BIG LEARNING: INSPIRING CURIOSITY
FOR OVER 40 YEARS
Big Learning before and after-school programs are designed to inspire, encourage and cultivate creativity, focus, persistence, communication, and collaboration – the skills children need to thrive and become the innovators and leaders of tomorrow.
We miss our students! Big Learning instructors can’t wait to meet new students and greet returning linguists and scientists! We are determined to provide your child with a warm, welcoming, fun, and educational experience even if it is over a high speed cable. We know families and kids may be struggling to live with each other in close proximity. We know many families are struggling to pay rent and buy food, and/or to work without childcare. We know many of you are tired or skeptical about virtual learning. Our goal is to be a safe space for your child where their accomplishments can be recognized and encouraged. To be a space where you can trust your child is in good hands while you focus on work, or dinner, or a sibling. To be a space where your child will learn a language or delve into science–things which are in short supply in the current school day.
To accomplish all of this, our teachers completed many hours of professional development during the summer. We tweaked our classroom activities to allow more time for discussion and dialogue by shifting one Science activity a week to a teacher demo that your child may do on their own during the week with materials we supply and by planning more time for FLES students to play games and practice speaking over Zoom and then complete a workbook page on their own during the week. And always, our students will show off their projects and assignments at the start of the next week’s class.
Our effort to make lemonade also includes expanded offerings in upper level language and tighter age bands in Science classes. One advantage of virtual classes is that we can draw students from all over rather than one school site so support more specialized groupings.
Big Learning provides high quality and affordable educational enrichment programs for children in Pre-K through 8th grade. Based in Montgomery County, MD, our programs focus on experiential and play-based learning, building excitement about knowledge that will last a lifetime. For over 40 years, Big Learning FLES and Science & Engineering programs have proudly enriched the lives of over 100,000 students in more than 80 schools across Montgomery County, MD.
Founded by the MCCPTA in 1975, Big Learning, Inc is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization. You can help make great enrichment a reality for thousands of kids. MCCPTA Educational Programs, provider of Big Learning programs, is a 501(c)(3) organization and gratefully accepts donations.