Little Bruins Preschool, a Belmont early education program, will open its doors to Nashville on Monday.
The early learning center on Belmont’s campus serves 3 to 5-year-old students with a preschool education and extends Belmont’s university mission to a new audience.
Little Bruins Preschool is a space for children of Belmont faculty, but it’s open to children in the nearby area and students through the Store.
“Part of our mission at Belmont University is to grow diverse leaders of character, purpose, wisdom and transformational spirit,” said College of Education dean Jim McIntyre. “We’ve been doing that with 18, 19 and 20-year-olds, and we think we can do that with 3 to 5-year-olds as well.
The preschool sits on 12th South in the building that was formerly the Innovation Center.
The space will also be an educational location for those in the College of Education to get real-world application for what they learn in the classroom.
“I think it’s really important, and it provides opportunities for our students to have real-world experiences to be part of it in the long term,” said McIntyre.
With the option to gain practicum hours or serve as a teaching assistant, students in the College of Education can directly apply opportunities from Little Bruins Preschool to their classes and classwork.
The opportunities are appealing to some students.
“I don’t have a car, so it’s really exciting for me to have something that’s walking distance. It’s a good way to get hands-on experience, whether that’s as an aid or as an observer in the classroom,” said junior elementary education major Faith Anderson.
As an academic resource, the preschool is working towards Belmont’s mission through its integration of faith-based learning for a new generation of Bruins.
Little Bruins Preschool director Lynn Applin said she aims to prioritize the formation of Christian faith as an everyday part of the curriculum.
“This is really the cornerstone of our curriculum. It’s really helping the children understand that God is always with them... We really want them to understand that peace and grow in their relationship with him,” said Applin.
Combining joy in the students’ educational and spiritual lives is a focus for the teaching staff at the school.
“In my experience at Belmont, I was very grateful that it was a faith-based experience,” said Little Bruins Preschool assistant teacher Evabeth Ellis, a Belmont alum. “It’s really interesting to be on the flip side of getting to work with children and instill in them a love of Christ.”
Through approaching education holistically and engaging different learning styles, the preschool’s staff hopes to nurture all aspects of their students in the program.
“I hope to be able to share my love of Jesus with them and to help create, along with their parents, of course, a love for learning that will last a lifetime,” said Little Bruins Preschool lead teacher Bethani Thornton.
The general academic year for the school runs from August to May and classes will be from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on weekdays. The program also includes care options before and after classes.
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This article was written by Ria Skyer.