Philosophy of Learning
Play is active learning which is critical to development. Through play children make sense of their experiences, build ideas, activate imagination, begin to initiate, self-regulate, problem solve while building confidence and original thinking skills.
Learning through play in the classroom and in nature is the foundation of our educational approach. At TPG, while they are busy playing, children build trust and form important first relationships, gain some early independence, explore and discover new skills, develop attention, reflection, and resilience, and learn and practice principles of respect, kindness, responsibility, and collaboration in a supportive and nurturing environment. We strive to individualize, allowing children to make choices and to meet each child’s developmental needs in a secure and enriching group experience. Positive experiences like these in the formative years, plant seeds for success which affect children throughout their lives.
Our programs are grounded in research in the fields of education and child development. We align with the Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early Childhood, a framework for learning the core areas of development; Social-Emotional, Physical, Language, Cognitive as well as for content learning in areas of Literacy, Mathematics, Science and Technology, Social Studies, and The Arts as age appropriate. We are dedicated to asking essential questions that facilitate development in these core areas. We offer intentional provocations to create meaningful learning experiences that are responsive and inclusive to children and that invite self-expression. The teachers use inspirations from The Creative Curriculum and many other sources for play-based and emergent curricula to develop activities and plans. We use Teaching Strategies Gold which is an observational assessment system that looks at the continuum of development form birth through Kindergarten to prepare for parent/teacher conferences and to support overall observation and planning for the classroom throughout the year.
Trinity Playgroup is an inclusive, collaborative community. We respect diversity in individuals, families, neighborhoods, and nations. We embrace children, families, and teachers with diverse backgrounds because we know that everyone learns best from experiencing a world larger than their own. We honor children’s home languages and cultures and welcome families to share language, books, music, and traditions at school to promote respect and multicultural awareness. We see community as the basis for child, family, and educator growth and development and a diverse learning community promotes increased knowledge, empathy, and curiosity.