2. BELIEFS AND VALUES
Jean Piaget once said “The principle goal of education is to create
men who are capable of doing new things, not simply of repeating what
other generations have done-men who are creative, inventive and
discoverers.” This quote no longer applies to just men, but to women as
well. Children need love, support, dedication and interest. They grow at a
phenomenal speed and make astounding discoveries in their communities
and environments. By supporting the children's imaginations and
discoveries, we are indeed preparing these wonderful children for a future.
Their futures. To present as Piaget defined as people "who are creative,
inventive and discoverers" we must first support the children as they are and
encourage them to grow into people they want to be.
Our facility believes in families. They play the most important role
in each child's education. Our goal is to support families. Each child is
unique and diverse. Every child deserves respect and support in their
development. The program will not hinder their growth and goals, but
challenge them to accomplish their dreams and discover answers to their
questions. By working with families, we become a team to make sure that
each child is supported with love, encouragement, respect and trust.
Children's development and learning should be encouraged. Despite the
experience and education that every educator has, we learn something new
every day. Children should be given the same opportunity. By
understanding their development and being a part of their new experiences,
we cherish the time that we have with them during the first years of their life
by providing positive growth and encouraging exploration. After all, the sky
is no longer the limit and education is never ending.
3. PROMOTING POSITIVE
RELATIONSHIPS
Identify individual needs, interests,
goals and area of development
Respect and support diverse
learning styles
Encourage open communication
with families and support the
relationship between each individual
child and their family
Celebrate diversity and respect
personal beliefs
4. EFFECTIVE TEACHING APPROACHES
Connect practices with NAEYC standards
Use assessment to evaluate development and guide curriculum
Keep up with research to structure program in order to further meet
children’s needs
Create a relationship with families and encourage teamwork to
support development
Encourage play in a safe and healthy environment
5. CREATING A NOURISHING
CLASSROOM CULTURE
Record observations daily and evaluate curriculum
on observations and assessment
Respect diversity and beliefs
Encourage children to ask questions and seek
answers
Identify each child’s needs and find ways to cater to
needs in the classroom
Encourage children to talk about their experiences
at home and in the community and incorporate their
understanding in the classroom
6. CURRICULUM
Created and based on the
information that assessment
and standards provides
Incorporate student interests
through observation, social
discussions and questions
Apply curriculum in seven
areas of learning: Language
Arts, math, science, music, art
s and crafts, physical
education and motor skill
development
7. ONGOING ASSESSMENTS
Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP)
Identifies development in seven domains
Gives educators an opportunity to gather information to facilitate further
development
Supports ongoing observation and assessment to collect in individual student
portfolios
Phonological Awareness
Aligns with state standards to prepare children for reading
Covers rhyme, syllables and phonemic awareness
8. FAMILY AND COMMUNITY
Invite families into the classroom
Encourage them to bring
activities and share their family
traditions
Communicate with families
through newsletters, daily
conversations, conferences and
parent boards
Participate in community
outreach through networking and
planned activities for other
children and families in the
community
9. NUTRITION AND HEALTH
Member of the Child & Adult Care
Food Program (CACFP) and
follow strict nutritional guidelines.
Proper hand washing techniques
and germ protection is frequent
and taught daily
Children participate in preparing
meals
At least 2 hours of structured and
unstructured physical play
10. SAFE AND HEALTHY PHYSICAL
ENVIRONMENT
Support social-emotional needs through positive
words
Tools are cleaned weekly and are age appropriate
Facility is kept neat and is cleaned frequently
Teachers constantly scan environment for unsafe
scenarios
11. RESOURCES AND REFERENCES
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/
http://www.wested.org/desiredresults/training/form_drdp.htm