This program places emphasis on fostering self-identity, forming respectful relationships, collaborative learning experiences, play, discovery, investigation, social learning, building relationships, and fostering creativity and art making within the context of projects and experiences that promotes hands on explorations. Our curriculum is based on standards established for measuring academic success but our belief is that play and STEM thinking should be an integral part of the learning process. Research indicates that children in direct instruction environments show dependency on adults evidence less pride in accomplishments, inhibit creativity and foster superficial learning rather than promote real understanding and problem solving skills. STEM Thinking is the foundation of children’s learning about their world. At a young age, children need time and encouragement to explore, investigate and learn in natural ways. Aligned with science, we integrate mathematics, technology and engineering activities as a general focus of the curriculum. This foundation of STEM encourages connections with the STEM fields and a belief that children are confident and able to pursue their own ideas in learning. Project work will also be a focus as children explore and pursue their own questions through the use of projects and using the arts as an expression of their learning process. Our teachers support children in developing these concepts through guided questions, facilitating structured thinking and providing information and opportunities to acquire new knowledge. Teachers make a difference in our hands-on, play based environments by elaborating and enhancing learning experiences and inviting children to engage in their learning process by revisiting experiences though creative projects, and documentation boards. Our individualized programs also offer preschoolers that opportunity to have a strong foundation in literacy and writing, languages and many other learning domains.
