Some BIG Changes at The Little Gym
Did you know that The Little Gym is re-vamping our curriculum? Please read below to find out how these changes will benefit your child’s development.
When parents hear the word “learning”, most will think of desks, books and #2 pencils. However, children also benefit from a different kind of learning environment. Scientists have looked at the physical activity, motor ability and school-readiness of 6-year-olds and found that those with more highly developed motor skills demonstrated a greater level of school-readiness and fared better in kindergarten than those with less developed motor skills. Academic success, as it is directly related to motor skills, extends well beyond kindergarten too! Studies have found positive correlations between motor skills and learning through the second grade.
The Little Gym program is not just an activity. It is the fundamental development that your child needs and is a great complement to their traditional school-based learning. It is the foundation for your child’s academic success.
Here are some frequently asked questions about these new improvements:
1. How will the new curriculum be structured?
Every class, every age group and curriculum has been improved upon with new multi-week “Learning Units”. A Learning Unit is a two to four week session comprised of themed lesson plans that correlate and promote the learning objectives for the Learning Unit. Each Unit has learning objectives along with expected outcomes for your child and is designed to supplement the program skills of focus by providing a more complete development opportunity for your child. The following is one of the Learning Units for our Pre K program:
WHICH MUSCLE FOR THE HUSTLE?
Objective: The children will learn about body parts and body awareness as they focus on
body mechanics during basic gymnastics skills.
Outcomes: The children will become more aware of how their body moves and the muscle groups.
SAMPLE FUNNY BUG THEMES FOR ABOVE UNIT (New themes for every week!)
Inspector Insect (focus on lower body - leg muscles)
Things with Wings (focus on upper body - shoulder, arm muscles)
Trunk Full of Tricks (focus on muscles of the trunk - core strength)
2. What are the benefits of Learning Units to my child?
The Learning Units will give your child a higher likelihood of mastering skills and specified outcomes. The activities needed to achieve the skills will build upon each other in a short time frame instead of being spread throughout a semester. Repetition is a key factor in skill growth!
In order to support the new curriculum, The Little Gym will be restructuring our sessions! The new sessions will be referred to as Seasons and the 2011/2012 season will run from August 22nd to June 2nd.
1. Why is The Little Gym switching from individual semesters to an August to June Season?
Because The Little Gym Program is directly related to your child’s academic success, the Season will now mirror your child’s school calendar to help create a more consistent learning experience. The Season enrollment will also be easier on parents, because of schedule consistency. Plus, you will not have to worry about another “enrollment time” during the year.
2. Will families be locked into the class they chose for the entire Season?
The flexibility that families have experienced with The Little Gym will continue. If your schedule changes, you can always move into another age-appropriate class that has space available. AND you will continue to have The Little Gym’s flexible make-up system if you do have to miss a class.
3. Will there still be a Big Show in January?
While we will not have a traditional Big Show in January, we will host a Mid-Season Showcase of Skills for family and friends to celebrate your child’s successes. There will also be opportunities to see your child perform throughout the Season. The Big Show will be held the last week in the Season.
4. What payment options will be available for families?
To provide even greater flexibility for families, The Little Gym will be offering four different payment options for the August to June Season:
Single Payment – 1 payment of $600 ($15.00 per class)
Bi-Payment Plan – 2 payments of $310 ($15.50 per class)
Multi-Payment Plan – 4 payments of $165 ($16.50 per class)
Auto Pay Payment Plan – 10 payments of $68 ($17.00 per class)
The first payment for all plans is due at the time of registration. The remaining payments will be automatically charged to your credit/debit card based on the Auto Enroll Form filled out at registration.
*NOTE: Our 2010/2011 Fall and Winter/Spring sessions were 38 weeks combined. The calendar allowed us to expand our 2011/2012 Season to 40 weeks. You will receive 2 additional classes for the above listed prices.
5. What if I am no longer able to finish the second part of the 2011/2012 Season?
Your child will receive the maximum benefit from our program and new curriculum by completing the entire Season. However, if for any reason you are unable to complete a portion of the Season, we will simply refund the value of the classes that have not yet occurred, less any discounts you may have received for enrolling in the full Season on any payment plan other than the Auto Pay.
I am excited about all the ways that the new curriculum and the Season will make The Little Gym program a more complete developmental experience for your child!
Betsy Briggs
Thrilled new owner
The Little Gym of Salt Lake City
The Little Gym of Salt Lake City • 801.581.9866 • www.tlgsaltlakecityut.com