Torah Academy of Boca Raton

Our Early childhood program offers a warm and nurturing environment where each child is valued and respected. Our program offers a process oriented, hands-on approach to learning. Developmentally appropriate curriculum and materials allow each child to work according to their ability or skill level. The program we pursue is geared toward helping the student develop habits of observation, questioning and listening. Using this hands-on developmental approach, we hope to instill in each child a love for learning, a love for doing mitzvos, and a love for Eretz Yisroel.

Research has shown that the human brain grows as a result of learning and experience. During the first five years of a child's life, trillions of synapses are formed in response to learning experiences. During these early years, children are most receptive to learning emotional control, forming relationships with others, and acquiring language skills. We capitalize on this critical time in a child's development by providing him or her with a plethora of opportunities to explore, invent and investigate. As a stepping stone to reading and academic skills, a child must first gather meaning from the world and develop conceptual awareness. In order to gather meaning from the world, a child must have satisfying sensory and sensory motor experiences. He and she must observe, touch, feel, and hear. Perceptual development follows. This is the process through which a young child learns.

Using this student-centered, developmental approach, we help each child grow and blossom in a caring, loving atmosphere. Each child is viewed as an individual with a unique set of strengths and abilities. Each student is encouraged and supported as they discover, explore, and grow at their own developmentally appropriate pace.

Our curriculum identifies goals for our young children in five areas of development:

Social/Emotional - To help develop independence and competence as an individual, as well as learning to become a responsible member of a group. We help the children work toward achieving a sense of self, taking responsibility, and learning to be aware of others. Taking turns, sharing, showing empathy, exhibiting self-control, and self confidence are among the many areas focused on and developed.

Physical - To help develop and strengthen our children's fine motor and gross motor skills. Children work on skills such as running, jumping, balancing catching, and throwing. They develop their small muscles to be able to button, string beads, cut, draw and write. With more advanced physical development, children master increasingly sophisticated tasks integrating and mastering the use of technological tools and manipulatives.

Cognitive - To acquire thinking skills such as the ability to solve problems, ask questions and thinking logically. As children observe events around them, they are encouraged to inquire, make predictions and test possible solutions. The children learn to compare, contrast, count, measure and sort to organize information.

Language - To expand our children's ability to be able to express thoughts and communicate ideas with others. Through building word vocabulary and sentence structure, and modeling and encouraging meaningful interactions with adults and peers, we empower our children to become listeners and communicators. We lay the groundwork for literacy by implementing early writing and early reading techniques. Children learn to understand the purpose of print and recognize letters and words and begin to write for a purpose.

Torah Values and Concepts - To have our students surrounded by the warmth and beauty of a Torah environment.  This is created by our Morahs sharing the radiance of Shabbos, the excitement of a coming Yom Tov, and the importance of talking to Hashem through Tefilla. We lay the groundwork for developing Middos Tovos and a love of Torah, Mitzvos, Klal Yisroel, and Eretz Yisroel.

Our dedicated and caring professional staff strive to meet the needs of each child in her or his personal process of discovery, development, and learning. Our teachers create a warm and nurturing environment in which our children can safely explore, experiment, grow, and reach their potential.