RUSSIAN LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAM (1-15 Years Old)
The vision of our Russian Language Immersion Program is to fill a gap in terms of language offerings, pedagogy and cultural ties that are missing from education of many Russian speaking children and those who want to learn more about Russian language and culture. AlphaMinds Academy strives to be a hub for Russian language learning, cultural connectivity and academic development. Our academic enrichment program enhances and enriches the education children receive in their formal K-8 schools.
RUSSIAN CLASSES FOR TODDLERS (1-3 YO)
MOMMY & ME - MUSIC / "МУЗЫКА С МАМОЙ"
Our Mommy and Me classes are educational musical classes for infants and toddlers that children attend along with their parents. Multiple research studies show that introducing children to the world of music from a very early age enhances their emotional, physical, social and psychological development.
Therefore, the foundation for each class is based on educational and developmental musical games. In addition to folk songs and poems by A. Barto, S. Marshak and others, we introduce children to songs that are familiar to us parents and many new ones. We keep our little music explorers interested through frequent activity changes, which keeps them excited and curious. Dads, Grandparents and Nannies are also welcome!
MOMMY & ME - ARTS AND CRAFTS (currently postponed)
Children love art and they love making things with their hands... Creativity is one of the most important skills you can help develop in your child. With this in mind, we are introducing a new class for our youngest students, ages 2 through 3.5 years old, which is designed to expose children to the art experience through a variety of materials to stimulate visual awareness as well as hand eye coordination. Classes will include projects in clay, collage and painting, each section exploring a different theme. Mommies will be on hand to assist the budding artists with their projects (Dads, Grandparents and Nannies are also welcome).
MUSICAL STORY HOUR (currently postponed)
We invite our young friends to join us in a world of fairy tale adventures! In our musical story class, children not just listen and watch a puppet show. They fully immerse themselves in the story and the music. Our young audience becomes active participants in class, together with the characters of our musical story, and in this unique lesson format, they learn to share their own feelings and emotions. Each child separately, and together with all the characters, sings songs, plays games, dances, and feels completely free to express themselves. Children love these fairy-tale lessons which are always full of fun surprises!
Russian Classes for Pre-Schoolers (3-5 yo)
LOGIC PREK (3-4 yo) and K (4-5 yo)
At AlphaMinds Academy, we believe that logic is fundamental. It's fundamental to mathematics, science, reasoning, cognitive thinking and so much more. Traditionally, logic is not taught in a classroom setting, but at AlphaMinds Academy we've taken the ideas and concepts of logic and transformed them into a fun and exciting class which will engage the children and get them excited about learning. Multiple research has shown that children who are encouraged to understand the process of thinking (i.e. logic) tend to be inquisitive, creative, confident, compassionate, and communicative. Our Logic classes for children 3-5 years old aims to help young children develop their thought process, reasoning and critical
thinking skills, which will guide them throughout their formative years. These classes covers topics found in the ERB, the OLSAT® (Otis-Lennon School Ability Test®) and the NNAT-2® (Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test) as well as introduce children to basic arithmetics. Our Logic PreK-K class covers Singapore Math Kindergarten curriculum and is recommended to PreK 4 students who completed our Logic PreK I level, and to the Kindergarten students who are new to our program. Placement in the higher level classes for newly enrolled students (i.e. K student into Math I class) is by assessment only. Please contact us for more details...
*This course is a part of our Russian Immersion Program and is taught in Russian. We also offer an identical course taught in English
To view the description for each level, please click here.
RUSSIAN PREK CLASS (LEVEL I and II)
Our Russian classes for pre-schoolers (level I for 2.5-3.5 yo and level II for 3-4.5 yo) are designed to facilitate the age appropriate development of language, logic, memory, speech and fine motor skills in our youngest students.
Through our interactive educational approach and theme based lessons, we strive to enhance the child's early development, increase their Russian vocabulary and improve their conversation skills in the Russian. Children learn the Russian alphabet, and are introduced to the basic concepts of reading and writing in Russian. Our class consists of 10-minute segments in order to ensure that the children are always interested and eager to participate in a new activity. We step with your child into the new exciting world of knowledge, which he/she will use in the years to come.
RUSSIAN I (EMERGING READERS)
This is a class for children 4-6 years old (older children are welcome, too!) who are ready to learn to read and write in Russian. Children do not need to know the entire Russian alphabet to participate in this class. Children start learning to write and read starting from the first class. And after 15 lessons they start reading and writing with fluency!
Children also increase their Russian vocabulary and improve their conversational skills by learning through listening to traditional and modern Russian stories and re-telling them in their own words, memorizing poems, and engaging in games and interactive activities designed specifically to promote language skills. At the end of the Level I course (in June) children can read and write in Russian, and speak Russian with a greatly increased confidence. They can rightly feel proud of their achievement!
RUSSIAN MUSICAL THEATER
This class continues to introduce children to Russian songs that are familiar to us, parents, from our childhood. Throughout the course of the year, children are introduced to different musical instruments; listen to classical music and play beat and rhythm games geared towards developing a sense of melody and rhythm. Learning how to be a conductor, acting out simple songs and orchestrating songs with our Orff percussion instruments are some of the children's favorite musical activities. Solo singing, echo singing and group singing are all encouraged to develop good pitch and vocal skills. This is an interactive class where young children are exposed to music in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.
CLASSES FOR ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN (GR. K-8)
RUSSIAN LANGUAGE CLASSES (LEVELS I-VII)
Our Russian Language Courses are designed for children of Russian heritage who are able to communicate in Russian at their age-appropriate level. The overall goal of our classes is to develop oral communication skills, to increase the size of a students' active vocabulary, and to improve writing and reading skills. Our experienced and talented teachers nurture children's creativity and interest in Russian Language by finding great reading materials appropriate for the children's age and skills. Classes are conducted in a very interactive form, which allows for maximum student participation. Children participate in reading and discussions of short poems and stories, as well as engaging in role playing and are encouraged to communicate throughout the class.
To read the description of each level, please click here.
RUSSIAN MUSICAL THEATER (MIXED AGE & LANGUAGE ABILITY)
Students of our Drama class play language games, develop the technique of speech, write and learn lyrics, songs and dances, design costumes and scenery, learn the basics of stage production and participate in performances. Our Drama class is designed to help students improve their knowledge of the Russian language, develop the culture of speech, advance their reading, public speaking and debate skills, improve kids' memory and imagination and boost their creative writing skills.
CLUB PASSEPARTOUT (КЛУБ ПАСПАРТУ)
An exciting adventure awaits young travelers this year. With the help of a time machine, we will travel back to the distant past and get acquainted with the most important events of the ancient world. We will solve the riddles of bygone civilizations and understand how people lived thousands of years ago, how they looked, how they studied and had fun, what they believed in and how they fought. Mighty pharaohs and brilliant architects of Ancient Egypt, myths and legends of Ancient Greece, fearless gladiators and great emperors of Ancient Rome await us.
*Classes are taught in Russian.
RUSSIAN AS SECOND LANGUAGE
Our Russian as a Second Language classes are geared towards children who have minimal or no knowledge of the Russian language. The goal of the class is to develop and increase a child's vocabulary and to teach them basic rules of Russian grammar, which will enable the ability to start communicating in Russian. As students progress, they will begin to learn writing and reading in Russian. Classes are conducted in a very interactive form following the principal of full immersion into the language.
CLASSES FOR ADULTS
Russian as Second Language for Adults