The arts help students express themselves and interpret the world around them. Fostering imagination, encouraging the understanding of multiple perspective, aiding critical thinking and planning skills and developing self-confidence through sharing works publicly are all known benefits of regular art classes. Music classes enhance coordination and concentration, build a sense of accountability mastery through practicing an instrument and improve spatial-temporal reasoning, which in turn enhances a student’s experience in mathematics and science.
Art classes are fully integrated into our school-wide academic curriculum including our signature art program, Great Artists. Interdisciplinary projects include using visual arts, music and performance to help students understand what they are learning and to communicate this new knowledge to others. Students learn hands-on skills from talented, enthusiastic teachers. For further exploration of the performing arts, students have the opportunity to participate in our after school enrichment dance and movement classes taught by Lorna Diamond, director of The Dance Academy at The Children’s School.
Our Spanish program helps students attain language and cultural proficiency. In the Elementary grades, students practice listening, speaking, reading, and writing in the target language. This is done through activities that include storytelling, art, songs, drama, games, and cooking. Students also explore Hispanic culture through stories, food, and celebration of holidays.
In Middle School, students continue learning to interact meaningfully with others and develop practical communication skills in Spanish using an integrated text and technology language program. Acquiring language and cultural appreciation includes exposure to the art, music, literature, and perspective of the Spanish speaking world. Driven by individual learning styles and pace, our program prepares students for placement into a Level Two or higher high school program.
The Children’s School Library is committed to encouraging a love of and appreciation for reading. We believe in having a space students can come to enjoy, choosing books based on their needs and interests. With a full-time librarian, students benefit from expert guidance and support in their reading journeys.
We continuously work to update the Library Collection—through dedicated Library Funds, the Annual Book Fair, and our Gift Book Donation Fund which enables you to purchase a book for the library in honor of a special person or event. We also have a Parenting Resource Collection, so parents and siblings can check out books too.
Visit the World Book Online database Check out the San Diego Public Library Research Databases
As we educate the first generations of digital natives, we’re thoughtfully designing a program that strives for both competence and responsibility. The powerful tools that expand learning beyond our classrooms include shared labs and laptops in the younger grades and a 1:1 laptop program starting in 4th grade that rolls over to a laptop students keep throughout middle school and after graduation.
We integrate critical skills and tools into core curriculum and focus on how to build, design and create content (digital art, graphic design, programming, movie-making, editing and 3D CAD just for starts) across disciplines. Digital literacy and healthy tech use includes responsibly exploring online resources, maintaining safety and privacy, smart collaboration with others and ethical online behavior.
Regular physical activity provides benefits to the body, mind, and character. Our Toddler and Preschool students are given numerous outside play periods. Beginning in Prekindergarten and running through Eighth Grade, students participate in regular physical education classes. Taught by experienced physical educators, we focus on developing spatial awareness, balance, and rhythm while experiencing the joy and confidence of learning new individual and motor skills.
All the while, we work on building self-confidence and a sense of responsibility, honesty, and fairness. Our students learn to cooperate, empathize, learn the joy of movement, and develop appropriate physical risk-taking and self-control skills. Students are given opportunities to experience success and encouraged to enjoy the thrill of competition, acknowledge the ability of others and to win and lose graciously.
In addition to our physical education classes, our students have the chance to play individual and team sports. TCS has several outdoor learning spaces where students can run, climb, play and explore, including playgrounds, the blacktop, the tree house, and the Kelly Family Field. The Dance Academy at The Children’s School offers students a variety of dance classes from Toddlers through adult.
