00:00 [Music]
00:16 Hi Smart Parenting fam! Welcome to another episode of Smart Parenting Guide to Preschool.
00:20 [Music]
00:27 We're here today at Cascade School in Mandaluyong and with me is my son Alessandro
00:31 who's going to join the Explorers class.
00:33 [Music]
00:39 Cascade School is located here in Mandaluyong City.
00:43 The 750 square meter school has three creative classrooms,
00:46 [Music]
00:51 a kitchen area,
00:52 [Music]
00:56 a tell-a-tale room,
00:58 [Music]
01:03 play access area,
01:04 [Music]
01:07 and the heart of the school, the atelier
01:10 that transforms into different looks for different occasions.
01:13 [Music]
01:18 So with me today is Miss Irene Mauo, Director and Founder of Cascade School.
01:24 Welcome to Smart Parenting!
01:25 Hi!
01:26 I want to ask you, could you tell me about what makes Cascade School a unique school?
01:31 Cascade is not just a school, it's actually a home and a creative space for children
01:36 and actually it's also a space for advocates of children and teachers.
01:41 We base it from a Javaje or Emilia space where the environment is very nurturing and warm
01:47 and it's a space with the elements of home.
01:51 So basically when you're here you melt and you're comfortable and safe.
01:56 So we believe that if you feel safe, you learn faster, you get things faster.
02:04 So Cascade is like that.
02:05 [Music]
02:09 Could you tell me more about the Regio Emilia approach?
02:13 We started using a Regio-inspired way of teaching
02:16 but we have our very own teaching strategy, we call it Cascade's Hiraya.
02:21 I love the word Hiraya because Hiraya means fruit of your dreams, like a creation of your soul.
02:26 The program revolves around the care, mindfulness, active citizenship that is rooted all in kindness.
02:33 Regio Emilia is more of art-based and expressions
02:36 but as we use that so we can connect in the community.
02:40 This art and creativity play a big influence in the curriculum of the students
02:45 and also I think nature-based, is that correct?
02:48 Yes, we believe for us to express better, the easiest way is connecting with arts.
02:55 It's allowing you to bring everything out
02:57 but the difficult part or the challenging part as an individual is how brave are you to bring it all out.
03:04 But kids already are naturally brave, so we want to keep that.
03:08 So Cascades in the space, in the process also, we use arts for them to communicate
03:16 and bring themselves out.
03:17 But for a lot of parents who are probably more familiar with the traditional approach,
03:21 so in Cascades, who will they also learn the academics, the math, the science, the engineering?
03:27 Right, because a lot of people will, you know, the first time they'll see something that's play-based
03:32 or the approach is play-based or it's on nature or art, they feel that, you know, kind of play.
03:37 We are DEPEDA accredited so we really hit all those things that they gave us plus there's more.
03:44 So if you talk about academics or contents or concepts that we are really teaching the children,
03:50 it's higher than the level that they have.
03:51 Cascades International's classes caters to mixed ages.
03:56 It has three classes, the Wanderers, Explorers, and Navigators.
04:01 Wanderers, it's 16 months to 3 years old.
04:05 We give them like a tag, brave and kind.
04:07 It focuses on children exploring in different textures,
04:12 their senses, that their limbs are connected to their body.
04:15 And then the next level is Explorers, 3 to 5 years old.
04:19 This is creative and kind.
04:21 Assuming that they are with us in Wanderers, we think that they are ready already for creating.
04:28 So we focus on creativity and process of creating.
04:31 And then 5 years old to 8 years old, the Navigators, mindful creators.
04:35 So we give highlight or strength on research.
04:39 So we're teaching children to do research first before they create.
04:43 And we have another one, Baha Tari Program.
04:46 This is a program that helps children with special needs.
04:49 So you accept children with special needs?
04:53 Yes, but for now, since our room is so small,
04:56 we only have a few slots and it's already filled at this time.
05:02 But hopefully, if we have a bigger space, then we can have more slots for other kids.
05:07 Do you give your children homework?
05:09 We don't do homework.
05:10 We believe that they have to have time with their families, less stress for the parents.
05:15 But we do give our busy book.
05:17 Our busy book is an original book created by the team.
05:21 And it's hand-drawn by our atelier.
05:24 We want them to use it when they're at home or when they're traveling.
05:28 So basically, that's the homework.
05:30 But they are not forced to do it.
05:32 It's supposed to be like a bonding tool for the family.
05:36 Sometimes we also give them work, like helping their mommy do something.
05:40 Only that, but not like the homework that we usually add.
05:44 So it's really all about helping a child contribute to their community,
05:48 to their family, to where they are, and being little responsible citizens.
05:53 Yes.
05:54 They are wondering, how can a two-year-old be an active citizen in the community, right?
05:59 You're wondering, how can they do that?
06:01 Even them can be part of it.
06:02 If you can see the poster, you can see the video of a little kid, how they take care of a strato.
06:08 We are feeding it.
06:09 They're doing projects to help those animals just outside our school.
06:16 It's something else, right?
06:17 It gives you an idea.
06:18 If these kids can do that, I can do that too.
06:20 Do you grade the students?
06:22 Or how do you grade the students?
06:23 For Explorers or 4 and Below, we don't use numbers.
06:26 We have our documents, or we call it a journal.
06:31 A SIBO, we call it SIBO.
06:32 In SIBO, you can see the progress of the child.
06:36 You will understand also, you will know as a parent, what kind of prompting we use,
06:41 what level we use it, is it maximum or less.
06:45 You can see how they progress from the start till the end.
06:49 Each class has one lead teacher and two teacher assistants.
06:58 It accepts a minimum of 10 students to a maximum of 15 students.
07:02 Do you want to tell us the story of why you chose Cascades School as the name?
07:08 The word "Cascades," why we use the term "Cascades."
07:11 Cascades is more of like cascading things that you are doing right.
07:16 Cascading kindness, happiness.
07:19 It has a ripple effect of good things.
07:22 So when we created this, we felt like even if we started only in a small number of kids,
07:28 if we do it right, when they go outside and play with their friends,
07:32 they will be cascading these things inside.
07:36 This feeling of being valued, connected with something bigger.
07:41 So when they go home, they bring that energy.
07:45 It's cascading something that we're doing here, and we see the effect.
07:49 And I think that's happening also right now.
07:52 Whatever that we're doing here, the children are cascading it outside.
07:56 And sometimes some of the parents, they will message us, "Teach!"
07:59 Especially when they're on vacation at the beach.
08:01 "Teach! He's picking up trash. He's a trashman today."
08:04 Like that. He has a video.
08:06 Or, "Teach! My kid brought all these leaves and rocks
08:11 because he wants to bring it in school to share it with the other kids."
08:14 So I think the main cascade, I'm so happy that it fits on what we are doing right now.
08:20 And I hope that in the future, near future, there will be more cascades.
08:24 [music]
08:47 What I loved about Cascade School is its emphasis on creativity and warmth
08:51 in early childhood education.
08:53 The small class ratio is also perfect for kids
08:56 who are still warming up to schools and large settings.
08:59 I imagine there would be an easier transition from home to school
09:02 because of Cascade International's approach.
09:04 Hi, Alessandro!
09:06 Hi!
09:07 How did you like your school today?
09:08 Good.
09:09 Good? What did you think about Cascade School?
09:11 Do you like it?
09:12 Yeah.
09:13 Yeah? What was your favorite?
09:14 Drawing.
09:15 Drawing! You liked the drawing most of all.
09:19 What did you tell me about the school?
09:21 The school is so...
09:23 [music]
09:24 That's it for today's video.
09:26 Thank you for watching.
09:27 For more videos like this, don't forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
09:31 Bye!
09:32 [music]
09:36 [BLANK_AUDIO]
Comments