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About The Scandinavian School
Background
| The idea of starting a Scandinavian preschool was born at
the Norwegian Seamen’s Church playgroup. This group of about thirty Scandinavian mothers with young children meets every second Wednesday at the church to sing Norwegian and Swedish songs, play games, and speak Norwegian or Swedish.
Living abroad and for some, being married to non-Scandinavian
husbands, they wanted to expose their own children at an early age
to Scandinavian culture and language, strengthen their interest in
these countries, and give them a Scandinavian preschool experience.
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Since there was no Scandinavian school in the city of San Francisco,
but a lot of interest from families, a few mothers took the initiative
to start a preschool. The Scandinavian School in San Francisco opened
its doors in September 2002.
The Scandinavian School in San Francisco is a non-profit organization
founded to instruct children in Scandinavian languages, traditions, and
cultures.
To Our Children
| We would like to welcome you and your parents to the Scandinavian School. We hope to provide you with a chance to further explore Scandinavian languages, traditions, and cultures in a positive and nurturing atmosphere, where both children and parents can be enriched and most of all have FUN! The school is here to help you learn and enjoy Scandinavian languages, traditions
and cultures through interaction, play and music. You will be exposed to a
variety of Scandinavian literature, songs, and activities, enjoy a Scandinavian
preschool experience, and learn to use the Scandinavian languages at home and
with friends. |
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We at the Scandinavian School hope that this will encourage you
to keep learning and using Scandinavian cultures and languages throughout your
life.
To Our Parents
| We hope that you will all participate actively in the Scandinavian School, both as an assistant to the teacher in the classroom, and in the overall support of the school. A low teacher-child ratio gives you an opportunity to closely observe and guide our children under the direction of an experienced teacher. We hope to offer a well-rounded program with many opportunities for the children to explore the different traditions of the Scandinavian countries and learn the Scandinavian languages. Only Scandinavian languages (Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish) will be spoken at the school. |
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The Scandinavian
School Philosophy and Goals
During a child's early years there is a greater
awareness of the world around them than at any other time in their
life. This is the time when
they begin to explore and experience their environment and they are
very receptive to learning new languages. At the Scandinavian School,
we provide
a setting where the children will actively participate in different
appropriate activities that will help them learn and/or practice a new
language and
expose them to different cultures and traditions.
| Children are little researchers; they can and want to communicate with the surrounding world. We at the Scandinavian School believe that children have a right to have friends of the same age group, a stimulating pedagogic environment, and access to teachers who can see them as individuals with own thoughts, emotions and expressions. We believe in a “listening pedagogy”. |
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Goals for the Children
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Social
- Exposure to a multi-cultural experience
- Interaction in a different language than English
- Develop social skills that help them to get along and work with others
Emotional
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Provide a flexible environment with structure and consistency necessary to help build the child's self-esteem and self-understanding.
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Understand and accept reasonable limits
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Gain empathy, trust and confidence in adults and peers
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Defend themselves and their beliefs
Physical
- Provide a safe and healthy environment
- Promote good health habits and a basis for good nutrition
- Schedule alternate times for physically active and quiet activities
Intellectual
- Encourage natural curiosity and creativity
- View learning as interesting and important
- Make choices and decisions by and for themselves
- Develop communication skills
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Our non-discrimination policy:
The Scandinavian School in San Francisco admits students of any race,
color, national origin, ethnic origin, ethnic group identification, ancestry,
sex, sexual orientation, gender, religion, mental disability, physical
disability, or medical condition to all the rights, privileges, programs
and activities generally accorded or made available to its students.
The School shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin,
ethnic origin, ethnic group identification, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation,
gender, religion, mental disability, physical disability, or medical condition
in: administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, use of
facilities or exercise of student privileges, employment of faculty and administrative
staff, scholarship or loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered
programs. “Medical condition” herein has the meaning provided in
California Government Code Section 12926.
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