OUR EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY

     At Altagracia's Early Childhood Education Center, we believe that all students have the capacity and potential to learn, grow and become active learners when given the appropriate resources and tools. A teacher’s role, first and foremost, is to act as facilitator and provide students with skills and strategies to which they can apply and transfer to future, novel situations.

     One way in which this is accomplished is by encouraging students, through direct instruction and modeling, to advocate for themselves and take ownership of their role as learners. Furthermore, healthy breakfasts, lunches and snacks should be served daily to ensure good nutrition.

     We believe the purposes of education are to develop life long skills and opportunities for children to reach their maximum potential. I believe that children learn best when they are taught under certain conditions and in certain ways. Some of these are:

1- Maintaining a safe and healthy classroom. Keeping the classroom clean and sanitized can prevent the spread of infectious diseases. For example: hand washing can do more to prevent the spread of infectious diseases than almost any other health practice. Children must learn to wash their hands upon arrival, before meals, after using the bathroom, and after handling pets. The teachers must be serving as their role models.

2- Slippery floors may be the most common cause of injuries. That is why the bathroom must be dry, cleaning and disinfecting materials must be in a cabinet out of the reach of children. Be sure the cabinet containing caustic or poisonous materials is locked. Floors, rugs, tables, counters, sinks, toilets, toys and eating utensils must be clean and disinfected. For example: In the water table, water must be changed daily.

3- Good nutrition. These include fruits, vegetables, proteins and carbohydrates.

4- Provide the appropriate materials for children’s self directed play and learning. This encourages the children to promote a child’s positive self-image and independent learning.

5- Children develop and learn best when they feel psychologically secure and if their physical needs are met.

6- We believe the curriculum of any classroom should include certain “basics” that contribute to children’s social, emotional, psychological, intellectual, language, and physical development. These basics are developmentally appropriate practice. Also the curriculum must include the three developmental learning levels that are, manipulation, mastery, and meaning. 

7- Also the classroom must have the appropriate ratio of staff to students and each staff member need must be qualified and certified.

enabling them to experience, investigate, care about others, interact, develop and create. We strive to deepen and strengthen children’s natural abilities by providing them with the healthiest environment possible.