I am a mom of five kids and I have been looking forward to starting a preschool for many years. Now that my youngest is preschool age, I'm excited to make it happen. My kids have been doing a mix of homeschooling and public schooling for the past five years, and my experience teaching them, along with my experiences running various programs for toddlers and preschoolers over the years, has greatly informed my (ever-evolving) philosophy about education. These are some of the nuggets of wisdom I have gained:
- The importance of play—not as a break from learning, but as the most important medium through which learning happens. Children are hard-wired to learn through play and they are experts at it. Play offers them amazing opportunities for building social skills, problem-solving skills, and creativity. I approach learning through play in three ways:
- Enhancing learning opportunities during free play by providing a stimulating environment.
- Engaging in guided play with children to achieve specific learning goals.
- And lastly, building academic fluency through games.
- The importance of learning in context.
- The best place to learn about farms is on a farm. Contextual experiences make learning relevant, engaging, and meaningful. I am looking forward to nature walks, field trips, and especially collaborating with my friend, Sheri, for adventures on her farm.
- I also love to learn and play outside. Whether we're picking apples, digging in the dirt, playing on the playset, or going for walks, it's good for the mind and it's good for the soul.
- The importance of a loving and safe learning environment.
- In addition to teaching my own children, I have also been running a storytime program for toddlers and preschoolers for the past 9 years. I run it for free with time I don't have because it brings me incredible joy. I love that the kids get to come with their moms and siblings and that they feel comfortable in my home. Most don't even bother knocking when they come over. I hope that my preschool kids will feel as welcome. I don't have the fanciest preschool, but I aim for a home-like environment where kids leaving their mom's side for the first time feel safe and loved.
- The importance of a holistic approach to education.
- Children often become fascinated with letters and numbers around preschool age. I'm excited to build on that fascination. However, many preschool classrooms overemphasize letter and number learning at the expense of other valuable domains. There is a false notion that drilling those subjects early will give our kids an edge in school, but decades of research shows that a balanced approach to early education, especially one which promotes curiosity, creativity, and a love of learning, leads to far longer-lasting gains. I love to cook with kids, plant flowers, and grow butterflies. I incorporate music wherever I can. I love to see the boundless creativity that emerges during open-ended art activities and the wheels turning inside their curious minds as they experiment with science. My approach to both academic and non-academic learning is to follow the child's cues and try to keep it relevant and enjoyable. You will never hear me use the phrase "kindergarten readiness." It isn't my goal, and I think that those who set it up as their goal are likely to widely miss the mark. My goal is to nurture the spark of joy in every child.
