Open Minds is a play-based early childhood education program that has been serving families for 7 years. Inspired by the Reggio-Emilia approach, OMES aims to create an inclusive and diverse community that celebrates our children’s individuality and encourages self-confidence, independence, curiosity and creativity.
With the further purpose to serve Open Minds alumni, current students’ siblings, and the greater Oakland community, we’re launching an after school program that seeks to strengthen our children as active constructors of knowledge.
About our after school director
Gravity Almanzar is a literacy specialist and has nearly a decade of experience providing intensive one-to-one and group instruction for struggling learners. They have served hundreds of students in the Bay Area, Brooklyn, and beyond. Their methods for diagnosing strengths & weaknesses in learning and the strategies they employ during instruction have been sculpted by a research validated approach developed by Pat Lindamood and Nanci Bell.
“I believe in meeting every student where they’re at and tailoring instruction to their individual needs to help them reach their potential. By combining my knowledge of how to target and strengthen the underlying sensory cognitive functions that lead to reading fluency, with the child centered philosophies of the Reggio-Emilia approach, we hope to develop a program that views individualization as a given.“
Gravity
The importance of a quality after school program
The many benefits of quality after school programming is well documented. By providing a safe, trusted space that values children and by having educators who are invested in their social, emotional, and academic growth, as well as their health, OMES offers the opportunity for positive, long lasting effects on children’s self-esteem, relationships, mental and physical health, and their academics. One of our long term goals is to make intensive literacy instruction more accessible and through this after school program, we’ll be able to make that a reality.
- Social/emotional development
- Decrease in “risky” behaviors
- Greater academic achievement
- Higher sense of self-worth
Our goals
Personal and social development
Our goals for each student are in line with our purpose. We want to give our children an opportunity to develop healthy relationships with learning and to build community through collaboration, eventually becoming community leaders themselves. Given that there will be an emergent curriculum developed in part by the students, they’ll have opportunities to lead group activities and be teachers to us and each other.
Every child has unique academic strengths and struggles. Being aware of our children’s academic needs will allow us to challenge them appropriately and address any weaknesses in reading, writing and math. Students will have an opportunity to exercise their skills and receive support in either group or intensive one-to-one settings. Families will be given regular progress updates and opportunities to see their childrens’ growth in real time.
Academic enrichment
With each student comes unique academic strengths and struggles. Being aware of our children’s academic needs will allow us to challenge them appropriately and address any weaknesses in reading, writing and math. Students will have an opportunity to exercise their skills and receive support in either group or intensive one-to-one settings. Families will be given regular progress updates and opportunities to see their childrens’ growth in real time.
Nurturing creativity
With every question can come infinite ideas and infinite ways to express them. Allowing children to learn and express themselves in ways that feel right to them is a crucial part of helping them to develop healthy identities and relationships with learning.
How we work
Creative movement
Yoga, shadow dance, mirroring, kinetic emotion and storytelling.
Literacy
Interactive journals, poetry, collaborative storytelling, book club.
Visual Art
Sun prints, collaborative mural, photography, still-life drawing, recycled art.
We look forward to welcoming your family to a program dedicated to building community and opening minds.
