At Yago School, we offer an educational project that aims to help children develop their abilities in a creative and stimulating environment. We implement innovative methodologies through an international education in which our students participate actively in their learning process.
Our Infant stage is a safe and trustworthy space for the education of children, which contributes to their greater autonomy and integration in their social context, two more advantages of our pedagogical proposal.
Our team of teachers has developed its own educational plan for this stage, based on the methodological framework of the International Baccalaureate Organisation to achieve a complete and comprehensive training of students; we are based on hands-on, meaningful, active and playful learning.
The use of the English language as an instrument of communication and representation in a climate of trust and acceptance is fundamental in international education. The teacher offers many opportunities for dialogue in the learning process, as well as relates, discovers, and explains facts, emotions, and real or imaginary experiences.
In addition, Yago School is committed to simultaneous and compulsory Mandarin Chinese as a third language from the age of two. In addition to English and Spanish, Chinese is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. China is one of the world’s major economic powers and speaking Chinese is increasingly valued in a more competitive world.
In this way, it facilitates a digital-technological environment in all subjects and levels that complements the implementation of the “new” methodologies, in which cooperative work between students, the creation and communication of projects, the research of dynamic content and personalised learning rhythms play a major role.
From the age of 5 in the subject of ICT they start with iPad devices provided by the school as support at certain times, this subject also includes training in office automation environment, programming, robotics, 3D design, etc. which are also used to work on the contents of other subjects.
Therefore, through a responsible and up-to-date use of technology, we promote and complement a balanced learning, adapted to the real and specific needs of each student and focused on developing the digital skills they will need to work in the environment that surrounds them and to face the challenges of the 21st century with the best possible preparation.
At Yago School, we have a great variety of pedagogical materials, such as books, toys, iPads, Bee Bots, and Lego packs, so that children can enjoy and have fun while they learn. These pedagogical materials foster meaningful learning strategies that are transferable to real-life situations, stimulate the development of metacognitive skills by provoking reflection, and help them to think.
In the necessary subjects, we have created textbooks to complement their learning. We introduce STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) methodologies and interdisciplinary activities that bring students closer to Science and Technology with the aim of developing creativity, imagination and critical thinking; we are constantly improving, and we offer excellent quality education. Our students have been our constant reference when it comes to specifying content and designing activities.
Expression is one of the main skills that Yago School encourages through different disciplines, areas and opportunities to put them into practice. Art and music are two forms of artistic expression of particular importance for the integral development of students, especially in the Infant stage when language is not fully developed.
In Infant, we help our students to develop their imagination and creativity, to know themselves better and to be able to express their inner world through the subject of Art. Our Infant students work in the artist’s corner, meeting an artist monthly and working on his/her style and works, and taking a glimpse into his/her lives. In this way, students acquire culture, sensitivity to art, and develop a number of important social and emotional skills for their personal development.
Music education in the Infant stage stimulates all the student’s faculties: abstraction, logical and mathematical reasoning, imagination, memory, order, creativity, communication, and the improvement of the senses.
Through rhythm, movement, sounds, and a selected repertoire of songs, music influences the integral and globalizing formation of the child, providing cognitive and sensitive experiences in a harmonious way.
The educational value of music represents a valuable aid for the rest of the school curriculum, providing maturity for future learning.
In Infant, we consider motor development to be the basis of a person’s integral development, and therefore we work with specialists in the psychomotor skills of our students. The objective is to develop their abilities to the maximum and improve their vital functions and mood.
At our School, we have a specific area for working on children’s psychomotor skills between 3 and 5 years old. It is a space specially designed to meet the educational needs of students where they can practice physical activities and sports.
We practice different activities such as: gymnastics and motor circuits, sports games with balls and rackets, as well as rhythmic and expressive work.
We focus on body awareness in time and space, learning to move in general in a safe and controlled way, changing direction and maintaining control. We develop basic natural movements and awareness of the different parts of the body. We improve overall fitness, strength, flexibility, endurance, speed, balance, and breath control.
With active games and activities adapted to the age and level of the children, we bring enormous benefits to their body and mind on 3 levels:
On a cognitive level
it allows the little ones to increase their attention span, concentration, expression, creativity and memory.
At the motor level
it allows children to become aware and have control of their bodies and movements.
At the affective and social level
it facilitates relationships with others, their own knowledge, their internal motivation, and the ability to face their fears.
At Yago School, we place the formation of values as the axis on which the education of the students revolves and promotes, among others, respect, solidarity and companionship from Infant to Baccalaureate.
Each month, we propose different values, such as order and punctuality, responsibility and obedience, solidarity, joy and friendship, respect and tolerance or care for the environment. In the morning routines, there is always a space to work on the value of the month, and one of the assemblies on Fridays is always dedicated to work on the value of the month through storytelling, role plays, skits or games that help them to understand, assimilate, and put them into practice.
In addition, Secondary and Baccalaureate students bring values closer to the youngest students of the school through their volunteer activities and CAS projects (Creativity, Activity and Service) in collaboration with “The Yago Foundation”.
In addition to the traditional and avant-garde values that Yago School works on with all students, Yago School offers Catholic Religion or Values as optional subjects from Infant to Secondary.
Most of the areas, projects and subjects are taught in English. Units of inquiry, science, plastic education, music, psychomotor skills, English, public speaking, storytelling, morning and afternoon routines and even Chinese are taught using English as a vehicular language so that students learn it by immersion, that is, the most natural way possible. They are therefore exposed to English for most of the school day. They only teach reading, writing and mathematics in Spanish to lay the foundations for these subjects well.
Spanish, English and Chinese.
Logically, they will use their mother tongue best, which is Spanish in 85% of cases.
Students who begin at Yago in Infant 3 begin by familiarizing themselves with English, acquiring vocabulary and very simple grammatical structures; this is the same process that children experience in their mother tongue when they begin to speak. Little by little, they begin to use idioms, mix words from both languages, and by the end of Infant 5, they are able to use more complex structures with more spontaneity; most end up reading in English as well. The level acquired by each child depends on maturity level, ability, and reinforcement received at home.
Finally, they have a hang of basic Chinese. With only one or two small modules of this language, they are able to pronounce the phonemes, count, say “hello”, and much more.
In Infant, three year old children should be exposed to screens very little.
At age four they start with the subject of ICT, which includes training in Computer Science, Programming, and Robotics with Lego and Bee Bots packs to develop their digital competence. We also make use of all the technological resources to work on the contents of the rest of the subjects or learning areas.
The schedule for Infant students is the same as the rest of the school, from 9 am to 5 pm, with breaks for morning recess, lunch, naptime in the case of three year old students, and afternoon recess for snack.
In September, there are some adaptation days with a reduced schedule from 9 am to 3 pm, especially important for the three year olds.
TUTORIALS: One of the most important teacher responsibilities is to keep parents informed of the academic progress and personal development of their children. Tutors have a schedule of availability to meet with parents. Parents can speak directly with a teacher by making an appointment through the Teacher’s Agenda on the Yago Online site, or you can also contact your child’s teachers by email.
Through GOOGLE CLASSROOM, you will be able to view photos of the inquiry unit evidence, student activities, as well as the objectives and resources.
The Counseling Department is made up of four professionals (a Spanish psychologist, an American psychologist, and two therapeutic pedagogues) and is a specialized body that supports the work of the School in all actions aimed at ensuring the integral formation of the students and the adaptation of the teaching processes to the characteristics and needs of all students.
This department has special responsibility in relation to the measures of attention to diversity, coordinates the psycho-pedagogical evaluation and collaborates in the design and development of curricular adaptations aimed at students with specific educational support needs, as well as the design, development and evaluation of curricular enrichment measures for high abilities. Already from Infant, we detect talents or learning difficulties, and this department is responsible for establishing the necessary measures to ensure a good performance of the students with the help of the Coordination of the stage.
Likewise, the department is responsible for the organization of different Parent Schools that offer relevant information on educational matters.
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YAGO SCHOOL MÁLAGA
C. Escritora Fuster Gallardo, 10
29018 Málaga
+34 951 01 29 90
secretary.malaga@yagoschool.com
