I intentionally operate a small family childcare home to provide highly individualized care for children and families in a warm and nurturing environment that celebrates and cultivates each child's unique abilities.
I believe children learn best through play and exploration of their environment and that teaching occurs best in an environment that supports hands-on learning experiences. Play = Learning. Story-time, music exposure, nature/outside exploration, and the opportunity for creative learning will be provided every week. In our time together, children will be given a balance of free and structured time that supports best practice and their needs as an individual.
I also believe that social/emotional growth is the cornerstone of the early years. I focus a great deal on supporting emotional intelligence and providing guidance that prepares children to be successful learners later in life. My curriculum is tailored to the needs and interests of the children in my care and is primarily founded in a creative curriculum learning model.
Continuity of care and program quality are two important factors in early childhood. The presence of both can be beneficial to a child's development in many ways. Continuity of care in the early years fosters social and emotional development in children and allows caregivers to develop strong and supportive relationships with families.
For this reason, my program is structured as closely as possible to the following ratios for the majority of each day: one or two children under two years of age (with only one child under age 12 months), two or three children over the age of two. I prefer to keep my adult to child ratio between 1:4 or 1:5 for the majority of days. With a program structured in this manner, I am able to offer high quality, individualized care and support for families to encourage continuity of care.
I have many years of experience working with children birth to age 16. I have supported, nurtured, and educated children of many abilities. I also have experience and training working with families in a variety of support and mentor roles. Of all my previous professional roles, the one of a family childcare provider is where I have found my best fit and the most joy.