Preschool & Kindergarten
Safely Exploring the World
ISB’s Maternelle, or Preschool, is a distinctive and unique bilingual environment where learning comes alive for children from age 2 through Kindergarten.
Daily activities establish the foundation for lifelong learning and provide children the opportunity to safely explore the world around them in a supportive environment. Students learn to love being at school - an attribute they carry forward in their ISB experience. At ISB, the Maternelle curriculum incorporates the renowned academic program of the French government with the Massachusetts Common Core Preschool and Kindergarten standards.
The Maternelle curriculum is designed to prepare children for their transition to Lower School by encouraging them to exercise their gross- and fine-motor skills and develop their unique capacities. Our program teaches children to live together while developing their own personalities. They learn to become students and take an active role in their education.
The Maternelle program provides a well-planned pedagogical approach to children at a young age, one that is maintained and reinforced each year at ISB. Following ISB’s bilingual curriculum progression model, Maternelle students have 72% of their instruction in French, 20% in English, 6% bilingual, and 2% by introduction to a third language (with the exception of TPS).
When it’s finally time to move up, Maternelle students begin Lower School with a great sense of resourcefulness and independence, thanks to their blossoming bilingualism and their increased confidence and self-esteem.
Explore the Maternelle
Students in Maternelle are encouraged to experiment, question, reflect, and explore as they engage in our bilingual program.
Curriculum Areas
- Using Language in All of its Dimensions
- Acting, Expressing, and Understanding Through Physical Activity
- Acting, Expressing, and Understanding Through Art
- Developing the First Tools to Structure Thoughts
- Exploring the World
Using Language in All of its Dimensions
Acting, Expressing, and Understanding Through Physical Activity
Acting, Expressing, and Understanding Through Art
Developing the First Tools to Structure Thoughts
Exploring the World
Daily Activities & Specials
Art, music, drama, literary, and gross-motor skills activities allow children to discover their innate abilities to feel, act, question, reflect and imagine. All Maternelle students participate in the following activities during the week. The amount of time and type of activity varies with age.
- Motricity: A focus on the development of fine motor skills is emphasized through obstacle courses, balance activities, and agility stations.
- Art: Students participate in diverse forms of arts, from individual drawing to collective 3D productions, and they also build their artistic culture by visiting museums.
- Music: Students participate in age-appropriate songs, dance, movement activities, and musical games, and explore rhythm, new genres of music, and different types of instruments.
- Library: Once a week the students will spend time in the Library and have reading activities and storytime. They may also borrow two books of their choice every week.
In addition to their daily specials, students also have dedicated time outside year round to enjoy recess on our playground reserved for Maternelle students.
