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Our
Philosophy… We believe that a preschool should be a
place where children are safe, respected, loved, capable and empowered.
Parents should be respected, involved, appreciated and seen as the MOST
IMPORTANT teacher in a child’s life. License
and Certification - We
are licensed and certified by The Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services. - We
have a 3 Star Rating from Step Up To Quality. (http://jfs.ohio.gov/cdc/stepUpQuality.stm)
Ratings range from 0-3 - We are a Universal
Pre-Kindergarten School (Tuition assistance program funded by Cuyahoga County) Curriculum
and Teaching Methods When you visit Parma Preschool you
will see a lot of PLAYING. The teachers at our school believe in an
undefined curriculum. This means that although we cover all of the Early
Learning Content Standards each year, we don't know HOW we're going to do it
until we meet the children! Once relationships with the children and
families are formed the teachers begin to investigate what the children are
interested in. Once interests are established activities are prepared and
project work begins. Classes may study animals, ice, weather, feet,
shoes, machines, birds... almost anything! Inspiration from Reggio-Emilia, Italy All the teachers at our school have a
strong interest in the Reggio Emilia Philosophy. We incorporate the philosophy into everyday teaching. Simply put, the Reggio Philosophy
encourages teachers to develop a higher respect for children. We believe children are:
Last, but not least… There are many ways a child can show
others what they know. One child
may be very verbal and able to stand in front of a group to sing a song or
share a story while others may be builders who work with materials to construct
amazing projects with intricate parts.
Some children enjoy drawing and painting while others enjoy
movement. Just like adults,
children have their own learning style and their own passions. We believe it is our job to enhance
their abilities and allow each child to grow to their potential. The Hundred Languages No way. The hundred is there. The child
is made of one hundred.
The child has
a hundred languages
a hundred hands
a hundred thoughts
a hundred ways of thinking
of playing, of speaking. A hundred always a hundred
ways of listening
of marveling, of loving
a hundred joys
for singing and understanding
a hundred worlds
to discover
a hundred worlds
to invent
a hundred worlds
to dream. The child has
a hundred languages
(and a hundred hundred hundred
more)
but they steal ninety-nine.
The school and the culture
separate the head from the body.
They tell the child:
to think without hands
to do without head
to listen and not to speak
to understand without joy
to love and to marvel
only at Easter and at Christmas. They tell the child:
to discover the world already
there
and of the hundred
they steal ninety-nine. They tell the child:
that work and play
reality and fantasy
science and imagination
sky and earth
reason and dream
are things
that do not belong together. And thus they tell the child
that the hundred is not there.
The child says:
No way. The hundred is there. -Loris Malaguzzi (translated by
Lella Gandini)
Founder of the Reggio Emilia Approach For more information on The Reggio Approach: http://www.brainy-child.com/article/reggioemilia.html We Don't Give The Answers... If a child asks a teacher a question they
often hear the response, "I don't know. How can we find out?".
We believe it is more beneficial to guide children in the direction of
solving their own problems and answering their own questions rather than just
providing the answers. This could involve looking in a book, asking a
friend, doing on-line research, finding an expert, going on a field trip, etc.
Children Learn at Their Own Pace... Some children enter preschool knowing the
whole alphabet while others don't even know what letters are. Why then
would any teacher expect to teach an entire group of children the same thing at
the same time? At our school we do activities in large groups (the whole
class), in small groups (2-8 children) and individually. This allows the
teachers to observe what each child already knows. If one child cannot
hold a pencil the teachers would offer them activities such as finger painting,
drawing in shaving cream and easel painting so that their large muscles can
gain more control over materials. A different child might be able to
write their name. For that student, teachers might encourage letter
writing, book making or sign making. Each child's work and
accomplishments are documented in their own portfolio. This portfolio is a
collection of work samples throughout the year. It truly reflects the whole
child... physical development, social and emotional development, thinking and
reasoning skills and communication skills. Unique Parts of Our School Besides the classrooms our students also
enjoy… Art Studio Kindermusik Gymnastics  Outdoor Classroom Our Staff Mrs. Kim Surniak; owner, director, teacher Ms. Jackie Saggio; assistant director, teacher Ms. Margie Boggs; lead teacher Mrs. Cindy Najpaver; assistant teacher Mr. John Mafrici; art teacher, assistant teacher Ms. Patty Young; assistant teacher Ms. Megan Stack; lead teacher Ms. Cathy Surniak; Administrative Assistant, substitute
teacher All Parma Preschool teachers hold degrees
and many are currently pursuing higher degrees. All of the teachers are
also certified in CPR, First Aid, Communicable Disease, and Child Abuse.
They are also members of the National Association of Education for Young
Children (NAEYC). They attend conferences and spend lots of their time
advocating for young children by participating in Early Childhood
Organizations. Our staff works closely with Cuyahoga Community College
and often trains student teachers.
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© Copyright 1999-2009, Parallels. All Rights Reserved.