Preschool

This is where it all began. Though originally intended to serve children of the Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon Community, the school did not hesitate to share its mission to those in its immediate neighborhood. To date, students come from near and far to learn, work, and play.

Classes enjoy a small adult-child ratio to facilitate personal and individual teaching and learning. Adopting the progressive method of education, activities and educational materials (and even furniture!) are age appropriate and developmentally suited for respective preschool levels.

To keep parents abreast of what happens inside the classroom, weekly lesson plans are e-mailed at the start of each week. Individual personal anecdotes are also given bi-monthly, certain to put smiles on parents' faces as they receive sneak previews on the school life of their child.

Integrated Core Curriculum

Each preschool level focuses on a Christian core theme with lessons and activities cutting across subject matters - Math, Reading, Science, Social Studies, Music and Movement, Art, Values Education, and Filipino - unifying them in a meaningful and holistic way.

Multiple Intelligences

Developed by Dr. Howard Gardner, a professor of education at Harvard University, the theory of Multiple Intelligences suggests that the traditional notion of intelligence, based on IQ testing, was limiting and limited. In turn, he proposed a broader range of intelligences to account for strengths and potentials of both adults and children. These intelligences are logico-math (number smart), verbal-linguistic (word/reasoning smart), bodily-kinesthetic (body smart), visual-spatial (picture smart), musical (music smart), interpersonal (people smart), intrapersonal (self smart), naturalistic (nature smart) and existential(Spirit smart).

Each week, Cradle of Joy students immerse themselves in various activities that cover a gamut of multiple intelligences. In a sense, we teach in 9 different ways! These intelligences are taught in the form of songs, dances, baking, dramatizations, field trips, resource persons, home visits, art, stories, play… You know, children speak! And do we speak children!

Preschool Programs

CLASS	AGE RANGE	ADULT-CHILD RATIO
Toddlers	1 year, 10 mos. to 2 yrs., 5 mos.	2:8
Junior Nursery	2 yrs., 6 mos. to 3 yrs., 5 mos.	2:10
Senior Nursery	3 yrs., 6 mos. to 4 yrs., 5 mos.	2:12
Kindergarten	4 yrs., 6 mos. to 5 yrs., 5 mos.	2:12
Prep	5 yrs., 6 mos. to 6 yrs., 5 mos.	2:15

Grade School

Opened in 2000, Cradle of Joy's Grade School Department implements the progressive method of education. Class size is maintained at a maximum of 15 students only to optimize learning and facilitate teaching through the children's individual learning styles.

Learning Styles

Recognizing that each person is a unique creation of God, Cradle of Joy espouses the Dunn and Dunn model of Learning Styles inside the classroom.

Learning style is the way in which each learner begins to concentrate on, process, absorb, and retain new and difficult information (Dunn and Dunn, 1992; 1993; 1999).

Don't be surprised to see children at COJ walking around the classroom in their socks. We try to keep the floors clean because some students prefer doing their seatwork while on the floor. Some prefer music playing in the background and we let them. They actually learn better that way, so we ourselves have learned.

Learning Styles recognizes the different preferences each person has in learning new material. At COJ, a child's environmental, psychological, and sociological preference for learning is assessed and catered to. Students learn new material by doing tasks catered to the different perceptual strengths – tactile, kinesthetic, auditory, and visual. This translates to teaching beyond the usual teacher-centered lectures and more into learning through child-centered strengths.

Grade School Programs

• Grade 1 - 6 yrs., 6 mos. to 7 yrs., 5 mos.
• Grade 2 - 7 yrs., 6 mos. to 8 yrs., 5 mos.
• Grade 3 - 8 yrs., 6 mos. to 9 yrs., 5 mos.
• Grade 4 - 9 yrs., 6 mos. to 10 yrs., 5 mos.
• Grade 5 - 10 yrs., 6 mos. to 11 yrs., 5 mos.
• Grade 6 - 11 yrs., 6 mos. to 12 yrs., 5 mos.

Monthly Specials

Opened in November 2006, our Monthly Specials is a 12-day course, meeting thrice weekly for 2 to 4-year olds. Each course is a comprehensive themed program that includes a field trip and age-appropriate activities in Math, Language, Science, Music and Movement, and Outdoor Play.

Heartworks Summer Workshops

There is no time to be idle in the summer with COJ's Heartworks Summer Workshops! Each summer's offerings are packaged to teach, enthrall, enrich and enhance. For the newbies to schooling, there are short-term themed programs that simulate the classroom scene for them to "learn the ropes." Other summer offerings include MILO Taekwondo Clinic, Art Workshops, Cooking Sessions, Reading Enrichment (English / Filipino), Math Clinic, Voice lessons, Piano lessons, Guitar lessons, Music and Movement Classes for Preschoolers, and Swimming lessons.

Other Programs

The school hosts extra-curricular activities for students such as:

• Taekwondo Classes
• Piano lessons
• Voice lessons
• Guitar lessons

Arrangements for academic tutorials can also be made at the Administration Office.

Programs for Parents and Caregivers

Parents and caregivers are given special attention too. Each school year, parents are invited to attend Parent Development Seminars on topics of interest to them... anywhere from creating a family mission statement, discipline, homework, learning styles, love languages, to speaking to your child about sex (Yes, sex!). Parents are also invited to take part in the annual Parents' - Staff Recollection.

Not to be neglected, caregivers have their own seminars as well covering topics on safety at home, disciplining a child, learning styles, and the like. Their spiritual needs are looked after as well with weekly Bible studies and the annual Yaya Recollection.