About Us
Play with One another Dream at Oasis
The P.O.D.O. Club is an early learning program for young children. Our goal is to foster the
development of our children in becoming physically and emotionally healthy young beings. Our
program integrates many aspects of learning – especially the creative arts – to bring forth
steady and good growth in all social, physical, and intellectual dimensions of the children's life.
Our Philosophy
The P.O.D.O. Club believes that as a child plays and interacts with his/her environment, he/she constructs meaning about how the world works. In other words, children take charge of their own learning.
The P.O.D.O. Club believes as a neuron scientist confirms – that from birth to age six, development in all areas is more rapid than at any other time in life. Nurturing guidance and attention to every part of a child’s development during this crucial stage helps them acquire not only math and reading proficiency, but also compassion, strength, independence, resilience, and a love of learning - qualities that are easy to take for granted, but are crucial for success beyond preschool. Therefore, not only academic learning– such as reading, writing, math, and science– but also learning functional values– such as how to share and show self-control, how to focus and transition smoothly from one activity to another, how to empathize with others’ feelings and resolve conflict effectively– are just as important.
The P.O.D.O. Club believes that children learn best through direct experiences. We practice a progressive philosophy, based on the work of John Dewey, by providing abundant opportunities for experiential learning. Through these hands-on activities, children are encouraged to learn to think, reason, question, and experiment in a nurturing and supportive environment.
The P.O.D.O. Club believes the early years lay the foundation for a wide range of later developmental outcomes that truly matter. Among those important things areself-confidence, sound mental health, motivation to learn, and achievement in school.
How
The curriculum is based on the belief that children learn through play, active manipulation of their environment, life experience and communicating with peers and adults. It is designed to facilitate children’s involvement in their own learning.
Thematic Approach
The P.O.D.O. Club uses theme-based learning to engage children in the learning process with a variety of lessons in subjects from art and music to science and math. A common theme keeps children learning, focused on a broad concept while touching on specific knowledge and skills throughout. We believe that using theme-based learning is one of the best approaches for integrating content in a way that makes sense to the student, helps them make connections, and transfer knowledge that they learn and apply it in meaningful way to their lives.
Theme-based learning allows students to delve into one particular subject in all curricular areas. Under a woodland animal theme, the topic of hibernation could include a science lesson about which animals hibernate where, a song about hibernation, an art project of a bear in a cave and a math activity where the children add and subtract bears. When the same theme occurs across the curriculum, the children are able to revisit the same ideas and apply them in different ways, resulting in a richer understanding of the subject.
