Our heartfelt thanks to you for nominating us for Parentmap’s Golden Teddy! We are proud to announce that Sponge is nominated for the following categories under Camps+Classes:
Voting for Round 2 starts today, April 24, and runs through April 30. We have a week to show our love for Sponge classes, so vote now!
We’re enrolling now for our Summer 2017 session!
Classes run from June 27 -August 27. We have a full schedule with weekday and weekend options in Seattle and Kirkland!
REGISTER FOR SUMMER AT SPONGE CENTERS
Our Spring Session runs through June 18, and it’s a great way to trial class and get a jumpstart on Summer learning.
Looking for something more fun and intensive? Check out our summer camps!
It’s that time of the year again! ParentMap Golden Teddy Awards are here again, and we hope you support Sponge by nominating us in the following categories under Camps+Classes this year:
Sponge is a Golden Teddy finalist/winner for six years in a row!
2016 – Finalist (infant & Toddler classes, After school enrichment)
2015 – Finalist (After school enrichment)
2014 – Winner (After school), Finalist (Infant & Toddler classes)
2013 – Finalist (Infant & Toddler classes)
2012 – Winner (Infant & Toddler classes)
2011 – Finalist (Infant & Toddler classes)
Along with showing your support, you’ll be entered to win over $1,000 in prizes, including a family getaway to Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort and Semiahmoo Resort, Golf + Spa. Round 1 (Nominations) run from April 6 to 16, and Round 2 (Finalist Voting) will be from April 24 to 30. Visit www.parentmap.com/golden-teddy to cast your vote!
A Big Teddy Hug from us for your support!
Are you an educator who shares our passion for language and culture? Are you constantly looking for ways to engage students in effective and meaningful language learning activities? If you answered yes, then we have the perfect event for you!
Sponge, in partnership with the Confucius Institute and the Washington Association for Language Teaching, is proud to offer a 3-hour Workshop for Language Teachers on 10 May 2017 (5pm-8pm) at Medina Elementary School.
Dr. Helena Curtain, an internationally known expert on second language teaching methodology, curriculum development, and bilingual immersion education, will help language educators examine effective activities and strategies in language teaching.
Up your language game and sign up now!
Exploring the world through language is just one click away! Build your child’s communication skills, and nurture their love for language and culture through our Online Language Classes starting this April 3, 2017.
Designed for elementary age kids, our weekly 30-min instructor-led online classes offer an interactive and immersive environment for language learning. We’re offering 10 weeks of classes in Spanish, Mandarin, French and Japanese for the following age groups and levels:
Using the same engaging and research-driven curriculum in our Center and Elementary School Programs, we hope to share our passion for language and culture to children and their families across the country!
Soon we’ll be able to bring language classes to your home! Sponge Online Classes are now in their Beta phase, and we’re looking for students ages 5-10 years old to be part of the Free Beta Class Test in Spanish, Mandarin, Japanese and French.
Registration is now open, and you can sign up here!
We offer the following classes:
Please note that only 3 slots are available for each class, so please sign up as soon as possible if you are interested.
Important notes related to the online beta program:
Thanks and we look forward to seeing you in class soon!
Cantonese classes are now open for registration in our Mt. Baker Center! We are offering Child-Caregiver and Just Kids Cantonese classes every Wednesday afternoon starting this Spring session (6 February – 18 June 2017).
Cantonese is Hong Kong’s primary language and it is spoken in nearby Chinese provinces. It is also one of the major varieties of Chinese spoken amongst overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and Cambodia). Be part of the pioneer class and sign up now!
Thinking of starting your child on a second language? Watch our web seminar for an in-depth look at the many ins and outs of learning a foreign language!
KEY TOPICS:
PRESENTERS
Sue Brooks (Guest Speaker): Sue is an educator with a huge commitment to dual language learning. A trilingual speaker and a PhD candidate, she ran a Mandarin/English school in Shanghai for 9 years before moving back to the US in 2016.
Erica Titus (Sponge): Erica leads curriculum development at Sponge. A heritage French speaker with a Master’s degree in French Language Teaching, she is an experienced language teacher and passionate about language education.
Sponge is proud to partner with one of the most innovative businesses in Seattle, 6Crickets.com, your one-stop-shop for camps and classes for kids.
Our language immersion classes in our Centers in Mt. Baker, Kirkland, Lynnwood and some of our enrichment classes we hold in partner elementary schools, are featured in their website. Watch this segment from King 5 Evening News‘ Start It Innovation Special, showing one of our Spanish language immersion classes in action.
Curriculum now in use across 4 elementary schools to teach 2000 students
Sponge is pleased to announce that it has been chosen by Mercer Island School District (MISD) to provide Spanish language curriculum for use across all MISD elementary schools as part of the district’s new World Languages Program.
Well-known for being innovative and ahead of the curve, MISD’s elementary school World Languages Program has been in the works for several years and received an overwhelming 90% support in a December 2014 community survey. It was formally approved by the district board earlier this year and officially launched in the 2016-17 academic year across all Mercer Island elementary schools.
“When we set out to find resources to support our elementary Spanish program we wanted materials that offered structure to help guide our teachers and flexibility to let them create. The unit themes, pacing, and games offered by Sponge have made it the perfect fit for our model”, said Fred Rundle, Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services, Mercer Island School District.
Sponge’s in-house curriculum is based on current research and an immersion approach with emphasis on learning and communication via games, songs, and drama. To meet MISD requirements, Sponge enhanced it by creating flexible weekly lesson plans, adding new elements such as activity sheets, self-assessment capabilities, and stronger alignment with American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages. MISD solicited and evaluated several provider proposals from across the US and ultimately judged Sponge to be the provider best able to meet its needs.
As part of the Sponge-MISD agreement, Sponge is:
Sponge has already begun using its learnings from the MISD collaboration by incorporating elements of its refined approach into classes at its centers and enrichment programs at other elementary schools in the greater Seattle area.