Locations
Horsh Beirut
The largest public park in the city of Beirut, it is run by the Municipality and open to the public from sunrise to sunset.
Baabda Forest
The nearest wild forest to Beirut, it is categorized as a Key Biodiversity Area with a great variety of fauna and flora.
Winter Location
As most of our children live in Beirut, we believe in engaging in an interactive and exploratory way with the city, and exposing our children to its cultural and social history.
Our winter locations give us the opportunity to do so.
We frequent our winter location on days when the weather is not safe for us to be outside.
Some of our winter locations have been: Sunflower Theater, Mansion, and Majal Studio.
Schedule
Monday to Wednesday: Baabda Forest, 8.30 am to 2.30 pm
Thursday: Horsh Beirut, 8.30 am to 2.00 pm
Friday: Horsh Beirut, 8.30 am to 12.00 noon
Logistics
Naps
Children who need to, can take a nap on hammocks hung on trees after lunch.
Toilet
Children who join Horshna are already potty trained. We go to the toilet in nature, and for kids who need them, two portable potties are set up at our home base. We dispose of waste in an environmentally friendly way.
Rain Shelter
When it rains, we put a tarp over our mat, we wear our rainproof clothes and boots, and we enjoy the rain and muddy puddles.If it is not safe for us to be outside, we spend time in our winter location.
Safety
Our high adult-to-child ratio of 1:5 means that we are able to always have eyes on our children to maintain their safety.
Staying within our eyesight is established as a core agreement with the children in a firm and loving way. We build a relationship of trust and collaboration with the children that helps us uphold our communal agreements.
Transition to School
Preparation for the School Curriculum
We implement an emergent approach to the curriculum.
Language, arts, and math are integral in our program. They are very important tools that support our children’s inquiry and social interactions. Rather than following predetermined lesson plans, we observe our children’s readiness and listen to their interests and curiosities; and then we design activities and projects based on those interests.
Science and social studies are the driving disciplines of our exploration as they emerge from the children’s play.
Games, storytelling, song, reading, journaling, projects, and plays are all core contexts that we use to hone our children’s social and academic development.
Horshna’s little graduates have entered 1st grade successfully in schools such as Ahlieh, College Protestant, Montessori Beirut, and Lebanese Montessori School in Dawhet El Hoss.
Preparation for the Classroom Environment
In the forest program, the children develop their communication skills, motor skills, and critical thinking. We work on preparing them to transition to mainstream schooling by the second half of their last year with us:
- We build their excitement.
- We further develop the skills they need.
- We communicate with their prospective schools.
- We acknowledge and discuss their thoughts about school.
- We draw on their siblings’ experiences and help them understand it in a positive manner.