There isn’t one philosophy for every child. As part of my curriculum, I customize the strengths of many philosophies to create a program that works for my teaching style and accommodates the needs of children as individuals.

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           Montessori Philosophy

The strength I have taken from the  

Montessori approach is the hands-on style. 

Children in my program are encouraged to use 

materials in whatever ways they come up with. 

Free play is about exploring the 

classroom in their own way. 

 

 

                             Waldorf Philosophy                     

The strength I have taken from the  

Waldorf philosophy is the play-based concept.  

Children are given materials and are allowed  

to explore them without the limits of structure. 
They are encouraged to explore and use their 

creativity to make each day 

a great day to learn something new. 

 

                   Reggio Philosophy

The strength I have taken from the Reggio

approach is catering to children’s individual

. As a small program, I can observe closely and

get familiar with children’s interests, which is why

lessons, even on the same subject, are never the

same year to year. Each class has its own

chemistry and I use the unique interests of the

children to ensure they will all find something new

and enjoyable to learn with each week.

Another part of the Reggio philosophy I use is

that children are encouraged to ask questions

and self-expression is encouraged.

 

 

Sudbury Philosophy                          

The strengths I have taken from Sudbury Philosophy 

are the idea of natural consequences,

mixed age learning, and collaborative learning. 

One of the most common forms of 

redirection that I use is based in 

natural consequences. I avoid shame 

and punishment, but instead redirect to 

an outcome connected to the offense. 

This can look like helping clean a mess up 

that was made, taking a break from a 

toy a child is not appropriate with, or feeling 

chilly because they didn’t want to wear their jacket

outside. There are opportunities for children to 

engage in cooperative games, 

which is another part of this philosophy. 

 

Bank Street Philosophy

This philosophy combines concepts from the above

philosophies while also looking at each child as a whole.

This philosophy encourages educators to observe in each

developmental area and get to know their students and families.

This is important as an educator to help identify delays,

recommend screenings, if necessary, refer to appropriate specialist/s if

necessary. This kind of attention opens communication with families

to discuss all areas of development.

 

The combined qualities of these philosophies in addition to social emotional wellness and regulation make up my own style of educating.