During units on tadpoles and butterflies, the children watch specimens develop on paper and in jars in front of them. The youngsters also learn a respect for things that creep and crawl. They re not allowed to stomp or squash anything here. The Breakirons do a lot of fun things, but they re hardly all play and no work. In fact, Renate Breakiron hopes the center will gain a reputation for small classes and strong academics.
Children learn German and Spanish.
At snack time, youngsters barely out of diapers are encouraged to ask for seconds in a language besides English. They spend time on the computer. They create their own stories with characters in the drama center. They don t watch any television, except for videos that Renate Breakiron makes of them doing activities. Renate and Jim Breakiron are two of the three full-time workers at the center.