Philosophy

Story Garden Preschool is founded on the belief that children are hands-on learners who learn through the context of meaningful relationships. A strong connection to the teacher and the other children is at the core of all we do. We believe that all children are capable and competent individuals in need of support and nurturing. When a child has someone who believes in him, it makes the world of difference. Attachment Theory (not to be confused with Attachment Parenting) plays a large role in our daily interactions, from how circle time is run to how misbehavior is handled.

We draw largely on the philosophies of the Reggio Emilia approach, which emphasizes embedding essential learning like literacy and math into child-driven curriculum. Great care and consideration is taken when setting up the environment. We are a play-based program with the understanding that children learn through their interactions with their peers and with the world around them. We believe in the importance of unstructured play time as well as intentional, planned play activities. We also implement the philosophies and strategies of the project approach, Handwriting Without Tears, and Tools of the Mind.

We believe that because every child and every family is different, a prescribed curriculum can’t be chosen and applied in advance. Instead, we use the tools and strategies that work best for the children currently in care to plan our days.