by our Administrative Team. Teachers will encourage the bible verse of the month and walk alongside your studentin their relationship with our Lord and Savior.
Chapel will be held bi-weekly in order to teach your student about Jesus and continue to grow them in the Holy Spirit.
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Natural Sciences
While you’re with AOA, your child is experiencing the wonders of gardening! They will learn about the fundamentals of what it takes to grow a living thing. They will have the opportunity to discover new flowers and plant vegetables in their respective classroom gardens. In addition to working on the garden, they will assist in taking care of our chickens and learning about life cycles of animals.
Every class will cook at least once a month. We learn to follow directions and read recipes while mixing, pouring, stirring, and measuring. By incorporating all 5 senses, research shows great benefits in memory retention and engagement. Cooking not only enhances our understanding of math and science through measurements and chemical reactions, but it also fosters teamwork and creativity as we explore different flavors and cuisines together.
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Stretch-N-Grow
“Where Fitness Meets Fun!”
Your students will have the opportunity to participate in our Stretch-N-Grow program. This will be taught every week by a teacher at Stetch-N-Grow Fitness here in Mansfield. Each week a designated teacher from the fitness program will come visit our school and lead your littles in activities like yoga, sports, unique exercises and so much more.
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Spanish and Music
Each class will get a Spanish and music time each week in their classroom. Anothen has a Spanish teacher that comes into the classroom to facilitate learning.
Spanish is taught through literature and music.
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Outdoor Learning
We believe that kids learn through play and being outdoors. Everyday our students spend a large part of the day outside. Many days the classes will eat, learn, and have open play outside. Teachers also go on nature walks each day to allow kids intentional time outdoors.
5 benefits of being outdoors
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We provide times for unstructured and structured play. The National Association for Education of Young Children recommends unstructured physical play as a developmentally appropriate way of reducing stress in children's lives.
Research also shows the more senses used in the learning process, the more information we retain. The brain is far more active during physical activity than while one is seated. That is why we allow classroom education to happen inside and outside the classroom!
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Teachers report better overall student behavior and satisfaction when kids have the open space to be outside. At a young age, many emotions appear in the physical form and so providing a space to run and move, helps mitigate some of those frustrations.
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The adult personality is built on child's play. Among the social skills learned are the ability to share, cooperate, negotiate, compromise, make and revise rules and to take the perspective of others. Play provides opportunities for children to meet and solve problems. Outdoor play helps children express their thoughts and feelings and to deal with stress.
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Through play, children acquire literacy, mathematical and creative skills. Make-believe in particular, has been linked to self-regulation skills, which in turn have been linked to greater academic success than IQ has. When given the space outside, children's play has the space to explode with possibilities.
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Being outdoors helps us grow closer with our Creator. We love to let students experience the WOW in the world.