Philosophy and Approach
Rainbow Grove Playschool sees learning as a function of living for children, with play as the tool of exploration and education. We practice an emergent curriculum, following children’s own interests for as long and as in depth as they retain interest. This means we pay attention to what topic(s) your child is currently exploring, and then offer materials and information -- such as art, books, tangible materials, and hands-on practice -- until that curiosity is satisfied for now and the child moves on to a new subject. This also means that it does not "look" like we have a curriculum, as our only goal is to foster and promote play, the most meaningful work of childhood. We follow the evidence for promoting academic readiness by encouraging and supporting developmentally appropriate play and large body movements, and by not "doing" academics (or mimicking academics) at this age.
We do have a lovely selection of books that we enjoy sharing with children when they indicate a desire for reading, calm, closeness, looking at art, the specific subject matter, or hearing our voice. We love books, and enjoy experiencing them with children when they're interested.
Guidance and Discipline
At Rainbow Grove Playschool, we respect the autonomy and integrity of children, and view upsets, tantrums, tears and the like as communication of a child’s emotional or physical state.
Attending to underlying needs (hunger, overstimulation, etc), reflection and comfort, redirection, and sometimes distraction, are the primary tools we use in the event of child upset. When conflict between children arises, we talk with each child or help them communicate with each other, and try to find equitable solutions agreeable to all parties; if an item is continuing to be a source of unresolvable conflict, we may remove it temporarily from the environment.
If a child is hitting or attacking another child and cannot be redirected or consoled through usual means, we may temporarily remove that child from the situation and be present with them to ensure their safety until they are able to calm down and seek comfort and reintegration.
We use the word "discipline" above because it is a word parents look for; it is not a word or a stance we use in our approach to children. Punishments, imposed consequences, and other tools of behavior "shaping" or control have been shown again and again to have only limited, short-term "effectiveness", and to create lasting, long-term trauma. We model the comportment, self-regulation, nonviolence, creativity, and compassion we wish children to adopt in their own lives.
Neurodiversity
We embrace neurodiversity and welcome both neurodivergent and neurotypical children. In our parenting and our early childhood work, we have specialized in neurodivergent kids, and in creating environments that respect the highly diverse ways children think, communicate, perceive, and feel, whether they have a known neurotype or not. We believe all children benefit from a sensory rich environment, and also from being able to regulate the level of mess, sensory input, and chaos they experience, and we provide tools to support kids as they explore both "more" and "too much".
