GOALS AND PRINCIPLES
Our philosophy of ‘freedom with guidance’ translates into simple to articulate goals and principles for our center:
GOALS
- To impart ethics (Courage, integrity, honesty, kindness).
- To develop independent, critical thinkers.
- To instill curiosity and passion for learning.
- To support responsive, reflective problem solving and communication.
- To champion leadership.
- To nurture a healthy sense of self.
- To promote respect for the environment.
- To support creating harmony in themselves and others.
- To build a sense of community and interconnectedness.
- To help children become ethical members of our community and planet.
PRINCIPLES
At Planet Kids, we believe that all children deserve the highest level of respect, honor and care. Our principles include the following:
- Active Listening
- A child centered, sensory-rich, and self paced learning environment
- Inner discipline and intentional guidance
- Problem solving and conflict resolution
- Family involvement
- Community/Planetary involvement
- Environmental sustainability
HOW WE WORK
The operation of the center is founded on:
Respect for Children
- We hold the belief that children deserve to be treated with utmost respect, kindness and courtesy. At our center we treat the children with respect and speak to them with respect using positive language.
- Children should have as much control over their choices, their own bodies and their environment as it is possible to give them while protecting their psychological and physical safety.
- Children come to us, regardless of age, as unique, thinking, feeling human beings. They are not “empty vessels” for us to fill, nor are they “clay” for us to mold. Our task is to know who each child is as an individual and to support and nurture that person in her/his own growth.
- Children of any age deserve to have their basic needs for comfort, rest, food, security or any other physical or psychological need met without having to earn it. Our job is to listen carefully for the verbal or non-verbal expressions of these needs and to meet them in a way which clearly communicates to the child, “You are lovable and you are valuable.”
Active listening
Planet Kids uses reflective, nonjudgmental listening to create a safe environment where children are free to express themselves emotionally, physically and spiritually. We believe it is important to accept the full range of emotions that we all have as human beings as a crucial step toward self-acceptance, true understanding and a healthy sense of self.
A child centered, sensory rich, self paced learning environment
Planet Kids uses the Montessori learning system that provides hands-on learning experience. This system is designed to encourage learning by utilizing all of the senses and providing developmentally appropriate materials for the children to work with. For example, sand paper letters used to aid learning the alphabet are visually clear and large in size so small hands may trace their shape. The differentiation between rough and smooth textures of the letters promote in internalizing the shapes. Children are also encouraged to sound out the letters. In this way, the auditory, visual and touch senses are used together to learn.
The Montessori learning system lends itself to individualized, hands-on, conceptual learning. All activities are designed to be self-correcting so that children are empowered to trust themselves and learn at their own pace.
Inner Discipline and Intentional Guidance
Emotional Support: “It’s Okay To Cry”
At Planet Kids, we support the whole child, including their emotional self in an atmosphere that builds trust. We encourage and support the full range of emotions, guiding children into expressing them appropriately. Sometimes we may need to redirect the behaviors that can accompany strong feelings, but it is with the utmost care and sensitivity that we accept and support the emotions or point of view the child holds. With ongoing communication between the Planet Kids faculty and parents or guardians, the children’s needs are met and handled in the most appropriate fashion. Parents are encouraged to share any special events that may impact their child’s mood – a new baby, grandparents’ visit, a family crisis, an out-of-town parent, etc. Our faculty is trained to provide special care and understanding for children and to support them while they are with us if they are experiencing difficulty in separating from their parents.
Discipline
Discipline at Planet Kids is based on an understanding of each child’s individual needs and their stage of development. We believe that children generally “misbehave” as a result of trying to get an underlying need (security, comfort, acceptance, etc.) met.
The purpose of discipline at the center is to facilitate the development of self respect, inner control, acceptable behavior and respect for the rights of others. We use redirection, self reflection, role modeling, logical consequences, choices, and conflict resolution techniques to coach children to meet their needs appropriately.
Problem Solving and Conflict Resolution
Our faculty models and coaches appropriate social skills, including problem solving and conflict resolution. We guide children toward inner directed discipline and support them to take responsibility. We encourage genuine encounters as a way of building authentic relationships. We “slow down” to listen to their issues and aid in working out solutions within their peer group. For behaviors that require adult intervention, we offer choices and use logical consequences that follow “the 3 R’s”:
- Related to what happened
- Respectful of the child
- Reasonable based on the child's age and level of development
Family involvement
Planet Kids holds the belief that family involvement gives children a strong message that they matter and are valued. It supports strong community building and a deeper understanding and alignment with the school’s philosophy. To facilitate this, we have created the Planet Kids Parent Club. Membership to this club also provides a means for parents to meet and build relationships with other families, plan play dates, receive parent education, assist in planning center family events, learn more about the center and volunteer in the classrooms.
Community Planetary Involvement
At Planet Kids, we seek to prepare children to be contributing members of our community and our world. We encourage the older children to assist the younger ones and to model taking developmentally appropriate responsibilities. We foster respect for others, their classroom materials and their environment.
Environmental sustainability
Planet Kids models environmental responsibility and stewardship. We offer the following:
- Organic meals
- Cloth diapers
- Cloth underwear for toilet training
- Environmentally safe cleaning agents
- Recycling program
- Fresh, local farm-grown produce
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