The School for Children offers a curriculum that is compliant with the content requirements of the national K-12 program. These are the minimum levels of required instructional goals /objectives, curriculum areas (subject areas) for the regular preschool, elementary and secondary education program that are prescribed for the Philippine educational system. Department of Education also prescribes a class program with a required number of hours per day or per week for each subject area. The COLF program exceeds the required number of hours per week for Language Arts (both English and Filipino), for Mathematics and Science.

However, as a private school, COLF has the freedom to: 1) innovate in the approaches, strategies used to implement the educational program and design the curriculum; 2) expand the program goals beyond the coverage of the Minimum Learning Competencies or to choose to emphasize certain curriculum areas.

The COLF educational program prepares students of the regular educational program (i.e. students who are not in the special education program) to succeed in taking national tests and entrance exams to traditional schools. Over the years, most of the graduates of the School for Children have been admitted for admissions to other elementary schools, high schools and colleges or universities. However, there may also be children who do not succeed in the entrance exams for other schools of their choice. There are many factors that account for this and ultimately the individual abilities and current conditions of the child make the difference combined with the foundation that they receive in elementary school.

Children in the special education program require other possibilities/options:

The curriculum is organized in two ways:

  • Traditionally, according to subject areas e.g. Mathematics, Science, Language Arts (English and Filipino), Social Studies (Sibika at Kultura for Grades 1 to 3, Heograpiya, Kasaysayan at Sibika for Grades 4 to 7, History and Government, Economics for the Secondary Education Program), Physical Education and Health Education.
  • Through integrated units of study – “theme studies” or the core curriculum with units of study in Social Studies as the unifying central point of the curriculum.

Integration of the curriculum in this manner is advantageous because:

  1. it allows many more opportunities to expand the knowledge or information base in greater depths and in a broader way;
  2. it compels children to apply the information and skills learned across the subject matter or curriculum areas in a focused way;
  3. it provides students with a tool for synthesizing the knowledge (facts, information, concepts) learned across curriculum areas in ways that are interesting and relevant . The expansion, application and synthesis o knowledge and skills are critical to effective teaching and learning. The involvement of children as active learners makes a significant difference in the teaching-learning processes.
   

Know more about COLF’s curriculum: