Ravenwood Playschool
Play
Play-based learning is a type of early childhood education that allows children the autonomy to engage with and learn from their environment while receiving adult support that is focused on their individual needs and interests.
In this model, children are provided with ample amounts of unhurried, free-time during which they have agency over their own play behavior. The teacher’s role is to set clear learning goals, provide carefully curated, open-ended materials aligned with the goals, and guide children toward the goals using open-ended questions, hints, prompts, and modeling.
Play-based learning experiences are inherently more meaningful to children as they naturally captivate enjoyment and motivation. In fact, a review of 39 different studies of early education programs showed that guided play had a greater positive effect than direct instruction on the development of the foundational skills that best prepare young children for future learning experiences.
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Nature
Nature-based learning is a type of early childhood education where natural elements permeate virtually every aspect of the program. At Ravenwood nature is at the core of the curriculum. Our daily rhythm allows for extensive outdoor time all year long (rain or shine), our indoor spaces are infused with natural elements, and our activities are rooted in the seasonal happenings of the natural world.
Programs that create opportunities to connect with nature boast an overall sense of well-being and calmness not typically seen within a standard preschool setting. Children thrive when they know what to expect and nature has predictable rules and rhythms. Outdoor play also teaches children to appreciate natural spaces and to seek out exercise, fresh air, and activity - all important factors in improving mental health outcomes.
Community
Community-based learning is a type of early childhood education centered in the belief that humans are born social beings, but must be taught how to be social. Starting at a young age children must be taught that not everyone thinks exactly as they do. They must gradually become more aware of and sensitive to the feelings and actions of others. They must stop competing and learn to cooperate when playing with friends. Instead of grabbing, whining, or screaming for something, they must learn to ask politely, and be able to work out solutions to disputes.
Our goal at Ravenwood is to enlighten children to the warmth and strength of healthy social bonds and to highlight the value of individuals and their contributions to the group. We also seek to directly teach them social responsibility by guiding their interactions and demonstrating pro-social behavior in coordination with parents. Ravenwood truly is a community school with numerous opportunities for families and teachers to model these skills from cooperation in goal-setting, to community nights and celebrations.