French Summer Program 2008

Basketball • Kickball • Soccer

Program Description The Teddy Bear Club French Summer Program is designed for children ages two to seven. Our program provides either an introduction to, or a continuation of French while allowing the children to participate in a wide variety of activities including athletic activities such as basketball, kickball and soccer. French is taught communicatively and in situations relevant to the lives of our young children. Sports activities are introduced to the children through half hour workshops three times a week. A typical day consists of a combination of structured and unstructured activities focusing on a variety of daily themes. A calendar with a brief description of our daily themes is handed out to everyone at the beginning of each session. The Teddy Bear Club program’s design and schedule is created according to the age and the level of each group.

Program Objectives

Groups Children must be at least two years old by June 1. Campers are placed according to age into small groups with one to two counselors. For those who have had no previous exposure to French, program activities will be an introduction to the language. Campers with prior French experience will be exposed to more challenging language activities. Activities The following modules, designed to meet the developmental needs of each group, are part of a typical day at The Teddy Bear Club.

Arts and Crafts Drawing Painting Collages Ceramics Leatherworking Woodworking Candle-making Beads These activities encourage self-expression and imagination in our children. Arts and Crafts activities may relate to a target vocabulary word, a daily theme or a cultural element.

Basketball, Kickball and Soccer Elementary instructional basketball, kickball and soccer sessions are introduced to the children. Each session stresses positive reinforcement, teamwork, and encouragement with the ultimate goal of building the self-confidence of each student and making sure all participants stay active and have fun in the process. These workshops are held three times a week and last about 30 minutes per group. Sessions also involve stretching, agility movements, balance work, verbal and non-verbal communication skills, listening and remembering abilities, motor skills and overall coordination. The children will be taught these new skills by coach Micah Hauben and his assistant coach. Micah is the Athletic Director of a prominent Philadelphia Private School and has coached sports to preschoolers and elementary school-age children in Newton for several years. Micah’s assistant coach is a member of the Boston College football team.

Basketball The children learn the very basics of basketball including seated and stationary ballhandling, seated and standing dribbling, defense, passing, and shooting. All equipment used is adapted to the height of our children.

Kickball The children have a chance to learn the fundamentals of kickball, including becoming comfortable with the ball and the general rules of the game, proper techniques for kicking, basic base-running concepts (direction, timing, and ways to score), pitching (involving rolling the ball to classmates and coaches different distances away and at different paces), and general fielding techniques (working on keeping feet active in order to stay in front of the ball while it is moving and catching the ball in the air before it hits the ground.

Soccer The children are introduced to the very basics of the sport of soccer, including footwork and proper foot placement, ball-control, dribbling with the left and right foot, defensive positioning and general spacing, passing, shooting, and goal tending.

Creative Movement
The children explore movement and dance through the use of imagination, instruments, songs, and stories from different cultures.

Computers and Language Lab
Educational software in French is offered to the children to practice vocabulary as well as math, pre-writing and pre-reading skills. Listening stations with individual headsets expose the children to the sounds of native French speakers through stories and accompanying activities.

Cultural Activities
Each day, the children are introduced to various typically French games and songs. The last day of each two-week session includes a culture capsule activity, where the children celebrate Bastille Day, buy food at a marché, go to a café, a pâtisserie or a musée, or walk down a street in Paris.

French Workshop
Children with no previous exposure to French will be introduced to our language activities at a beginner level. Children with prior French experience will be exposed to more challenging activities based on their level.

French sessions consist of daily target vocabulary words which are introduced communicatively through interactive workshops using props, rhymes, books, worksheets and group games. Emphasis is placed on auditory comprehension and oral production.

Music and Drama
The children are introduced to traditional French and English songs related to our daily themes. Musical activities may also include marching in a “band” while playing musical instruments. A few of our drama activities include acting out short stories, putting on puppet shows or improvising a role based on our daily theme.

Nature and Science
Nature hikes around the playground, observation and identification of plants and animals highlight our nature program which is designed to help the children develop an appreciation of our natural world. Special recycling projects for environmental awareness may also be featured in this module.

Recreation
The play structures, sandbox and water tables are available to the children as well as various organized cooperative games directed in both English and French.

Counselors
TThe Teddy Bear Club’s staff is composed of experienced, mature, responsible and dedicated teachers who are trained in both early childhood education and French, and who truly enjoy working with young children. Our counselors are bilingual, and many of them come to us from France or from other French speaking countries. All our counselors are certified in First Aid and CPR.

Program Sessions and Dates
Children may be enrolled for any or all of the following three sessions or for a combination of several sessions that may or may not be consecutive. The minimum enrollment is one session. Session dates are as follows:

Session I* June 23 - July 3

Session II July 7 - 18

Session III July 21 - Aug. 1

* Please note: The Teddy Bear Club will be closed on Friday, July 4th.

Program Options and Hours

• Both half-day and full-day sessions are available.
  
  
• Only children over the age of three may enroll in the full-day sessions.

Morning Session 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Afternoon Session 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Full-day Session* 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

*Full-day session is only available for children three years old and over.

• A staggered drop off and pick up schedule either 15 minutes before or after the hour will be implemented. Additional information about specific drop-off and pick-up schedules for each group will be sent to parents in early June with the Parent Handbook.
• Space permitting, early morning drop off will be available between 8:30am and 9:00am. Registration for early drop-off may be done in advance by checking the appropriate box on the application form.

Registration Guidelines
The Teddy Bear Club does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religion, disability, cultural heritage, political beliefs, marital status, sexual preference or national origin.

Returning families are given a two-week lead time to register. Thereafter, all applications received will be accepted, without exception, on a first-come first-served basis until each group is filled.

• Required deposit: To reserve a child’s space, application forms must be accompanied by a non-refundable deposit of $400. This deposit is applied towards the full fee.
• A notice confirming the child’s enrollment will be mailed within two weeks following receipt of the application.
• A final billing statement will be mailed in March with the balance payable in full by April 15th.
• Subsequent requests for additional session(s) must be accompanied by a full payment. Applications withdrawn prior to April 15th will not be refunded their initial non-refundable deposit.
• No refunds will be made for any reason including absence, withdrawal or dismissal after April 15th.
• Any new application received after April 15th must be accompanied by a full payment.
  

Snack and Lunch
The Teddy Bear Club provides a light morning and afternoon snack and beverage to all children.

Children attending the full-day sessions are required to bring their own picnic lunch and beverage each day. Additional information will be provided in the Parent Handbook.

As many children do have allergies, The Teddy Bear Club provides a nut free environment. Parents are requested to refrain from packing peanut butter or any kinds of nuts in their child’s lunch.

Health and Emergency Forms
Health and Emergency Forms will be mailed to families at the end of April. Both forms must be returned to The Teddy Bear Club by June 1st. The Emergency Card must be completed and signed by the parent. The Health Form must be completed by the parent and signed by the child’s physician. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health requires all children to have a physical examination within twelve months of attending the summer program. In addition to receiving all the required immunizations, children must also be fully immunized against Varicella (Chicken Pox). Annual lead tests are also required for all children under the age of four.

Children attending our current academic program with updated medical information on file need not fill out an additional medical form unless the form on file expires prior to the last day of the child’s attendance in the summer program

Tour Information
Tours are available by appointment.
The Teddy Bear Club is open Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 4:00pm.
Please call (617) 332-1611 to schedule a visit.

Summer Application Form
Available in PDF Format. Click to Download