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Philosophy

"The fact is that people are good. Give people affection and security, and they will give affection and be secure in their feelings and their behavior."

-Abraham Maslow

Our teaching philosophy is rooted in reflective process with a solid understanding of child development. Teachers meet weekly to reflect on how children are engaging at preschool and in their social group(s).

Every child is unique and we are engaged in learning about how we can support each child as we move through our year.

Our approach is inspired by play-based and progressive methodologies.

We place high value on freedom of the child to explore and play through most of their day.

We also incorporate democracy in the classroom, a progressive influence, supporting each child within the context of the group as an equal and valued voice.

We value the importance of early attachment and connected relationships for young children. Our work is also informed by two similar parenting methods, Parent Effectiveness Training and Hand in Hand Parenting.

Both methods emphasize the importance of respect for, and trust in, the child’s emotional process, while helping children solve their own problems. We are a non-punitive program.

Our teachers are trained with careful attention to how best to support children in emotional moments; and to facilitate problem solving while holding important safety limits.

There are also opportunities for parent education to learn more about these methods throughout the school year.

Our ongoing reflective conversations and our documentation of children’s experiences and words are Reggio-inspired, as are the individual updates and e-mailed narratives that are part of the parent conferences.

Although we have some Montessori influences, our activities do not have the restrictive nature of many of the activities in that method.

Do you want to know more? Watch Heather's keynote speech to early education students about forming supportive relationships with young children.