MISSION & PHILOSOPHY

Our Mission

Foster a vibrant and innovative learning community where child-focused exploration, creativity and collaboration inspire the curriculum. We provide excellent quality, developmentally appropriate education and care for young children in partnership with parents, and the community.

Reggio Philosophy (blended with an educational curriculum for phonics & math)

In recent years, a learning approach employed by preschools in the city of Reggio Emilia, Italy has captured the attention of educators from many countries. These schools have been held in high regard internationally, and were cited by Newsweek as one of “The Ten Best Schools In The World”. Looking at the approach more closely, educators learned that this approach is an elegant blend of many complementary theories about child development and learning theory. One can see the influence of progressive education, Piaget’s theories about a child’s construction of knowledge, Vygotsy’s theories of social constructivism, Howard Gardners’ theory of Multiple Intelligences, etc. Early childhood educators have held many of these theories, if not all, in high regard for many years. The foundation of the Reggio Approach is rooted in sound theory and research.

The Reggio Approach places importance on the relationships between the children, with the family and with the teachers “with the environment of the school, with the community, and with the wider society” (Gandini, 1993). It is a philosophy of early education that emphasizes documentation, emergent curriculum, community collaboration, the environment and respect for a child’s pace of learning.

Reggio Principles

The Image of the Child - Adults see children as competent, full of potential and active in constructing their own knowledge through interactions with others. Adults try to understand as fully as possible the child’s point of view and abilities (the child’s “culture”).

Symbolic Representation - The Reggio Emilia approach can be seen as an extension of the “whole Language” approach as well as an entire array of creative media that are considered as “other languages”. It is a way of using children’s many ways of expressing themselves to enhance their creative, social and cognitive development.

The Role of the Environment - Through conscious use of space, color, natural light, displays of children’s work, and attention to nature and detail, the environment serves as another teacher. The environment serves as an initiation to enter and participate.

The Role of the Teacher - Teachers facilitate children’s ability to represent what they know and imagine. Teachers mediate between children’s current understanding and what they are on the threshold of understanding.

The Importance of Time - In Reggio schools, time is not set by the clock, but by the child’s needs and interests. There should be sufficient time for a child to express, learn, explore, extend and revisit a given project.

The Role of the Parents - The education process involves three equally important participants: children, teachers and parents. The schools welcome parent involvement in a wide range of ways. The ideas and skills that the parents bring to the school and, even more important, the exchange of ideas between parents and teachers, favor the development of a new way of educating.