About Us
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The school was opened in January 2021 in Kashibara New Town, Sayama City
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We are a small family-owned school
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In November 2022, the school has been relocated to Shin-Sayama {3-minute on foot from West exit}
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In July 2023 the school has been relocated to Fujimi builing {2F} near Saymshi station {14 min on foot from East exit}
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We have 65m2 space that provides safe and nurturing learning environment for children. The space has been created with love and attention to details.
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We are lucky to have few parks nearby.
I believe that artmaking is an essential part of human existence. Art should be part of child’s life.
Jolly Kids INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL provides the environment where children can create, experience art, gain many skills, become confident in decision making process and think out of box.
アートメイキングは人間の存在に欠かせないものだと信じています。芸術はすべての子供の生活の一部であるべきです。ジョリーキッズインターナショナルスクールは、子供が創造し、芸術を体験し、多くのスキルを習得し、意思決定プロセスに自信を持ち、箱から出して考えることができる環境を提供します。
I really hope that each child who comes to JKIS feels happy, respected and loved. At JKIS each child is given a space to take learning into his or her own hands. He or she can create without any judgement or prejudices. Let’s enjoy the time spent together, process itself and a lot of experiences that no one will ever take from us!
JKISに来る子どもたち一人ひとりが幸せで、尊敬され、愛されていると心から願っています。それぞれの子供には、自分の手に学習を取り入れるスペースが与えられます。彼または彼女は、いかなる判断や偏見もなしに創造することができます。ここで一緒に過ごしている時間、プロセス自体、そして誰も私たちから奪うことのない経験を楽しみましょう!
WELCOME TO JOLLY KIDS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL!
My name is Ivica sensei. I love children. I believe in them, in their ingenuity.
I am a passionate early childhood educator who is constantly trying to grow mentally and professionally.
I always do as much as I can, especially for those most precious ones, kids. They have always fascinated me. The way they learn is quite unique and different. Learning process is much faster and easier compared to the way adults do. I wish to discover the world through their eyes and be a part of their childhood.
I was born in Slovakia. I have been exposed to English language since I was 3 years old. I went to bilingual Elementary and High School. During my studies I was attending Elementary Arts School {1992-2004}. Art became my hobby. I have been teaching English to young learners {4 months-12 years} for over 15 years. I have started teaching career in 2006 in a small kindergarten located in Prague. Then I went to the USA where I received TESL/TESOL Certificate which helped me to begin my career as a teacher. After returning back to Slovakia, I worked as a part-time teacher for various language schools and also as a private tutor. During that time, I have encountered with and taught by many methods. Sometimes I had to employ those of my own be flexible and improve my teaching skills by self-studying.
I studied at university and received a B.A. in English language {translating and interpreting}. After my studies I’ve made up my mind and decided to fully dedicate my life to teaching. In 2013, I moved to Japan and became a full-time preschool teacher at international school. In 2016, I became a leader of an early learning department and got transferred to Tokyo campus. Later in 2016, I got married and decided to dedicate my time to family. Thus in November 2017, I decided to open a small English language school and work on my own business.
In 2019, I became a mother of a lovely girl. When my daughter became 1 year old, I have tried to look for a place where she could learn English and be with her mommy at the same time. Accordingly, me and my husband have decided to find a cozy, home-like place with a garden and set up a small international school.
Welcome to Jolly Kids International School!
MY DAUGHTER, PRACTICING THE ART
My daughter has never drawn on the wall. When she reached the age of 10 months and could sit on her own, I bought a big sketchbook for her and placed it together with the box of 12 crayons in front of her. When she first grabbed the crayon she scribbled few lines.
Day by day, week by week of experimenting with materials resulted in more confidence and positive experience. As she kept working with the materials every day, she started experimenting with the colors and the pressure she put on the crayon. By the age of one-and half she was capable of scribbling and producing many different lines, patterns and color combinations. When she turned two she started talking about the actions that she was engaged at that moment. Amazing!
Her communication skills have improved dramatically. She could verbally communicate her non-verbal actions and feelings. She drew her first “mommy’s face” at the age of 2. At the age of 2 and half she created her “mommy and daddy portrait” with very realistic features such a black hair for daddy and brown hair for mommy. Recently, she has been enjoying drawing fruits and vegetables with the realistic colors. For an instance, orange for carrots, red for tomatoes, green for cucumbers etc. Phenomenal!
Watching her every day and noticing how the art activities have actually helped her deepen her way of thinking is simply amazing. Her language skills are impressive. She is a trilingual child with two dominant languages {Japanese and Slovak}.The confidence and creative thinking that she has gained by engaging in the process is very brilliant. Her concentration span and confidence have increased rapidly. Basically, there is no such a thing as impossible.
MISSION:
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We provide high-quality bilingual education.
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We focus on quality rather than quantity.
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We believe that each child has hundred potentials, hundred languages and hundred hands.
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We focus on nurturing the child to become a successful learner, bilingual and confident individual who is able to communicate and express himself verbally or non-verbally through art, music, movement etc.
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We know that play-based way of teaching encourages the students to take learning into their own hands.
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We support creativity and big ideas of each student.
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WE LOVE and TEACH THROUGH ART and PLAY.
Philosophy
Jolly Kids International School recognizes the importance of early childhood education and strives to provide its students with a foundation of developmentally-appropriate learning experiences. Our programs incorporate variety of themes and approaches. We do not strictly follow only one method or approach but instead we blend them together and create a unique, emergent curriculum suitable for each student.
What kind of school is Jolly Kids International School?
Jolly Kids international school is Reggio Emilia inspired school.
Guiding principles of Reggio Emilia approach that Jolly Kids International School highly values are:
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The child as protagonist, communicator and collaborator
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The teacher as partner, nurturer, guide and researcher
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Cooperation as the foundation of the educational system
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The environment as the "third teacher"
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The parent as partner
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Documentation as a communication
Reggio Emilia inspired activities
Loris Malaguzzi, the founder of Reggio Emilia approach believed that environment plays a central role in the process of making learning meaningful. He defined it as a third teacher. Since we strongly believe that the actual environment can help shape child’s identity later on in his or her life, we created unique classrooms that help to stimulate children's curiosity and foster their creativity while manipulating with objects or making art.
Jolly Kids International School incorporates a lot of Art.
Art as:
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a therapy
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a means of communication and self-expression
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a medium of education
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a universal language
Our school is equipped with a mini-atelier both indoors and outdoors {in our lovely garden} where students can create art. Throughout the day or during the lessons students learn about art, famous artists, practice various art techniques and use many art supplies. We also spend time working on various projects. Project works are student-led rather than teacher-driven and they are carried out through the cooperation and interaction of children.
Jolly Kids International school is Maria Montessori inspired school.
What is Maria Montessori approach?
It is an approach developed by Italian physician Maria Montessori. Is a a child-centered educational approach.
"Education is a natural process carried out by the child and is not acquired by listening by listening but by experiences carried out in the environment" Dr. Maria Montessori.
Guiding principles of Maria Montessori approach that Jolly Kids International School values are:
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Child-centered
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Multi-age classrooms
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Independence
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Free choice
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Teacher guidance
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Hands on learning, active learning
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Real world experiences
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Prepared environment
Montessori inspired practical life activities
Practical life activity in Montessori is a purposeful activity. It is applicable for all ages.In doing practical life activities a child develops coordination, concentration, independence, sense of responsibility and respect for his or her community and surroundings.
JKIS strives to grow an independent individual, prepare him or her for life and help him or her do things by himself or herself. Therefore, our teaching block includes Montessori inspired “Practical life activities”. Our students can learn what they need to {and are motivated to} do anyway. They can practice those skills every day with freedom.
Jolly Kids International school incorporates Jolly Phonics method.
What is Jolly Phonics?
It is a multi-sensory and thorough phonics program for teaching reading, writing, speaking, listening and vocabulary. It is very motivating for children and teachers, too. Children learn each letter by its sound, not its name. It incorporates music, linguistic, bodily kinesthetic and interpersonal intelligence.
With Jolly Phonics, children can be taught to read and write within a short period of time even at a young age. With Jolly Phonics children also improve their pronunciation. Learning with Jolly Phonics is FUN! For more information, please visit www.jollylearning.co.uk or
