School Philosophy

SLC’s vision is to provide high-quality, play-based early childhood education.

MISSION AND GOALS

The mission of Seattle Learning Center is to provide an exciting learning environment for infant through preschool aged children. Our focus is to encourage creativity through play and physical activity. We aim to inspire children to be life-long learners and establish a cooperative relationship between parents and staff.

Seattle Learning Center is committed to:

• Providing a safe learning environment.
• Providing a developmentally appropriate curriculum that is stimulating, educational, and creative.
• Providing countless opportunities for physical activity through free play, structured dance and yoga classes, music, and movement-based activities.
• Serving students healthy meals that are mostly organic or locally sourced.

Our Center is a play-based school. We believe that play and learning are two things that ALWAYS come together. When children play, they learn valuable skills, like social and emotional competence. In offering free play and guided play, we believe our children will hold the key to more fulfilling lives. The role of the educator at SLC is to scaffold the play of students, rather than directing children to learn. We believe that children are capable beings who can choose what to discover and learn about. The goal of our center is to help young children develop a love for learning.

Research has shown that exercise improves learning. Our program offers physical activities, like dance and yoga, to develop gross motor skills and also teach your children team work, sportsmanship, self-esteem, impulse control, discipline, and respect. Our teachers take students outside twice a day, rain or shine, to our on-site play area or for walks to local parks. We believe that teaching children to exercise from a young age will help enhance their learning now and throughout their lifetime.

Early childhood educators are not only nurturers, they are professional partners, facilitators, observers, and co-learners with a deep understanding of developmentally appropriate practices.  Our program is child-centered, at its heart.  We have basic trust in the child to be an initiator and explorer, eager to learn what they are ready for.  Because of this trust, we provide the child with only enough help necessary to allow the child to enjoy mastery of their own actions.  During care activities (diapering, eating, dressing, etc.), we encourage all children to become an active participant rather than a passive recipient.

The educator’s role is to create an environment where the child is free to explore. SLC environments are the product of a intentional approach to learning that reflects the skills, needs and interests of those they host.  We build on student’s interests by providing environments that promote learning experiences. Our teachers are trained in the Positive Behavior Support method. Below are some examples of how we respectfully communicate to children at our school.

• Teachers scaffold learning by asking open- ended questions that may expand or deepen a child’s play and experiences.
  “What is your plan?  Do you need anything else?  What do you think will happen next?  Will you tell me more about…?  How could we make…?  Why?”
• Teachers narrate conflict and guide problem solving between children when appropriate.
  “I see John and Jill are both wanting to use the same toy.  John is holding it and Jill is reaching for it.  We have two children and only one toy.  How do you think we could we solve this problem?”
• Teachers set loving limits while acknowledging children’s emotions and offering choices.
  “You are feeling sad that it is time to leave the park.  I understand.  You wanted more time and we’re going back to school.  I can see you want my answer to be different.  How disappointing.  Would you like to hold my hand as we walk back or would you like to hold the rope with your friends?”

Our classroom designs are based on Washington State Early Achievers requirements. Each classroom includes learning centers available to children during free play. These include a home living/dramatic play center, sensory center, block center, math center, fine motor center, art center, science center, and a reading/resting center. We adapt the space and materials based on the interests and needs of the children.

Our approach supports child development. Educators understand individual differences and arrange their room so students may explore learning environments at their own pace. We make a wide range of materials and activities available so children may make their own choices. We are diligent in observing each student to best understand their communications and needs. The more we observe, the more we learn about each student and further appreciate the enormous amount and speed of learning that happens during the first 5 years of life. We are humbled, we correct less, and instead, provide a safe and supportive environment for learning.

Seattle Learning Center adheres to the science  that active, free movement and exercise promotes learning. Our children play outdoors twice-a-day, rain or shine. In good weather, we extend our time for outdoor play. We go on walks, play at the park, or play games and run in the neighborhood field.

Each classroom incorporates physical activity by offering yoga, movement lessons, tumbling mats for climbing/movement, and dance. Children learn about safe times and places for move quickly and provide opportunities for practicing gross motor movement skills in and out of the classroom.

At SLC, we value documenting child development and use a combination of Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ), Creative Curriculum assessments and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) milestone checklists to complete well rounded and formal assessments shared during parent conferences.

At SLC, we use discipline methods that are developed by experts.  Each child is unique. The methods listed here are used with a discernment of the child’s temperament and what courses are developmentally appropriate.

1. Love and Logic focuses on teaching children empathy and problem solving while giving choices.  Jim Fay and Foster W. Cline, M.D., 1977
2. Emotion Coaching focuses on labelling and validating a child’s feelings, dealing with problem behavior, and problem solving. Founded by Dr John Gottman
3. Positive Discipline teaches social and life skills in a manner that is deeply respectful and encouraging for both children and adults. Founded by Dr Jane Nelsen
4. The RIE Philosophy developed by Magda Gerber is about respect for, and trust in, the baby as the initiator, explorer, and self-learner.