Philosophy

Almost Home is modeled after the Bank Street approach to early childhood education. Bank Street College of Education is a graduate school and a school for children in New York City and is on the forefront of early childhood and elementary education and development.

Almost Home believes that all children and their parents must feel completely safe and secure when they cannot be together. We provide children with the warmth, safety, and security of home while at the same time provide a program that is rich with intellectual and social opportunities for all children.

Almost Home childcare provides the love and nurturing care that is given at home, but has it’s roots in a child centered and developmentally appropriate curriculum that is carried out in progressive and creative ways.

We are committed to providing the children with tools they need to become risk takers and critical thinkers. Children are encouraged to explore, create and experiment with confidence. Children are encouraged to work independently, in small groups, and together as a class. The program is stimulating, creative, and fun and provides a magnitude of hands on experience for the children to learn and grow from.

PROCESS not PRODUCT

Almost Home emphasizes on process not product.. By this we mean that the learning occurs in the process of the doing; in the process of play; in the process of interactions; in the process of discovery and exploration. The product is sometimes something we can hang on the wall at the end of the day, but often the product is not a lasting thing, it might have involved finger painting with shaving cream, playing in the rice table, or painting with water. All these experiences involve learning and active engagement, but do not always net a tangible product.

INTEGRATED CORE CURRICULUM

Almost Home uses an integrated social studies core curriculum. This simply means that a social studies theme is used as a tool in curriculum planning and development. The themes vary and are age and developmentally appropriate. The themes work to develop connections across the various academic areas that are explored.

Learning occurs in many ways. At Almost Home, we use the following activities to make sure that learning occurs in the most creative and constructive ways.

Learning occurs through active involvement with and not limited to…

• Literature
• Language Arts & Poetry
• Thematic Social Studies Units
• Hands on Math & Science
• Art
• Music
• Dramatic Play
• Dance
• Movement
• Karate
• Sensory Activities
• Cooking
• Outdoor Adventures
• Block building