Our Program

Purpose

Has mixed age group

• Children stay with teachers for a longer period of time and form close attachments. Strong relationships are necessary for emotion coaching.
• Research supports aggressive children are not as aggressive, cautious children can be brought out and all children avoid labels and comparison when in mixed age groups.

Has a team teaching model (not aides and assistants)

• Provides consistency for children
• Provides support for staff

Uses a Plan - Do - Review process

Children are taught to:

• think about what they want to do
• do
• evaluate 

Provides a consistent daily routine

• Creates structure for the day
• Provides predictability which translates to security for the children

Has a balance:
   Indoor / Outdoor
   Small group / Large group
   Child directed / Teacher directed

• Develops the entire child
• Supports all temperaments
• Supports all styles of learning

Offers field trips twice a month

• Frequent field trips result in safe, consistent, and predictable procedures
• Provides opportunity to explore larger community

Provides specialist time in the afternoon for all children (art, music, phy. ed., etc.), no additional expenses for parents

• All children are provided enrichment opportunities
• Our program is not disrupted with children being pulled out to attend special classes

Actively teaches emotional intelligence, problem-solving, and cooperation

• These 'life skills' have greater impact when learned at an early age
• These skils are most significant indicators of school success
  • focus and attention
  • persistence
  • sharing
  • problem solving
  • controlling impulses
  • delaying gratification
  • expressing feelings and needs with words

Integrates cognitive skills into all activities

• Academic concepts have meaning when they are taught in context of what children are doing
• Learning is fun
• Learning is developmentally appropriate

Teaches children self-discipline

• Children learn to monitor their own behavior
• Children learn to make appropriate choices regarding their behavior

• Paidea's 3 rules:
  • Be safe
  • Be kind
  • Be respectful

Offers a summer camp

• We call our summer program Camp Paidea
• This provides children in year around care the chance to be at camp
• Our summer program focuses on camp and nature activities