Sponge School

The first time you meet Jackie Friedman Mighdoll, the founder of Sponge School, you will immediately be put at ease by her calm demeanor and joyful smile. Before you know it, you will be engaged in an interesting and inspiring conversation about how she came to start Sponge School and you will know that you are speaking with a passionate visionary. This is certainly one of the main reasons her school is such a success: with such a genuine and skilled entrepreneur as Jackie at the helm, you would expect no less.

When did it all start?
Sponge School opened its doors in the Fall of 2005, offering classes to children ages four and under in French, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese and Spanish. The classes quickly filled up and now, a year later, the school is adding more time slots to meet the demand.
"Before the age of four, the brain is really focused on acquiring language," says Jackie. To Jackie, the irony was very apparent: studies again and again point to the fact that a child's first years are key to language development, yet those years in particular are ones where children rarely come into contact with other languages. It took Jackie's forward thinking and confident business skills to do something about it.

Language Learning at Sponge School
The teachers at Sponge School have been hand picked and Jackie works very closely with them to ensure that the curriculum for each class is both appropriate and engaging. The school prides itself on going beyond language learning to encompass the target culture as well: Children will be “exposed to elements of the culture, music and art produced by speakers of the target language. From Debussy to French African rock, from classical gagaku to J-pop, there's much to appreciate.”

For parents who do not speak a second language at home and who have no direct access to second culture resources, Sponge School has been the answer to their search. A real-life teacher just can't compare to a DVD and the passive audience it produces. As one mom, Cynthia, says, "I am so grateful to have found Sponge.  It is a relief to have a class in which I get to learn something along with my two year old."

For language to really have an impact, children must be given the opportunity to engage with the language and to interact with the teacher and other children. At this age, children are not only picking up language cues but are also associating them with the environment and the speakers. For Kate, this was a delightful realization: "We've been going to Sponge for several weeks now, and mostly my toddler runs around the classroom.  Last week, when she woke up, she greeted me in the morning by singing the “Hola Hola” song, complete with a “Muy Bien” and a waving arm at the end!  I was totally amazed.  It's clear to me that she's hearing everything that's being said in class, and absorbing it."

But the school is also realizing the role it plays in helping bilingual families bridge the language gap: parents who don't speak their spouse's language are given the chance to learn it together alongside their toddlers. Sponge School offers an amazing opportunity to parents who otherwise may never have taken the time to pick up the language outside of the home and to share it with their spouse and child.

Social Time at Sponge School
Many parents and toddlers come to Sponge School to find a social environment for their home language and to establish social connections. Finding other families can be difficult and Sponge School provides a warm, enjoyable environment in which to create social bonds. Friendships between families are made at Sponge as parents and children get to know one another. Gwen speaks for many parents when she says, "I LOVE your school and concept… The Japanese class is the highlight of my week."

Learn More!
To learn more about Sponge School , check out their website: www.spongeschool.com. To keep up on Sponge School news, sign up for their newsletter.
Sponge School is located in the Leschi/Mt. Baker Ridge neighborhood with easy freeway access and accessible street parking.
Address: 3107 S. Day St., Seattle WA , 98144.
Phone: (206) 227-7138.
Email: info@spongeschool.com.

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