There are many aspects of The Renaissance School (TRS) that inspire and impress me everyday.  I am so grateful that we have been able to send our daughter there for the last few years.  

The program at TRS is how I think education should be and how I wish it had been when I was a child.  Each child is treated as a unique, creative being who passions and learning styles are as different as snowflakes.  The high teacher-student ratio means that each child frequently receives one-on-one attention and lessons.  

From the pre-primary to primary levels (preschool through kindergarden) all the concepts are taught in very concrete, tangible terms.  Mathematics, geography, written language comprehension - everything is taught through hands on and sensory materials.  It is not until age 6, which is developmentally appropriate, that abstract concepts are integrated.  The result is that children at TRS are reading & writing and comprehending basic math at very early ages.  

Although the children of TRS advance quickly in academics, the culture of the school is not focused on achievement.  The focus is on each child expressing their creative, intellectual, and social potential.  Every lesson - whether it is teaching a 2 yr old how to dress themselves, or teaching a 4 yr old how to cook chicken tikka masala for their classmates - the focus is on self-esteem, self confidence and independence.  

The children learn new skills - from practical life skills to academics - as a way to help them trust in their own abilities to take care of themselves and have the tools to open new worlds of exploration for themselves.  When a child learns to  do something on their own and is no longer reliant on the help of an adult - the look of pure joy and pride is incredible.

Each classroom is bilingual - either French/English or Spanish/English.  And the foreign language teachers are all native speakers - so the children learn the proper accents and the culture that accompanies the language.  Because of the immersion style classroom - my 4 yr old can over-hear a conversation in Spanish on the street and understand what was said.  All of the teachers at TRS  are incredibly talented and special.  I'm not sure how Leslie (the head of school) does it, but she manages to find the most extraordinary teachers and keep them for a long time.

TRS also offers incredible art and music instruction as part of the regular curriculum.  And twice a year TRS offers "Redirecting Children's Behavior" a parenting class that helps parents create positive solutions to challenging behaviors or dynamics within the family.  I can't even begin to express how helpful that class was for me!

As a result of our participation at TRS my child is more self-confident and has an increased language for social problem-solving; and my partner and I are parenting in a way that more closely reflects our values.  We are eternally grateful for the community at TRS!