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September 18, 2005
¡Hola Baby!
I have something in common with Arlington mama Maria Elena Greene. I wanted a resource -- a website, a book -- to make pregnancy and parenting in Washington easier, more satisfying, and more fun. I couldn't find such a thing, so I decided to do it myself.
Maria Greene, who grew up in a bilingual household as a first-generation American with parents from Colombia and Puerto Rico, wanted a Spanish immersion program for her toddler in her NoVa neighborhood. She didn't find it, so she decided to do it herself.
I've written the book I wanted to read when I moved to DC. Maria has designed the language immersion program she wanted to discover in Arlington. Enter ¡Hola Baby!
"My motivation for starting the program is that I want my daughter, a twelve-month-old, to grow up with Spanish AND English. . . I thought the earlier she could do this the better," Maria told me.
A five-week pilot program this summer included five children ranging in age from seven months to 11 months, and from all reports the kids had a blast.
¡Hola Baby! works on a "playgroup" model, with Maria as the main facilitator and plenty of parent involvement for the little ones. Singing, dancing, movement, storytelling, and role-play are on the menu, always with age-appropriate parameters and a fun theme (e.g., animals, foods, parts of the body, colors, numbers).
Given the developmental needs of the children, the program covers a very basic intro. to the language, with lots and lots of repetition. (The way babies learn best!)
Children will be accompanied by a parent or caregiver in the younger playgroup (12 to 24 months). The older playgroup (two to four years) will enjoy many of the same activities, but will also have arts and crafts, and may cover more advanced themes.
Maria says the goal is for little ones to HAVE FUN with language -- ¡Vamos a gozar en español! -- and the learning will naturally follow.
The fall 2005 playgroups will be held at:
Arlington Community Church
6040 Wilson Blvd., Arlington
Sessions are eight weeks and run September 26 to November 14. The younger groups meet on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, while the older group meets on Friday mornings. A full session for the younger group is $100, and $110 for the older children (includes a materials fee for crafts). This is a GOOD price for what Maria is offering. Look around at comparable enrichment classes and you'll know what I mean.
Max enrollment in each class is eight to 10 children, so there will be no overcrowding and plenty of individual attention. A few spaces are still open in each group.
To register or find out more, contact Maria Greene directly. Send email to mggreene26 at hotmail dot com, or give her a ring at 703.731.1630.
Posted by Sarah at September 18, 2005 8:57 PM.
