Nihao School fosters the intellectual and physical growth of the child by providing a nurturing, safe and stimulating home-like environment.  We help children to grow up healthy, do well in school, get along with peers, show respect and responsibility and to succeed in life.

Learning Principles

• To be exposed and to acquire multiple languages

• To possess a positive self-image

• To resolve conflicts in the acceptable ways

• To develop healthy eating habits and lifestyle

• To acquire school-readiness skills

• To feel competent and independent

• To practice and develop good manners

• To become more aware of other cultures

Inquiry-Based Learning

We have established a developmentally appropriate curriculum based on child’s intellectual, social, and physical needs and which is designed to encourage child-initiated learning activities within a home-like environment.  Our teaching philosophy incorporates inquiry-based teaching techniques that support the child’s development of problem-solving and creative thinking skills where activities and projects derive from children’s interest and experiences.

Nihao School educators share the philosophy that children are actively engaging with their environment and are curious about the world around them, ask questions and construct own knowledge through investigation and exploration.  We believe that children’s play is an expression of intelligence and growth and that social interactions promote a child’s healthy development.

Our inquiry-based curriculum is based on children’s input and interests as well as seasonal observations and cultural activities.  In the classroom, teachers use project-based learning to support children’s cooperation during interdisciplinary activities, related to math, science, art, language, movement and music.  Children of Nihao School develop a love for learning, gain independence and confidence in their own abilities which Nihao! values as the strong foundation for learning in the primary grades.

​

Immersion Environment

Young children are excellent language learners when given the chance for a consistent and early exposure through native speakers.  Our educators put a strong focus on language acquisition and support each child’s language development.

Nihao School's immersion environment enables children to become confident in their ability to speak and understand the Mandarin language, converse about developmentally-appropriate school topics, experience aspects of Mandarin community and culture while learning in a warm and caring environment.  Our parent community is an important, vibrant and diverse partner in children’s multilingual upbringing that supports the children in becoming the future global citizens.

​

By learning Mandarin, we are adding countless opportunities to children’s lives includes many benefits for personal and professional growth.  Regardless whether or not your home language is Mandarin, parents can support the language journey of their child by sharing an encouraging attitude towards the Mandarin language and culture.  Nihao School embraces the different linguistic and cultural backgrounds within our community and celebrates the diversity that becomes visible in our curriculum and classroom.

​

Our teachers use the following methods to implement language learning:

• On person, one language (OPOL) strategy- children will hear a dominant language from their teacher when engaged in casual conversation.

• Time and place (T&P) strategy- this method is used when a specific is assigned to a specific time or to an activity (speaking Mandarin while playing game or reading a storybook).  One teacher can speak two languages to a child and adjust according to the lesson plan.

• Total immersion- children are provided curriculum in the target language 100% of the time and rarely use their native English vernacular in the classroom setting.

• Partial Immersion- children spends 50 percent of the time learning Mandarin, while the remaining time is spent in English. In this set up, there are typically two teachers in the classroom, one speaking only English while the other speaks English full-time. ​