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Our pedagogy

Offering an innovative and bilingual alternative

Our alternative project is based on an «active» pedagogy and combines those of Maria Montessori and Reggio Emilia. We offer a welcoming, valuable and varied environment along with personalized and caring support.

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Douces Maternelles • Pédagogie introduction

Our project

Developing every child's potential

At Douces Maternelles, we propose a pedagogical project to develop learning process including pleasure, to create an environment with emotional security and provide a place where they have tools to understand basics. This process allows us to give to children stability, confidence end self-alignment.

Each child is an active participant during his own learning journey at his own physiological pace, to acquire the fundamentals of elementary school: language, curiosity, creativity, expression of imagination, community living, maths and writing.

We summarize several teaching methods based on tools such as those created by Maria Montessori, Célestin Freinet or Ovide Decroly, as well as on everyday tools related to societal changes.

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Bilingualism

Language learning

From 0 to 6 years, children are more conducive to language learning. Our teaching is equally conducted in French and English, thanks to the presence of two dedicated adults per class, one speaking in French and the other one in English.

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Classes

Small class size

Douces Maternelles designs schools with small class sizes (8 to 15 children per class) to preserve each individual within a group and allow reference adults to adapt to each child's strengths and challenges.

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Motor

Motor abilities

Beyond physical activity, the motor workshop reveals children self-awareness in space, while developing their motor skills: that's why we organize one every afternoon, in small groups.

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Meals

Lunches and snacks

Meals are provided by a child nutrition specialist, which creates menus mixed of 80% fresh products, which 50% are organic. Meals are also a reminder of living and hygiene rules.

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School trips

The outer world

When the weather is nice, children go out to discover the world. Parks, libraries, museums, as well as multidisciplinary activities, they regularly benefit from external speakers.

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Adaptation

Flexibility

Schools are open from Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m and one week every holiday (except August, public holidays and Christmas). Also, we welcome children under 6 years old on Wednesdays or during school holidays.

Our references

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L'école du cerveau — Olivier Houdé

The great landmarks history of education and child psychology.

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L'esprit absorbant de l'enfant — Maria Montessori

Children have different ways of understanding and learning than adults.

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La mère suffisamment bonne — Donald Winnicott

Study around relationships from mother to child.

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L'enfant et sa famille — Donald Winnicott

Caring for the child’s personal development.

Our foundations

For an active and innovative pedagogy

Our active and innovative pedagogy is based on foundations created on pedagogy and childhood psychology. We offer interactive, multicultural, and respectful teaching adapted to each child's development and growth.

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Foundation n°1

Giving tools to trust

Adults submit proposals to encourage children to experiment, explore and check, to learn, deduce and make connections. Feeling our teaching, children are active participants in their own learning, to avoid adults dependency and to gain self-confidence at each training phase.

Many opportunities for oral expression are also provided in both languages. For example, during "Show and tell" sessions, they bring an object from home, to present it to the group. Or during our podcast "Dis Pourquoi, Paroles d'enfants", where they take part on everyday topics.

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Foundation n°2

Making them love school

Making children love school depends above all on a beautiful and safe environment. They enjoy it every day and their knowledge becomes ever more refined thanks to learning richness and diversity.

In addition to cognitive workshops from the National Education programs, children have access to numerous opportunities for outings and activities such as performing arts, yoga, forest school...

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Foundation n°3

Providing the richness of bilingualism

From 0 to 6 years old, children are more conducive to language learning. Our teaching is equally given both in French and English thanks to native speaking teachers, whether during workshops, reading, group, meals and play times, throughout the day.

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Foundation n°4

Empowering future citizens

Being citizens of tomorrow involves several essential notions: we try to develop self-confidence and self-awareness. We give them tools to learn to listen to themselves and to identify their preferences, which helps them to gain knowledge. Knowing oneself well fosters an openness to others and community living, which we promote every day in our schools with respect and listening.

We include workshops where nature is fully explored (forest school, land art, use of recycled materials, school trips, insects and animals life cycle…), to raise awareness about living together and the living world.

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Foundation n°5

Being a partner of each family

Co-education is at the heart of our proposition: we advocate for good communication about what happens at school and at home. Therefore, our schools are open to parents every morning, during specific workshops.

We also offer spaces adapted to each family and its work schedule, providing flexible hours, including a week of school holidays during the year, as well as the entire month of July.

Also, we find together childcare solutions for children with specific needs, after studying feasibility.

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Foundation n°6

Respecting each one's individuality

We organize schools with small class sizes, to preserve each individual within a group and enable tutors to get used to each one's strengths and challenges. So that, all children have what they need.

Children are at the center of their discoveries and knowledge: work themes come from their interests and are declined in several workshops (language, singing, motor skills, reading, arts...), to let them create connections between all different activities.

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A typical day

A child centered pace

Rituals are absolute children's markers to punctuate their day and make a reassuring feeling durable. As actors of their own organization, they quickly integrate and identify proceedings day, to be more involved and develop their social skills.

From 8:30am

Children welcome

Free games, activities, amusement... We welcome the older ones until 9am, the younger ones until 9:15am and invite parents to take some time to say goodbye.

From 9am a 9:30am

Roundup and circle time

We create an essential gathering moment around speaking and singing to begin the day, giving everyone the opportunity to express themselves.

From 9:30am to 11:30am

Workshops

Maths, graphics, fine motor skills, practical life, world discoveries... Each class of 8 to 15 children takes part to cognitive workshops, for an optimal custom follow-up.

From 10:30am to 11:30am

Outgoing to the park

The youngest ones enjoy a breath of fresh air in the park, when the weather is good. While the older ones stay at school.

From 11:30am to 11:45am

Reading and meal preparation

To a cool-down phase, we read a few stories before setting tables.

11:45am

Lunch

Meals are served at the same time for all ages, so that all classes meet and exchange together.

From 12:30pm to 2pm

Nap or park

While the youngest ones take a nap, the older ones go to the park when the weather is good.

From 2pm to 3pm

Waking up

Wake-up time is specific to everyone, which is why we space this phase over a full hour. The older ones go back to workshops.

From 3pm to 3:15pm

Singing time

Moments of sharing and conviviality punctuate the children's day.

From 3:15pm to 4:15pm

Workshops

Cooking, music, painting, forest school... The children participate in a workshop in sub-groups of 10 children, to develop their senses, creativity and motor skills.

From 4:15pm to 4:45pm

Snack

The children enjoy a snack while respecting the rules of life and hygiene.

5pm

End of the school day

We gather all classes to end the day with inspiring stories reading.

From 5pm to 6:30pm

Games and leaving

Departures are staggered for an optimal transmission of the school and practical content of the day, from our teams to the parents

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The educational follow-up

Make and keep an open communication with parents

Respecting the co-education principle, we maintain a close relationship between our teams and parents: we invite you to go to school in the morning and evening, as well as birthdays and specific group works. Conferences, individual and parent's meetings and our regularly updated private Instagram account keep yourself informed on the year progress.

Our reviews

"This was revealing for Maël... The team makes sure of his fulfillment at a decisive moment for his development : the result is simply amazing."

Mael's parents • second year pupil

"As parents, it's the perfect nursery school, with an involved and pleasant team: every morning, we drop Beatrice off with confidence. Her smile when we come to pick her up is priceless!”

Beatrice's mother • first year pupil

"The educational activities are numerous considering enjoyment and art, synonymous with child's fulfillment."

Marine's mother • last year pupil

"We are French and don't speak English at all: bilingualism at school is a huge plus. Our daughter understands everyday words in English yet."

Mylene's mother • last year pupil

"Teachers are invested and passionated: they individualize, encourage and reassure each child throughout the day, teaching them social life rules and gradual autonomy."

Giulia's mother • first year pupil

"The staff is attentive and very involved: activities are valuable and numerous. English learning, respect for others and children's growth are important to them."

Romie's father • second year pupil

"A great and attentive team, who develops both children's autonomy and team spirit in a bilingual context, always with respect."

Romane's mother • last year pupil

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Do you want to…

Do you share common values in our pedagogy? Do you want to opt for our educational project to your child? Let’s talk together!

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