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Our Programs Philosophy:
Playful Pals Preschool's philosophy is that children learn best in safe, inclusive, and nurturing environments with opportunities to explore, play, and be creative. We use developmentally appropriate practices in teaching social-emotional, cognitive, language and communication, creative arts, and physical and health developmental skills. Parents and family are a valuable part of students’ learning and are welcome to take part in their children’s education here at school. Our program aligns with NAEYC standards in the many areas that incorporate a high-quality early childhood learning program.
Relationships
Relationships are foundational in our program. The collaboration between school and home allows for healthy and happy learning experiences for children. In our program our educators create meaningful relationships with their students. These relationships support children as they develop their self-image and begin to understand their emotions, and they lay the groundwork for creating successful relationships at later ages. We want children and their families to feel welcome when they walk through the doors of Playful Pals Preschool, with engagement and acknowledgement of each students' strengths and success of accomplished tasks. Our goal is to build relationships with each individual student and help students grow and achieve their educational and developmental goals.
Curriculum
Playful Pals believes that high-quality early childhood education should be accessible to all children, regardless of their culture, ability, background, or socioeconomic status. We aim to provide services that support the needs of the children in our program and will revise federal and state accountability procedures to improve the quality and outcomes of inclusion (DEC/NAEYC, 2009, as cited in Gadzikowski, 2013). Our staff undergo curriculum planning training that prepares our educators with the knowledge and skills to include differentiation for students with special needs. The curriculum used is evidence-based, builds on prior knowledge, and engages and benefits all children (National Association for the Education of Young Children and National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education. (n.d.).
Teaching
We provide safe, nurturing, and inclusive environments and high-quality practices in how we engage, challenge, and encourage children each day. Education is not a ‘one-size fits all’. Students have different learning styles, interests, developmental skills and abilities. Our program uses developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate and effective teaching approaches that enhance each child’s learning and development (National Association for the Education of Young Children. (n.d.). Our educators us a combination of interest-based learning, large and small group teaching, explicit instruction, play based learning activities to meet every child's needs and learning abilities. Educators are knowledgeable on our state and federal standards to ensure they are meeting these requirements.
Assessment
Assessments are vital in early childhood programs and schools. Assessments are important in making decisions about what and how things are being taught, and the different learning styles children have or the need for differentiation, identifying significant concerns in individual children or the need for intervention, and helping programs improve their educational and developmental interventions (National Association for the Education of Young Children and National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education, n.d.). Our highly qualified staff use observation, developmental checklists, and portfolios to be shared and communicated with families. These methods are used as multiple sources of evidence that are gathered over time to get a better observation of the individual child. We strive to involve families in the shared power in making decisions that will benefit their child developmentally and academically. It is important that parents and families feel comfortable communicating their concerns and opinions with their student’s educator. Our program can ensure that each child and their family will be supported throughout their time in our program.
Health
Our program follows the policies and procedures in place for the safety and health of our children and staff. We strive to keep our children and our staff safe and healthy. Staff are CPR, First Aid and AED certified. Staff and children are expected to follow the programs hand washing procedures with or without assistance. Children also learn healthy habits throughout their time here at our program. Our rooms, materials, manipulatives and play equipment are routinely cleaned and sanitized each day. Our sick policy is in place to ensure that the spread of illness is decreased as much as possible. If a child is sick with a fever, diarrhea, or vomiting they must stay home for 24 hours. If a child gets sick at school, the parent will be notified immediately to plan for pick up. Staff, parents and children are notified at employment and enrollment and should be aware of our sick policies. Regarding children who have medical needs and require medications, staff will be trained on medication administration. Staff will never leave medications unattended, always wear gloves, and provide privacy if needed. Staff must follow the 5 R’s: Right child, Right medication, Right dose, Right time, Right route, and Right documentation. This ensures that staff are administering medications the right way. Medical action plans are in place and can be updated as needed.
Teacher Support
The plan starts with building relationships with teachers, where I can then better support their needs and identify the goals of the program. Educators employed to our program will have the education and knowledge on child development or early childhood education. In supporting our teachers, our program will have guides and resources that teachers can use, such as books, articles, videos, and websites. Having a stable workforce with educators who are well-trained and supported in their work is the key component of quality in an early childhood program. Early childhood programs are grounded in sound theoretical principles. Our teachers keep up and are knowledgeable about current research and best practices and are able to apply this knowledge to the program (Talan, April 4, 2016). With new teachers, a veteran teacher can be used as a mentor. Having new teachers observe their mentor and vice versa will allow feedback and collaboration, providing assistance and strategies they can use in their classroom. We will then evaluate the program's effectiveness through feedback and assessments to ensure we are providing high-quality care and instruction here at Playful Pals Preschool.
Families
Families and their children are at the heart of everything we do. We strive to build strong, trusting and collaborative relationships with the families we serve. We support families from all dynamics, languages and cultures and value the inclusion of families in our program. Johnson et al. (2016) notes that research shows that incorporating children's out-of-school experiences and cultural backgrounds into educational settings has been effective. This can be accomplished by providing lessons in their home language, encouraging the connection of essential services, interventions, and practices between home and school, and advocating for their children's services from the time they are screened through their transition to kindergarten and beyond. We have opportunities every month where families can participate with the children in events at the school. These events are a great way for teachers and families to build on these relationships and see what their children are doing in the classroom. We value families and their contributions to the program and to their child's education.
Community Relationships
Community relationships are the cornerstone of effective early childhood education. Community partnerships allow for the integration of real-world experiences into the curriculum, enriching learning opportunities and broadening the horizons of early learners. Whether through guest speakers, field trips, or collaborative projects, the community becomes an extension of the classroom, offering a wealth of knowledge and support. The collaboration between teachers, parents, caregivers, and the broader community creates a dynamic and enriching educational environment but also helps meet the needs of the families we serve. Our program serves many low-income families, and on our local services board located in our lobby, we share community informational services that can help families in need (Gadzikowski, 2013). By leveraging community resources, embracing diverse perspectives, and fostering strong connections, we are successful in creating happiness, support, and well-rounded development of our youngest learners.
Physical Environment
Our program has a great flow throughout the rooms and facility. The environments included low shelving, rugs, words and picture signage, mirrors, child-sized seating, tables, shelving, a reading corner with comfortable seating, a math area, and an art area with an easel. It is well organized with natural and overhead lighting, comfortable, welcoming, and includes many forms of wall art and information. The rooms are well maintained and are cleaned throughout the day. Classroom spaces that share the same elements of a child’s home can help them during transitions, feel confident and comfortable, and help them learn to socialize (Gadzikowski, (2013). The class expectations and schedule are posted in the classroom and gone over with students each day. For staff, there is an office, storage cabinets, and teachers’ shelves where they can grab items used throughout the day. Our outside play equipment is developmentally appropriate for 3–5-year-olds. The play equipment is inspected each day by staff and the surfacing of the playground is rubber to ensure there are no hazards and is clean to ensure children health and safety is a top priority.
Leadership Management
For the teacher's professional development, they can take part in training online or on-site to help their development of skills and knowledge. Veteran teachers can mentor new teachers in modeling behaviors, providing feedback and support, and helping the new teachers achieve their goals, increase their skills, and enhance their practices. Monthly staff meetings and training provide teachers with resources and support to meet professional standards when working with children. Online onsite or off-site training like VLS (Virtual Lab School), conferences (NAEYC), or seminars can be provided to better equip the staff members with the information they may need to be successful. When teachers attend professional development activities outside of our program, it allows them to gain a sense of collegiality and experience the affirmation of knowing they are a part of something bigger than themselves (Gadzikowski, 2013).
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