“The hand is the tool for the mind’s development,” founder Revathy Gandu said. “I always tell parents, ‘[Curiosity and self expression] shows the child is enjoying the environment, exploring and learning.’ If a child comes home very spick and span that means the child is not learning anything.”
She believes the secret to a happy, healthy child is a balanced outlook emphasizing independent, creative exploration, nutritious meals and consistent routines.
Her academy provides all three through its unique Montessori approach, provided through:
- A welcoming, home-like environment where children can move around freely
- Encouragement of outdoor play and sensory experiences
- Calm, soothing classroom aesthetics with natural materials and limited, organized activity shelves
- Individualized curriculums and child-selected work cycle activities
- Hands-on, practical play with simple materials, such as beans, rice and sand, as well as more sophisticated materials
- Mixed age group peer interactions to build social skills and support healthy development
“They need fresh air to breathe,” Gandu said. “Especially when the weather is good, I let them play [outside] because they really enjoy it. We want the child to learn through play.”
When it comes to food, the academy’s on-site chef prepares nutritious meals and snacks from scratch, meaning no premade chicken nuggets, fish fries or pizza—common go-tos for day care facilities that provide meals. Instead, the academy provides carefully selected meals so that children maintain a diet with no additives, less sugar, low sodium and high fiber.
“Food has a [strong] impact on the child's behavior,” Gandu said.
More about the academy
Children enrolled in Gandu’s Montessori academy range from 6 months to age 6 and attend one of three age-based programs, where activities are carefully selected to suit their respective developmental needs.
For the infant program, there is at least 1 teacher to every 4 infants. For the toddler program, there is 1 teacher to every 9 toddlers. For the children aged 4-6, there is 1 teacher for every 15 children. While enrollment is immediately available for the toddler and children’s programs, the infant program has a waiting list of roughly six months, so it’s important for parents to join the waitlist as early as possible.
Gandu is proud of her unique approach and the career she’s built nurturing children by giving them the space to pursue their own interests.
“Here, we follow the interest of the child. Each child learns at their own pace, and we tailor the curriculum [to the child]—not all the same, but individual,” Gandu said.
To learn more about the academy and program enrollment, visit the website today.
The above story was produced by Community Impact's Multi Platform Journalist Jacquelyn Chorush with information solely provided by the local business as part of its "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.
