Based on the premise that the children we serve are inherently competent, capable, and strong, St. Mary’s Child Center:
- - Impacts preschool children in poverty — who are at life and learning risk — with the highest quality cognitive, creative, social, physical, and emotional learning experiences that will transition into a foundation for lifelong success.
- - Integrates highly effective professional educators with a proven learning philosophy.
- - Uses qualitative measures to show impact.
- - Is accountable to the children and families served, stakeholders and contributors, and the early childhood learning community.
SCHOOL ANALYSIS
- St. Mary's Center takes care of a lot of impoverished kids. It is important to recognize these children's needs- even those above their education. Some of them may not know where their next meal is coming from which can hinder their ability to learn. It is so important to meet the needs of these specific learners by looking at the whole child before all else. -"Fair does not mean equal" is something that we have talked about a lot in both 199 and 299. This quote relates heavily to children living in poverty because each and every one of them comes into school with a different set of needs. Each and every child in poverty lives a reality that many of us cannot imagine, which is why it is important to reiterate looking at the whole child and their needs above anything else. This issue relates back to the push for quality early childhood education because of how beneficial/crucial it can be to these children. Starting these children in school young has an immense impact as they grow older- many of them being first generation education students. There is a massive amount of developmental growth that happens during early childhood time. The impact that early childhood education has on the developmental growth later on in life is extremely significant. These social and emotional needs need to be met early. The " image of the child" is seen so prominently in the work that St. Mary's is including through their Malaguzzi Reggio-inspired curriculum and the emphasis that is put on the children's 100 languages. My favorite quote from Maria Montessori reads, "The greatest sign of success for a teacher... is to be able to say, ’The children are now working as if I did not exist.’" I absolutely love this quote because it drives home the Reggio-Emilia philosophy of the school and letting these children be in charge of their own education. -"Doing the best that you can at that moment" is such an important reminder at a school like St. Mary's. Some days will be tough and some days will be long but it so important to be where your feet are and to celebrate the little things. Now that I have spent some time at SMCC, I have learned more and more about the struggles that many of these children's parents face and how hard they are trying to be the best for their child. Supporting students in poverty is something that takes a lot of patience, grace and love but it is something that I feel called to do which is why visiting SMCC was so special! |
THOUGHTS
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FEELINGS
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“Stand aside for a while and leave room for learning, observe carefully what children do, and then, if you have understood well, perhaps teaching will be different from before.”
― Loris Malaguzzi