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Our Teachers
May Mendonca, DIRECTOR & TEACHER ;
Originally from Brazil, I have always had a deep passion for working with children.
In 2012, I completed my degree in Early Childhood Education, which provided me with a solid foundation in understanding the unique needs and developmental stages of young children. Following my graduation, I worked as a dedicated teacher in Brazil for four years, nurturing and guiding my students through their early years of learning.
In 2017, I embarked on a new chapter in my career and journeyed to the United States. Since then, I have been actively involved in working with children, continuously expanding my knowledge and skills in the field. For over two years, I served as a leader teacher in a daycare, where I had the opportunity to create engaging and nurturing environments for the children in my care. Driven by my passion and commitment to providing the best possible care and education for young minds, I pursued additional training to become a daycare director. This training equipped me with the skills necessary to oversee the daily operations and ensure the highest standards of quality in our daycare. In my quest to deepen my understanding of child development, I am currently studying psychology. This educational pursuit allows me to gain insights into the various phases of children’s growth and their important milestones. By combining my educational background, hands-on experience, and ongoing studies, I am dedicated to providing a warm, enriching, and safe environment for every child in our daycare.
Opening my own daycare has always been a dream of mine. The joy and fulfillment I experience while working with children are immeasurable. I am excited to have the opportunity to share my passion, knowledge, and love for early childhood education with your child and create a nurturing space where they can learn, grow, and thrive. We are here to partner with you in providing the best possible care and support for your children.
Philosophy
OUR PHILOSOPHY
We believe in a holistic approach to early childhood education that combines the best aspects of Montessori and play-based learning. Our philosophy is centered around fostering independence, curiosity, and a lifelong love for learning in each child.
Montessori Principles:
We draw inspiration from the Montessori philosophy, which emphasizes the following key principles: Individualized Learning: We recognize that each child is unique and develops at their own pace. Our curriculum and teaching methods are tailored to meet the individual needs and interests of every child, allowing them to progress and explore at their own rhythm. Prepared Environment: Our daycare environment is thoughtfully designed to encourage independence and exploration. We provide developmentally appropriate materials and activities that are easily accessible, promoting self-directed learning and the development of essential life skills. Respect for the Child: We treat each child with respect, valuing their thoughts, opinions, and contributions. We foster a positive and inclusive atmosphere where children feel safe to express themselves, make choices, and develop their self-esteem and social skills.
Play-Based Learning:
We also believe in the power of play as a fundamental tool for learning and development. Play-based learning forms an integral part of our approach, offering numerous benefits to children, including: Creativity and Imagination: Through imaginative play, children explore their world, develop problem-solving skills, and unleash their creativity. We provide a variety of open-ended materials and opportunities for pretend play, encouraging their imagination to soar. Social and Emotional Development: Play allows children to develop vital social skills such as cooperation, negotiation, empathy, and communication. They learn to navigate relationships, resolve conflicts, and build strong foundations for future interactions. Hands-on Experiences: We believe in providing children with hands-on experiences that actively engage their senses. Our curriculum incorporates experiential learning, where children can explore, experiment, and discover the world around them through meaningful, sensory-rich activities. By combining the principles of Montessori education with play-based learning, we create an environment that supports each child’s unique developmental journey. Our passionate and dedicated educators guide and facilitate their growth, ensuring a balance between structured learning experiences and child-led exploration.
We are committed to nurturing confident, compassionate, and lifelong learners who are prepared to thrive in an ever-changing world. We look forward to partnering with you on this exciting educational journey for your child.
Location
LOCATION ;
Centrally located in the Diamond Heights neighborhood with sweeping views of the entire city.
A few minutes drive down the hill leads you to 280 and the Glen Park Bart station allowing easy access to Downtown San Francisco, Peninsula, or the South Bay.
Nearby schools ;
9/10 Asawa (Ruth) San Francisco School Of The Arts, A Public School. Grades: 9-12 Distance: 0.5 mi 6/10 Miraloma Elementary School Grades: K-5 Distance: 0.6 mi 5/10 Denman (James) Middle School Grades: 6-8 Distance: 1.4 mi
Nearby Parks & Playground ;
George Christopher Playground Picnic Area Glen Canyon Park Crags Court Community Garden Diamond Heights Baseball Field
About our program
Diverse Learning Environments
InfantsWe are fully aware of the difficulty in leaving your infant for the first time and our goal is to provide you with peace of mind throughout your day.
We believe the primary needs of an infant are to feel warm, secure, and loved. After meeting the needs of your child, our teachers spend the rest of their time holding, playing with, talking to, and singing with the children as well as exposing them to social interaction with other infants.
ToddlersOur toddler program consists of children that are fully walking, eat table food, drink from sippy cups/cups, and are ready for a more structured schedule.
We strive to provide a caring environment full of fun and interesting activities for our toddlers. Children should have the opportunity to make choices about what they will work with and how they will accomplish goals.
Developmentally appropriate spaces, music, paint, and other art materials are readily available so they can be creative and explore at their own pace. Other activities focus on vocabulary building. This is done in a variety of ways including stories, puppets, conversation, flashcards, bilingual words, and songs.
We will spend time helping your child to learn about themselves. We will work on social skills like sharing, listening, taking turns, and keeping hands to themselves.
And finally, when your child is ready, we will work on self-help skills such as dressing, potty training, and self-feeding skills.
PreschoolPreschool children spend their time learning about themselves, their skills and abilities, and the world around them and their relationship to it.
There is time for creative exploration, structured learning centers, safety awareness, and concentration on social skills: manners, sharing, taking turns, self-control, mutual respect, and caring about each other.
We encourage the children to learn the skills they will need to become socially and academically ready for a smooth transition to kindergarten like the alphabet, numbers, colors, shapes, sorting, sequencing, patterns, and name recognition. We also work on self-help skills such as hygiene, nutrition, health, and learning to be responsible and take pride in who they are as they continue to build confidence and independence.
Admissions
Enrollment
Making decisions about your child’s care and early education can be difficult and challenging…
So we want to make the process as simple as possible. Join the Rainbow Kidz community in three easy steps:
1 - Explore our website
We’ve provided information about our philosophies and offerings to help you decide if our program may be right for your family.
2 - Tour our program
Come see what makes Rainbow Kidz unique. If we are currently hosting tours, you can request or schedule a tour at the top of this page. If we are not currently hosting tours, you’ll see a “Request Info” button at the top of this page; if you submit your information using this button, we will notify you when we start host tours again in the future.
3 - Download, Print Application Form, and complete the Enrollment Documents. (Application for admissions online) and bring with you for the tour. OR Submit an Enrollment Application Online.
Please do not apply to enroll until you have set up a tour and visited the program.