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Small-Group Projects

Our program provides large group, small group and individual activities with a mixture of teacher directed and child chosen activities. Instruction is based on children’s individual needs, interests, strengths and learning styles. Topics of study are theme based and based on the interests of the children as well. Our developmental appropriate activities and materials help the students make sense of the world around them through a playful, challenging and rewarding program.

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Child Assessment

To assess children’s development and growth, we use the creative curriculum “GOLD” Assessment. Assessment is an integral part of the program and guides the work we do with each child. Each lead teacher and much of the support staff have been trained and participate in ongoing training in the use and implementation of the Creative Curriculum. The purposes of assessment are 1) to identify the needs, interests, skills and abilities of the children enrolled. 2) to compare the developmental progress of the child to the Developmental Continuum ( Creative Curriculum) 3) to use the information gathered to share with the parents and to inform the curriculum and preparation of the learning environment.

As much as possible assessment information is gathered in a naturalistic (classroom) environment and on demand testing is reserved for limited usage. The assessment tool utilized is the Creative Curriculum Developmental Continuum(which assures continuity between classroom curriculum and assessment). Our Assessment process is multifaceted and includes: the individual Child Profile (checklist) and Child Progress and Planning Report, individual portfolio notebooks and journals hold sample work, photos and observations of each child; anecdotal records and other teacher created and Creative Curriculum assessment forms. The portfolios and journals are readily available in the classrooms for parents to view at any time. Anecdotal records, teacher notes and the Developmental Continuum forms are secured to protect the privacy of the family. These records are only available to the Teacher, Assistant Teacher, Director and parents. All assessment information is shared and discussed with parents during conferences in January and May when the family is offered the opportunity to also contribute comments and observations and individualized goals are established. Any parent interested in seeing copies of the Developmental continuum and Child Progress and Planning Report may do so by requesting a copy from the Director. If there are concerns about the form or technique used for Child Assessment please contact the Director. In the event of Special Needs Issues, modifications to the assessment techniques may be implemented in order to best meet the needs of the individual child.​

Let your child discover the art and joy of learning.
little girl reading

We believe in an inclusion program that integrates children with the disabilities and other challenges into the group of typically developing children. Individualized care and education is another goal. We believe that this will come about when we respect individual, family, and cultural values and beliefs by incorporating them into our daily routines to the extent possible. We individualize feeding, diapering, napping, and socialization. For an example, we will pay attention to the home feeding and sleeping approaches and rituals. We will find out the child’s favorite activities and the environmental characteristics at home, and we try to incorporate at least some of these into our center’s environment and routines, so the child feels consistency between home and the center. 

We help to ease transitions and turn them to positive experiences. Transitions include: separation from parent, separation from caregivers at the center, moving from inside play to outside and back, transitions to mealtime, going to sleep and waking up, and going home at the end of the day.

We believe in providing activities of all sorts, which will fall into two basic categories: 1. The essential activities of daily living (feeding, diapering, etc.) during which the primary and sometimes secondary caregivers are working one on one with the child and focused on building a secure relationship. These activities are considered vital to the learning process and are carried out by caregivers trained to be gentle, respectful, and responsive to involve the child so he or she learns to be cooperative from the beginning of life. 2. Experiences that respond to the child’s individual interest and involve the senses, as well as supporting self-help skills, problem-solving skills and motor development. These occur throughout every day and along with the essential activities of daily living which provides opportunities for children’s language development in the home language and in English if the home language is other than English.

Progress is monitored and documented throughout the year and includes written observations, checklist, as well as documentation through photographs and video. Information from parents (through forms and conferences) is also part of the data and documentation.

Our continued goal is to provide a nurturing, secure, consistent, and home-like environment for all the children in our program. Through the methods listed here within our philosophy statement, we hope to assure that these goals are met to foster the appropriate development of each and every wonderful child in our care.

Research and Literature Based Philosophy

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) sets forth standards for the early childhood profession and provides a guiding light to effective strategies for the classroom. Provision of developmentally and individually appropriate activities in the classroom create an environment where children can benefit and thrive. Additionally, as an institution of higher learning, we base much of our philosophy from Educational Theorist.

Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences emphasizes that different children learn through different modalities. In order to accommodate multiple learning styles, the classroom teacher is encouraged to use many different techniques to teach the children in their classroom group. Repetition of the concepts presented in different ways will engage the child in a way that uses their learning strengths.

Maslow’s Theory of the Hierarchy of Needs focuses attention on the importance of meeting the needs of the child so that they can then focus on learning task. The classroom teachers’ attention to individual needs creates a positive atmosphere that is conducive to learning.

Piaget places the young child in the sensory-motor and pre-conceptual stage of Cognitive Development. Multi-sensory experiences which result in the pleasant stimulation of the senses bear learning results. Children also need to move their bodies within a learning environment. The mind and body are connected in this holistic approach to learning. Movement is an integral part of the Early Childhood environment. During the pre-operational stage of development, the child is exploring their world and they begin to notice and classify objects according to one attribute at a time. They focus on what they see and are not yet able to apply logic in their everyday experiences. They need concrete encounters with real objects to understand their world.

Vygotsky focuses on their inter-relationship between social development and cognitive development. Recognizing the social component of learning from and with others, creates a classroom environment where each child and each adult in the environment is valued as an important component of the classroom. Children assist each other, assist the adults and adults assist the children. The classroom is alive with interaction.

Smilansky’s research draws a connection between socio-dramatic play in preschool years and the benefits to later cognitive, verbal and social skill development. Play creates an opportunity for children to develop skills and abilities that can then be applied in real life experiences.

(Adapted from the Creative Curriculum, Theory and Research Behind the Creative Curriculum, p.1-15)