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Respect, independence, and communication:
These are crucial components in our comfortable and cooperative
learning environment. We believe that these components make
for a positive and successful experience which will leave
a lasting impression on children as their first experience
in school.
- Respect:What better way to learn respect than to
be offered it wholeheartedly? Teachers at Rainbow Garden
model respectful behavior and encourage the children to
do the same. The children are responsible for showing respect
to each other and the materials and animals both in the
classroom and in our outdoor environment.
- Independence:A large part of our program is based
on encouraging children to be independent both functionally
and emotionally. Functional independence is being able to
take care of one's own personal needs (dressing and undressing,
cleaning up after one's self, using the restroom alone and
taking care of one's own body) as well as actively participating
in taking care of their environment. This form of independence
is very important for children entering a cooperative learning
community. We strongly encourage parents to allow their
children to take care of their own shoes and clothes (coats,
etc.) upon entering the classroom so as to set a precedence
of independence. Emotional independence comes from learning
to be OK on one's own. This can, at times, be a challenge
for children entering the community and, for some, it can
take a lifetime to learn. At Rainbow Garden we are very
sensitive to the challenge of moving toward emotional independence
and recognize our environment as being an introduction to
this process. When dropping off, we encourage parents to
stay for a bit and read a book or do a puzzle with their
child. This helps the children feel even more safe and comfortable
being at school. During the school day our students are
encouraged to make their own choices for activities and
problem solving. Our intimate, community environment allows
our teachers to be involved in supporting the choice process
while not dominating it.
- Communication:Learning to be a successful communicator
is a life-long process. At Rainbow Garden we are committed
to helping children develop communication skills. We aim
to accomplish this by listening to the children first and
foremost. We believe when children feel as if they are being
listened to it will encourage them to communicate. We listen
to and often rephrase a child's statement. This gives the
child the understanding that they have been heard while
offering them another way to successfully express themselves.
This process, along with the understanding that every child
in the school community has an equal voice, helps children
to build self-esteem and expand their vocabulary while increasing
communication skills.
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