For seven years, Lenka Fořtová dreamed of opening her own preschool. On Sept. 1, it finally happened.

It seems as though the city has seen a number of new preschools open this year, but Fořtová claims hers, FlowerGarten, is the only English-immersion school available in Zbraslav and surrounding neighborhoods.

"I spent three nights on the Internet and knew it was exactly what I wanted," Fořtová said, explaining how she managed to open a brand-new school in just a couple of weeks.

"It was crazy. It was hectic," she recalled of those harried days in mid-August.

Somehow, though, she pulled it off. Walking into the cozy two-story house along a tree-lined street in Prague 5, it is hard to imagine the building was sitting vacant just a short time ago.

FlowerGarten is now up to 10 students. And there is room for 10 more, Fořtová said. After-school programs are also offered until 5 p.m. and are open to children of all ages. There are currently 25 children who participate in these afternoon activities. Each month, the kids are also taken on a field trip.

Fořtová, a mother of five, spent 14 years as a professional language translator for various law firms around Prague before switching careers. She still manages to take translating jobs on a freelance basis.

Fořtová said she knows how important it is to be bilingual these days and made sure all her own children were taught English from an early age. Fořtová was so dedicated to the success of FlowerGarten that she moved her family into the flat above the school, shortly after it opened.

Every month at FlowerGarten, there is a new theme. This month, it's "Animals." Next month, it's "Winter Fun."

This teaching structure seems to be working out quite nicely.

"Kids are hearing English all the time," Jeschien pointed out. "They are starting to really develop their conversation skills. We want the social structure to be there."

Jeschien described how one little boy spent weeks refusing to speak. He would come to school everyday and sit quietly by himself.

"He didn't want to do anything," Jeschien recalled. "He didn't want to be here." But, then, something changed. Jeschien says she and the other teachers turned around one day and found that same boy sitting on the carpet surrounded by a bunch of other kids. He was teaching them, Jeschien said.

"They learn so fast," Jeschien added. "We kind of cater to each child. We try not to pressure them."

Children begin arriving around 8 a.m. Different play stations are set up to ease them into the day.

"We want them to be drawn here — not drawn to Mom," Jeschien said.

Circle time follows, with show-and-tell and songs. The children then sit down for morning tea and snacks before heading off to do some project work.

"Every day we trace something," Jeschien said. "We really work on the brain development of the whole child and not just the English."

Lunchtime is around noon, followed by a nap for those students who stay through the afternoon.