C.U.B.S
(Cooperating, Understanding, Believing, Succeeding)

Our Kindergarten participates in the C.U.B.S program.
It is adapted from the S.M.A.R.T program.  We had to adapt our S.M.A.R.T program because of the number of teachers available during Kindergarten's specials/auxiliary time.


The SMART program (Stimulating Maturity through Accelerated Readiness
Training) applies brain stimulation techniques integrated into regular kindergarten curriculum in classroom, floor and playground areas in order to produce high levels of physiological readiness for early academic success in the primary grades. SMART gives the master teacher the opportunity to teach more because attention, acquisition, retention and production abilities are increased. The philosophy of SMART is that success or failure begins early and a strong program of readiness stimulation can boost substantial increases in the proportions of children who are ready to respond favorably to academic instruction in the foundational primary grades. The booster effect of SMART increases the effectiveness of whatever curriculum the teacher chooses to present enthusiastically and expertly. SMART is currently used successfully in more than 270 kindergarten classrooms nationwide.

S.M.A.R.T. (Stimulating Maturity through Accelerated Readiness Training) combines physical and learning activities to stimulate high levels of preacademic and early academic development among children (Farnham 2007). In the S.M.A.R.T. program, children complete 8–10 repetitions of an obstacle course, followed by 10–12 activity stations.

The 30-minute sessions are done every day and consist of activities designed to improve hand/eye coordination, distance acuity, fine motor skills, sequencing, left/right awareness, and spatial relations.

Spinning is an example of a S.M.A.R.T. activity that encourages body awareness. While it provides focused body movement, which often helps young children sit still for longer periods of time, spinning also has been shown to stimulate the same part of the brain stimulated by prescribed impulse-control medications. Daily spinning activity may lead to doctors rethinking medication dosages for some children (Farnham 2007).

SMART was developed by De. Lyelle Palmer, a professor in the Department of
Special Education at Winona State University in Winona, MN, who has spent three decades as a teacher and professor in Texas, Iowa, and Minnesota.
His ideas have been implemented in his home state as well as California, Georgia, and Colorado over the past 10 years, a time when instruction based on brain research has become increasingly popular.

Dr. Palmer explained how SMART aids the development of dendrites, axons and myelin critical for optimal brain function in young children. He talked about “vestibular” activities and “brain plasticity”.



For more information, please google:
S.M.A.R.T. (Stimulating Maturity through Accelerated Readiness Training)