The Early Learning Institute

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I have been bringing my grandson to TELI for the past few months. His parents and I were looking for a fun place where he could interact and play with other children. Miss Melanie gives each child individual attention during the session and knows each child's and caregiver's name. My grandson has been learning how to behave in the group (follow directions, share, take turns) and obviously enjoys his time there. Miss Melanie is kind, thoughtful, and well prepared for each session. His experiences at TELI have spilled over at library story times where he is now more attentive and better able to follow the librarian's directions. I would recommend this program to any parent.

When my wife and I were looking for somewhere to get services for our son and daughter we found TELI and I can't say enough about the professionalism and services that my son and daughter received here! After attending Social Butterflies with Melanie, my son started speaking more than we ever thought he would! Our daughter was born premature and she had significant issues but after she started to get services from TELI she is now running and playing just like any other "normal" child. Melanie and Debbie are miracle workers, and without them our children would never progress the way they are.

I attended social butterflies with my oldest daughter and would highly reccomend it to any parent. Miss Melanie is a fabulous teacher and made my daughter feel very comfortable. She is four now and still talks about Miss Melanie and sings songs she learned in that program. I only wish it still started at 945 so I would be able to bring my other two children. We love Miss Melanie!

I am a grandmother who attends with my daughter and her twins @ TELI's Social Butterflies program. I have 4 children of my own, 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. I have nothing but praise for this program run by Miss Melanie through TELI. During the time that I have been attending (almost 2 years now) Miss Melanie has always welcomed new children and their parents or other care-giver, she encourages the children to participate in all of the activities - but doesn't push anybody and understands that children come around on their own time and in their own ways. She is always available to lend a helping hand if somebody is having a particularly hard time and is quick to step up and help a parent that attends with more than one child whether they are a set of twins or an older child and younger sibling. Miss Melanie allows the children to explore on their own and then draws everybody into the group and encourages the children to use all of their developmental abilities. I have witnessed parents be amazed at how their children have grown through this program and I have witnessed the children progress and grow into their own abilities. Miss Melanie also encourages and welcomes all the adults whether they are the parent (moms and dads), the grandparent, an Aunt or babysitter - everybody is made to feel welcomed and a part of the group and an integral part in that child's life! I know my grandchildren have greatly benefitted from this program and love Miss Melanie. It would be wonderful if every child had an opportunity to participate this class!

We have been bringing our twins to the Social Butterflies program @ TELI since they turned 2. We were just looking for a program to introduce them to other children since we didn't have any other young children in our extended family or friends - we got a whole lot more! We met a caring and professional developmentalist who leads the Social Butterflies with so much enthusiasm and an inclusive way of getting the children comfortable in most of theirs first experience with a classroom setting. We have made friends with the other families who participate in this group. Our twins have blossomed and really look forward to the "routine" of this exceptionally fun and creative way of learning!



The building offers a safe environment for everybody. You have to be "buzzed" into the locked front door and there is always a staff member at the reception area ready to greet us and offer a friendly and welcoming hello! The "tools" and toys used in this program are in like new condition with just normal wear from everyday use from toddlers and are all age appropriate. The children are exposed to many different items that engage all of their senses. If there has ever been a developmental issue a parent wants to have addressed - I have personally witnessed the develpmentalist chatting with the parent/care-giver one on one after the class. Nobody is every made to feel like their child cannot accomplish the goals of toddlerhoood!



The developmentalist we have been privileged to have working with our group is Miss Melanie. Not only does she include everybody in the activities of the day, she knows all of the children's and parent's names by the end of the very first class! Not a small task to accomplish with 12 children and as many adults! Miss Melanie also communicates via email and telephone when appropriate to remind us of special events (parties) or cancellations (due to snow). Miss Melanie is always on top of the schedule and if something happens out of the ordinary - we are always given the option to attend another SB class and our class is always rescheduled so nobody looses any value in the money they have paid to attend.



Our twins will age out of this program by the end of summer and I can truly say we have gained much more than we have given to this program and we will truly miss Miss Melanie and her wonderful way of working with us. We know this is her job, but you could never tell that with the way she intereacts with everybody and how she puts so much personal attention in everything that she does!



If you are looking for an introductory program to expose your child to a fun, safe and caring school environment you would spend your time well to check out the Social Butterflies program at TELI!

Social Butterflies is a wonderful program and we love Miss Melanie! I started taking my older son to Social Butterflies when he was about 2 1/2 years old and and he is now going to be 4 and we also started taking my younger son who is now 2 and they both love this program so much. It has made such a difference in both of my kids lives. They get so excited when they know it is time to go to Social Butterflies and love making the crafts and dancing and singing. Miss Melanie is wonderful and is so patient with the kids. At first my son did not want to interact with the kids or Miss Melanie at all but after he started going a few times and with the help of Miss Melanie he opened up and now cannot wait to go. We loved the program so much that when it was time for us to choose a preschool we knew that it definitely was going to be TELI. He loves the preschool and we love all of the teachers and staff there. TELI and Social Butterflies are a wonderful school and program!

The preschool is great and so are the programs they have to offer like social butterflies, where Melanie takes the time to work the room and spend time with each child all during running the class. Never forgets a parent or childs name and what special issues they might have.

We love Social Butterflies! We have been going to Miss Melanie's class for over a year now and plan to keep going until my daughter enters PreSchool.



When we first started, my daughter was only about 20 months old. She didn't participate a lot, but preferred to play with other toys and 'do her own thing' while watching and 'learning' what was going on. And just when I didn't really think she was paying attention to the class at all...I would hear her singing one of the songs when we got back home!



Although I always felt bad that she was not participating in the class, Miss Melanie didn't mind at all. She knows that kids that age love to have fun things to do, but also that they want/need to do things on their own terms. Eventually, without any of us forcing her, she started to play along. Now, a year later, she loves to sing the songs and do the dances that she spent so much time observing and learning.



And that is what is great about Social Butterflies. Kids have the opportunity to interact and play, yet the freedom to just be a kid without the many pressures that will be placed on them in the (unfortunately) not-too-distant future.



This is a GREAT program!

My son loves TELI and Miss Melanie! His occupational therapist suggested he attend and it has been great. He is learning how to play and learn in a social environment with other children his age. It has only been 4 months and I can see such an improvement in how he interacts and the activities in class are easily transferable to home as well which allows for even more learning.

I have been bringing my daughter to this class for over a year and NEVER have we had a bad experience with Miss Melanie OR Teli.



We did have an experience with a new member that brought her very ill child in, that was asked very nicely to please take her vomiting child home, and got very angry at the teacher. (Her daughter was vomiting into a ziplock bag...and she then allowed the child to sit next to other children and play) We actually had some regular people leave because of fear of their children getting sick, which my child did a few days later. So thank you to that mom for that.



BUT that has been the ONLY instance in over a year of attending these classes. And it was no fault of Miss Melanie OR Teli. They are both fantastic.



The class is full of fun, laughter and play at all times. My daughter can't get enough of it. Miss Melanie is always enthuastic and smiling. You can tell that teaching this class brings her joy and happiness.



HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.

TELI and the Social Butterfly class with Miss Melanie is wonderful.



I would highly recommend this class to anyone looking to promote socalization with other children and parents, and anyone looking to teach their children at an early age.

Miss Melanie is a perfect fit for this class and I honeslty can't imagine having anyone else teach it. She knows each child and parent by name, welcoming us each week with a big smile.



Being a new parent I was so grateful for this class not only for my daughter, but for myself as well. It gets us out of the house to meet other parents and it allows our children to become great friends. I feel like Miss Melanie's class is our other family.



I highly recommend this class to anyone!! It is great!

After reading the negative review about TELI and the Social Butterfly class, I was absoutely shocked. It is completely NOT true AT ALL. It was obviously written by someone (and we know who it was) who has NO idea what TELI is about or who Miss Melanie even is.



Seriously.



My daughter has been attending these classes for over a year and I can not begin to express to anyone that is looking at these classes how WONDERFUL Miss Melanie is and what she has done for my daughter.

My daughter asks me on a daily basis when she gets to go back to school to see Miss Melanie and all her friends. Miss Melanie is a FANTASTIC teacher and I can't recommend her enough. She teaches songs that my daughter sings at home, the children play with instruments, they dance and march, they have craft time and enjoy snacks while they hear a story. They also play in the school's gym with all kinds of equipment and a parachute.



I have nothing but wonderful things to say abotu this class because it is WONDERFUL!. I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone that is looking to have their children socialize and to begin to learn at an early age.



Miss Melanie has a huge heart and is a fantastic teacher. And I will say it again, I can't recommend this program enough. I wish there were more than 5 stars to rate this program...I would give it 10.

My young daughter has a genetic disorder and when I wanted to provide some socialization for her, we found Social Butterflies. We have been going for months and through multiple sessions, as have many othe families. My daughter has opened up, learned new words and enjoyed the consistent routine. "Miss Melanie" does a great job with my daughter and with all of the children in the class!

The Early Learning Institute (TELI) advertises itself as place to help not only normally developing children, but one with disabilities. I was informed that their social butterflies program would be good for my son with autism as they have a "developmentalist" who leads the class. I was also told by my wrap around agency that CCBHO (the agency which head behavior services) that I could not take my son's TSS to the program because TELI has their own developmentist and in essence it would be like paying two people the (TSS and the developmentalist at TELI) to do the same job. So I went to TELI with my autistic son who is almost 3 to find that the developmentalist completely ignored him. She never prompted him once to do anything. She never gave me any instructions and expected me to figure it out on my own. And ontop she keep opening the door to class which allowed my son to keep running out. In fact the main doors to building were wide open to the street!!!! Completely irresponsibly and lacking in understanding of someone with autism!!! Clearly TELI is falsely advertising about their programs or their developmentalist is not qualified. I was disappointed and also do not understand how they are also allowed to provide services for Early Intervention in Allegheny County.