When I think about it, “Little Atelier of Young Children” is really all that its name suggests. It is a place where children are treated with respect, awe, and kindness. They are encouraged to be little artists, experimenters, and explorers- in a workshop environment designed to foster their creativity and independence. What the name doesn't describe is the comfort the two teachers, Ms. So Yeon and Ms. Esther provide, to make the school a warm and welcoming place for their little students. As in a workshop, the teachers guide the students in a very gentle, nurturing and kindly manner. I feel the calm surety of their leadership the moment I walk in the door to leave my son LT in the mornings. When I get home in the evenings, a report on the goings on of the day is waiting for me in my inbox. I know how long LT napped, if he ate his lunch, what snack was, what activities he engaged in, his mood, etc. Need I go on? Little Atelier may be made up of little people, but the artwork and projects they produce are awesome. The school treats the students' work with an air of ceremony and the periodical open houses show walls covered with thoughtful projects and beautiful child-created images. My mom is a long time educator and I asked her to put her two-cents in about Little Atelier. This is what she wrote:
Linda Brown (Grandma to L.T. Iglesias-Brown) "For thirty-one years I was an early childhood and elementary school teacher as well as a staff developer and teacher trainer for the United Federation of Teachers. I also was fortunate to be a mother of two daughters and made sure to have them attend good daycare programs.
When I first heard that my little grandson, LT, was going to Little Atelier of Young Children, I was hoping he would have a good experience there. I never dreamt that I would be so thrilled by the program. It is such an amazing place!
As soon as I walked into the school, I was highly impressed by the physical environment. The furniture, equipment, books, toys etc. were of such high quality and were so very attractive. The children were having a great time. Smiles were everywhere.
The moment I met the instructors Ms. SoYeon and Ms. Esther, I realized why the children were having such a wonderful time. The children are being cared for and educated by extremely nurturing, loving, creative, highly intelligent and socially conscious people. I was very impressed by how they encourage the children to work together, play together and of course, have fun, which develops their social emotional skills and their self esteem.
The artwork that the children do at the school is so very impressive! I wish I could be a little child again and go to this wondrous place. Thank goodness LT gets to go!"
<Holly Brown, a parent of 3yrs old>
Excellent preschool in the Reggio Emilia tradition with an attentive, warm and creative faculty. Little ones are gently lead from an unstructured home environment into a structured yet child-lead and child-centered preschool setting. The parent community has been welcoming and supportive from the start. There is an orientation at the beginning of the school year where parents get to know each other. And there are plenty of opportunities for parents to get involved in the school in meaningful ways throughout the year, such as offering our own talents in the classroom for a day and participating in the Halloween costume/potluck celebration. I am happy to know that my little guy is transitioning smoothly, as the teachers welcome him warmly at drop off, and do a great job of communicating with me verbally about his day at pick up. Honest reports and photos of my guy's activities are sent each day over email. When he seems less than happy in the morning during his transition period from home to school, his teacher alway lets me know that he has been comforted and lets me know how the rest of his day is going. I am so happy that we are fortunate enough to have a preschool of this caliber in Bayside!
<Natasha Racic, a parent of 2.5yrs old>
My sons attended the after school program. It was a very cozy space with natural toys and teaching materials. And teachers were fantastic! They were nice and they gave them very creative classes. Especially art classes were wonderful. My children learned various method, of course, with a lot of fun! They were looking forward to going after school every day.
<Aska Konuki, a parent of 5yrs & 7yrs old>
Our son started his first preschool program at Little Atelier in December 2016.
Our son has a very hard time transitioning. However, the caring teachers at Little Atelier
consistently provided a level of care and compassion that has made his transition easier.
The teachers are warm and welcoming, and the facility’s environment feels
more like a family house than a preschool.
He worked on amazing art projects and explore different kinds of play throughout the year.
We would recommend Little Atelier to anyone who is looking for a nurturing and great learning environment.
<Angel Chin, a parent of 4yrs old>
We were looking for a safe, loving, professional, respectful, stimulating nursery and preschool for our precious daughter. What we found was all that and more in Little Atelier.
I can' t speak more highly of Mrs. So yeon. She is a talented teacher that teaches with love, creativity and care.
We felt like our daughter was more than taken care of and was developing a love for learning that would be a
foundational springboard for her future years. It has truly set the bar for her future schooling.
We are so happy that we found Little Atelier and Ms. So yeon!
From the heart!!
Be well.
Marie Fulgham (a parent of 4yrs old)
My granddaughter attended Little Atelier when it first opened and from the moment we stepped into the school,
I felt it was a magical place. More importantly, Kate found it magical and loved every moment she spent there.
She was always treated with kindness and respect by the staff.
The teachers have a real desire to understand each child and to get to know them well.
At Little Atelier, there were always interesting and creative activities to engage the children.
More importantly, though, Kate learned empathy, how to get along with others, and to respect other's feelings and wishes.
I could go on and on - it was a very sad day when Kate left Little Atelier.
She will have so many happy memories of her first school experience to look back on.
<Vivian Sicherman , a grandparent of 4yrs old>