De Anza College Child Development Center

We believe children grow and learn best:

• In a caring and non competitive environment

• When they are both physically and mentally involved

• When they are given opportunities to discover concepts themselves through experimentation inquiry and exploratory play

• When their fears and emotions are respected and when they are encouraged to identify and verbalize their feelings

• When they have opportunities for relationships with adults who show affection and respect for them and who they are themselves creative happy self-relient and responsible.

• When there is a shared responsibility of the parent and educator. Cooperation and communication between home and school is essential to the creation of an environment that fosters physicalcognitiveemotional and social development.

• When their bodies are well rested and well nourished.

Therefore we:

• Respect the developmental level of each child and offer a wide variety of activities to challenge individuals as opposed to a fixed curriculum directed at groups of children.

• Carefully structure each classroom environment to encourage exploration choice making large and small group activity and the development of self-help skills.

• Provide an outdoor environment that invites active vigorous exercise in a natural setting. Trees grassflowers water and open space are emphasized in our outdoor space.

• Create a climate of adult-child interaction which encourages conversation shared involvement in activities joint problem solving and genuine expression of feelings in constructive ways.

• Encourage the development of social skills through modeling facilitating new friendships and assisting with conflict resolution.

• Allow children to create and master their own challenges.

• Provide opportunities for singing and movement to music.

• Present daily activities building upon literacy language and math skills that are incorporated naturally into developmentally appropriate and play based curriculum.