There will be field trips every week. We will go on field trips every Monday, unless there is an event that I check in with families before hand that might be on a different day. We will meet at Live Oak Park and leave around 9:00 a.m. on Mondays to our destination. I've decided to do it this way because I want the rest of the week to be based on the field trip. For example, if we went to the Lawrence Hall of Science, I would base the curriculum off of their interest from the field trip and incorporate them into the weeks schedule. It's important for the children to be engaged in the field trips and activities we do. I want this program to child-directed. My belief is children learn best through play and hands on activities, so providing open-ended materials and loose parts will allow the children to use their imagination to express their individuality. I've mainly worked at schools that believe in the Reggio philosophy, so am basing my program around that philosophy. If you want to know more about the Reggio philosophy, I would be happy to talk explain it more. 

I decided to work with ages 5-7 because these are the ages I've had experienced with, working with 18 children with one other teacher. I have experience working with infants to elementary school children. There are many philosophies that I've learned, for instance, Reggio, Montessori, R.E.I. and a little bit of the Waldorf philosophy. What I've observed big groups can be great for socialization and teach one another, but I wanted a program that was smaller and more intimate. It's important to me to build a strong relationship with the children and families on a deeper level. With it being a small group, it makes it easier for me to do that. I think having a ratio of 1:3 this summer will help children be less overwhelmed, give them more opportunity to interact with one another on a more personal level. They'll  be able to build stronger connections throughout the week. It's also going to make it easier for me to pay close attention to their needs, interests, encourage their abilities, and support them in whatever way I can. 

I've had many years working at different schools and learned a lot about age-appropriate activities. It's important to provide children with materials that challenge them but aren't too difficult. Providing them with age-appropriate materials, is about safety, but also giving them an opportunity to express themselves, explore their imaginations, as well as develop crucial developmental skills. Along with age-appropriate activities, there will be open-ended activities and play. This means there are no rules or restrictions on the children. It's free-form and flexible which allows the children to direct the play, and there's no right or wrong way. The benefit of this, is that the children are practicing their decision making abilities, which helps their self-esteem as they become more autonomous and confident in themselves.