Preschool Philosophy

Our preschool philosophy is inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach and the Suzuki Method. Our goal is to help each child grow and learn in all areas of human experience as it fosters cooperation, caring, confidence, action, intellect, knowledge, and inherent motivation.

Every child has potential and is worthy of respect.

Children thrive in a nurturing, supportive, loving environment with adults who care deeply for the child.

Every child has ideas that are valuable and meaningful.

Their ideas, imaginations, and curiosities are a springboard for further investigation. Our environment evolves as children’s ideas are accepted and explored—fostering critical, creative, and independent thinking. When children have the opportunity to express their own ideas, they invent their own challenges, learn to consider possibilities, express feelings and begin to define themselves.

We believe the process of learning and discovery is as interesting and worthwhile as the end result.

We cherish the journey as much as the final destination.

As the children learn, we, as teachers, learn too.

Teaching is about being curious about the concerns of children—their thoughts, fears, dreams and plans. It is trying to imagine the world through the eyes of a four-year-old to help them make sense of experiences. Good teaching wonders, “How does an idea lead to a new question?” It is about what is meaningful work for a child. It is not searching for a right answer. A right answer is a dead end.

When I speak of “teaching,” I do not necessarily mean school teaching. By “teacher” I mean someone who engages learners, who seeks to involve each person wholly—mind, sense of self, sense of humor, range of interests, interactions with other people—in learning.

—Eleanor Duckworth, author, The Having of Wonderful Ideas.

We embrace this commitment statement to children and families, created by Louise Derman-Sparks and Julie Olsen Edwards for the anti-bias edition of Child Care Exchange

All Children Belong Here: This is Our Promise to You
• We will build an open, safe, and mutually respectful school community in which each child and each family is an important and equal member.
• We will never allow differences of any kind to be an excuse to make fun of, exclude, or hurt you.
• We will listen carefully and lovingly to what worries you and give you thoughtful, age-appropriate information and support.
• We will nurture you to feel strong and proud about yourself and your family.
• We will facilitate your skills to be friends with classmates who are alike and different from you.
• We will honor your family’s importance to you by building respectful partnerships with them.
• We will provide support to you and your family when they feel stress, anxiety, or fear because of current events or acts of prejudice or hate.
• We will learn about and help your family use legal and community resources to keep you safe.
• We will work to uproot our own personal biases as adults and will speak out against prejudice and bias wherever we encounter it.
• We will mobilize our courage and become active with others to resist and change any policies and practices that threaten to hurt you or your family.
We are in this together — working for a world where every child is protected and honored, exactly as they are.