Turquoise Dolphin Wonderschool

Our Teachers

Tamara Margas, Director & Head Teacher

Tamara has many years of experience working with children as a Speech and Hearing Pathologist. She was the first SLP of the Neonatology Department of the Hospital Dr. Gustavo Fricke in Chile, where she was the head of the governmental program (AUGE) for bilateral hearing loss in premature babies under/or 32 weeks or 1500g. During her time working at the Hospital, Tamara also had the opportunity to work with hospitalized children in the Oncology Department and the Intensive Care Unit. In addition, she taught at two Universities and worked with kids and adults at their Audiology Laboratories.

Tamara also spent two years working at a homeopathic pharmacy, where she gained valuable knowledge about nutrition, vitamins, and health supplements. She complemented this experience with studies in Oriental Medicine.

Tamara loves spending time with her family, knitting, dancing, experimenting with essential oils and healing herbs, and cooking new healthy recipes.

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House Pets

We have two lovely cats who live in our home, but will be out exploring during school hours and will not be in contact with the children. We have an air purifier to ensure a good quality of air inside the classroom.

Testimonials

“ Our son started coming to Tamara’s daycare when he was 5mo and we immediately felt comfortable leaving him with her, she is so kind and polite, very caring and loving and our son’s progress is important to her, she’s working with him on new things everyday. She is also very communicative and it’s important to her to keep us updated with pictures as well as quick reports on how he’s doing using user friendly apps as well as face to face. When we just started she was very patient with us (since I was very nervous- first baby) and worked with us for best transitioning plan for our baby. I also believe that being there helped our baby boy to sleep better and he is happy to go there every morning. Her place feels just like a cosy home. I highly recommend Tamara and her wonderful place. “

“Our son started going to Tamara as his first daycare and I was super worried about leaving him at any daycare, but Tamara right away made me and my son feel super welcomed. She is super kind and friendly. Our boy loves going to her daycare…..in the short time his been going to her, he was learned to crawl and drink his bottle without help  we honestly couldn’t be happier. We highly recommend Tamara & Turquoise Dolphin Wonderschool. “

“ Tamy took care of my 3 month old daughter Elisa after my maternity leave. I was very nervous to leave her but Tamy was amazing and helped us so much. She is very knowledgeable and organized. My baby started drinking from a bottle with no problem even though she refused to do so at home! She is also great with parents as she understands how difficult it is to be apart from your baby. She would send me pictures throughout the day, let me know what activities they were doing, feeding and sleeping schedule, etc. Tamy is very sweet and patient and you can tell she really loves babies! Also, her place is very cute! “

“Tamara has created a warm and welcoming environment for our daughter who started attending the school from 1 year old. Tamara has always been open to feedback and looking for ways to improve her school. Our daughter enjoys going to school in the morning, and she has developed well, while attending Turquoise Dolphin - learning new skills and interacting with other kids. “

Philosophy

At Turquoise Dolphin Wonderschool, we believe that an integrative education is the best way to achieve meaningful learning in our children. From the moment children are born, they are explorers who arrive into a world full of new things to discover. Even before that, in the womb, children are learning! They recognize their mother´s voice and begin to learn how to move and perceive the world around them.

Because we know that every child is unique, we connect with each one of them individually and guide them through active learning. We believe that exploration, play, and guided activities are the best ways for children to learn.

We are a Spanish immersion school. Children will be exposed to a second language from a very young age: the best time for them to learn it! They will enjoy doing activities and listening songs and stories in Spanish.

As part of a holistic education, we also incorporate mindfulness, Yoga, and healthy eating habits. We teach positive tools to solve conflicts, and we encourage kindness, cheerfulness and the enjoyment of learning in our daily activities. We know that building a base for a healthy and happy life starts at a young age by providing children with a safe place to develop nurturing relationships and a connection with nature – like a seed planted in good soil with the right watering and plenty of sun can become a strong tree full of fruits.

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Location

Turquoise Dolphin Wonderschool is located in single family home in the beautiful city of Berkeley. The school consists of a cozy interior space and a front yard; both are carefully prepared to accommodate four infants between the ages of 3 months and 3 years old.

The classroom is decorated with soft and neutral colors, giving children an active role in the room. The classroom’s main areas are the napping area for sleeping, the dirty zone where they can feel free getting messy, the calm teepee for reading and resting, and an active space for interactive playing and movement. We also have a wonderful, big window that connects the interior space with the front yard.

We love using books everywhere, so children can sit and read if they wish. We teach in Spanish and English!

Outdoor Play

Outside, vibrant colors and carefully selected toys invite children to use their senses to explore. We have a sandbox, a water table, and a small section for gardening.

Outdoor education is a large component of our philosophy at TDW. We have a front yard that children will use daily to work on the development of their senses and their motor skills. To breath pure air is a booster for their brains and body!

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About our program

Turquoise Dolphin Wonderschool brings together all the important aspects required to welcome our little ones into this new world. We provide a safe, nurturing, and enriched environment where children can develop and grow. Because we are a small group program, we can ensure the best quality of care and early education to every child. We also support parents in their return to work. We will work together so that your baby and you can have a smooth transition and a great experience.

Parent Involvement

Parent involvement is purely volunteer- and time-based. Parents can read a book, donate a plant, lead an activity or prepare a meal in support of being a TDW family. Enrolled TDW families can also take part in Saturday morning classes and special workshops for free!

Our Approach to Discipline

We believe in using positivity and praise to foster healthy behaviors and a healthy learning environment. One of our main goals is to teach children self-control and respect for themselves and others. Our constructive techniques include redirection, anticipation, modeling, natural consequences, elimination of potential problems, and teaching children to resolve conflicts on their own in an appropriate manner.

Nutrition

We provide healthy and homemade breakfast and lunch plus 2 snacks. Most of the food will be gluten-free and organic; we select our our organic purchases by avoiding conventional produce on the “Dirty Dozen Plus” list. These foods have the highest pesticide load, making them the most important to buy organic versions – or to grow them organically yourself.

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Admissions

Join the Turquoise Wonderschool community in three easy steps:

1. Explore our website

We’ve provided basic information about our philosophies and offerings to help you decide if our program might be right for your family.

2. Tour the school

Come see (and feel) what makes Turquoise Dolphin unique. Please schedule a tour by filling out the “Schedule a Tour” form. You can also email us at [email protected] or call 510-604-5568.

3. Apply to enroll

After your tour, you will receive an email with a link to apply to our program.

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