THEORY & APPROACHES
Best Practices in Preschool Education
- Creating a caring community Make the classroom a safe and supportive space for children to learn and develop.
- Developing relationships with families Communicate with families regularly to share insights and involve them in the learning process.
- Learning through play Play is a natural way for children to learn and develop skills like communication, creativity, and problem-solving.
- Encouraging social and emotional learning Focus on children's social and emotional well-being in addition to academic skills.
- Tailoring instruction to developmental needs Adapt activities and instruction to the specific interests and needs of each child.
- Observing and assessing children Document and assess children's learning and development.
- Establishing reciprocal relationships Work with families to learn about each child and develop supportive relationships.
- Advocating for children Advocate for children, their families, and the early childhood profession.
Piaget & Vygotsky
Lev Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory is about the influence of social interaction and culture on child development and the importance of language in that context. He introduced the idea of ZPD which is the space between the ability a child has to learn on their own, and what they can learn with guidance from another person. Vygotsky taught that children learn through play.
Jean Piaget's Cognitive Development Theory is the idea that children develop through stages. These stages are Piaget’s interpretations of children’s interactions with the environment around them. Piaget taught that children learn by doing.
Putting It All Together
What does research tell us about how children learn?
Everyone agrees that children learn through play.
But, what is play? Many preschools will say they are play-based, but it is important to follow up and ask how they define play and what play looks like in their classrooms. At Coastal Gan, play is defined as an activity that is:
(a) freely chosen and directed by the players),
(b) intrinsically motivated (conducted for its own sake rather than some reward outside of itself),
(c) structured by rules within the player’s mind,
(d) always creative and usually imaginative, and
(e) conducted in an active, alert, but relatively non-stressed frame of mind.
Reggio Emilia & Magda Gerber
Coastal Gan is inspired by the Reggio Emilia & R.I.E. philosophies. We hope to provide our young learners with a lifelong LOVE for learning, innovation, and thinking out of the box, along with a Judaic curriculum taught in an authentic, hands-on and creative way. It is a play-based approach to early childhood education.
We believe every child is perfectly unique, with his/her own interests and learning styles. Rather than limit the child to single forms of expression, we encourage your children to share their learning through art, dance, dialogue or any other means to make their thinking visible.
Therefore, we give children the opportunity to interact in a meaningful environment where they can construct new ideas, learn to think, reason, question, problem-solve, and experiment, as they discover who they are and the world around them.
Reggio Emilia and the 4C’s
Communication
Through encounters with a wide range of media and materials, children become more comfortable and skilled with various materials. They begin to use the materials to communicate or represent their understandings, emotions, discoveries, and interests (“The Hundred Languages”).
We use the Conscious Discipline approach to classroom management to teach children appropriate communication skills necessary to manage themselves, demonstrate assertiveness,
and resolve conflict peaceful
Collaboration
Groups, both large and small, are encouraged to work together to problem-solve using dialogue, comparisons, negotiations, and other important interpersonal skills. Each child’s voice is heard in order to promote a balance between a sense of belonging to the group and a sense of self.
Dedicated, supportive and loving teachers stand at the cornerstone of The Gan. Our teachers are partners, nurturers, and guides who help facilitate the exploration of topics as the children work on short and long-term projects.
Parental partnership and commitment are crucial to our children’s success. Children blossom when they have their parents’ backing and support.
Critical Thinking
Our teachers and staff set up environments where the children love to learn (The Third Teacher).
This allows the children to experiment, predict and ask questions.
Then the teachers facilitate thoughtful higher order thinking conversations that allows the child to think and delve deeper.
Creativity
Children are given the opportunity to learn through different artistic forms.
Various materials, tools and equipment are made available to children giving them freedom to explore their potential.
Children then come to fully understand an art medium: how it behaves, how it can be used, how it feels on our bodies and what tools are needed to work with it.
The Focus is on the Process, Not the Product
Learning is about the experience the child is having and not necessarily about what the project looks like.
We use materials that promote creativity, are multisensory and have real meaning for the children.
Product oriented art activities that encourage “copycat” artwork can discourage a child’s individual creativity.
Process art also supports the development and learning of the WHOLE child in all content areas of the curriculum which include:
- Social and emotional development
- Cognitive development
- Physical development
Jewish Education at Coastal Gan
We want your children to feel a sense of belonging and pride in their Jewish heritage! We have created a curriculum that weaves academic disciplines, along with Jewish values, into everyday
activities.
Jewish Identity is explored through song, story, art, cooking and movement. Jewish traditions are enriched through additional holiday and Shabbat activities.
More About Us
Our Staff
Our preschool is staffed with trained early childhood educators. Each member of our school faculty is sensitive to the needs of the children and their families and has a strong commitment to quality Jewish education. The faculty meets weekly to discuss curriculum, plan programs and share and exchange ideas. In order to uphold the high standards of our program, staff development is ongoing throughout the year. This ensures that our teachers remain alert to the ever-changing needs of today's families and to the findings of current research.
Our director, Chaya, and our teachers are an unusually dedicated group of professionals whose level of commitment to each child does not stop at the classroom door, and whose commitment to early childhood education is truly an avocation. As a result, they bring to their jobs a unique and special blend of professional skills and personal experience.
Babies and Toddler
Our baby and toddler program is designed for the very young child to transition from the sensory-motor world of toddlers to an increasingly social world. Through stimulating learning centers, children have the opportunity to move purposefully, assert their independence, and learn to communicate with their peers. Our experienced and talented teachers use these centers and many enriching activities to foster learning and growth in a warm and nurturing environment. Activities are open ended and emphasize process over product.
3s and 4s Year Olds
The rich classroom environment for our 3 and 4’s class is a place where children are challenged to learn while making friends, developing self-confidence, and self-direction. Changes to the learning environment, activities, and projects reflect the children’s emerging interests.
Daily language experiences support literacy and language development. Mathematical reasoning and scientific thought is emphasized throughout the centers. These pre-math and pre-literacy skills are the building blocks for their future academic success in the years following their preschool experience.