PHILOSOPHY
Judaism teaches that the formative years of early childhood are vitally important. A child is viewed as a seed that we nurture with the utmost care, since the seed's every experience will shape and color the quality of its matured self.
We recognize that each child has his or her unique needs, interests and passions. Our children are viewed as collaborators: they are competent, curious, inquisitive, unique, and creative.
The Gan believes in an experiential and intentional approach to teaching and learning. This approach fosters children's intellectual development as they are encouraged to explore their environment and express themselves through words, movement, drawing, painting, playing and other natural modes of expression.
We stimulate the whole child by providing opportunities for children to grow in all areas of development; physically, emotionally, socially and cognitively.
Our Jewish values drive the environment of the preschool. We model and encourage kindness, respect, compassion, confidence and responsibility.
CURRICULUM
REGGIO EMILIA INSPIRED
Each child is remarkable, unique, capable and resilient. This perspective guides our approach to early childhood learning. Respecting unique interests and learning styles as inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, we educate each child in their own individual way,
At The Gan we are committed to to the highest standards of early childhood education. Each child experiences a rich, engaging, Judaic and general curriculum with a unique focus on developing the socio-emotional skills children need to thrive. The curriculum includes art, music, science, literacy and math readiness. It combines both guided and “unstructured” hands-on activities, sensory development, gross and fine motor activities and experiential learning that encourage young children's most important work: creative PLAY. Learning through play provides rich learning opportunities and leads to children’s success and self-esteem.
JEWISH ENRICHMENT
Timeless Jewish values, customs, and traditions are thoughtfully woven into every aspect of our holistic curriculum. Children experience the celebration and discovery of Shabbat and Jewish holidays. Through relevant and joyful learning and expression, Jewish pride becomes a meaningful and treasured part of each child’s identity.
THE PRESCHOOL SETTING
Our beautiful classroom draws out each child's potential where provocations and materials spark enthusiasm, engagement, and feelings of positivity towards learning and school. Because students learn directly from their learning environment, a Reggio inspired classroom is set up in a way that is meant to be a reflection of the culture that the child lives in. Reggio classrooms have soft soothing natural colors. They are environments that open minds, facilitate learning, and encourage children to have higher level learning experiences.
ACTIVE LEARNERS
As children progress, they have the opportunity to take increasing ownership in their classroom community. Children are empowered to problem-solve and be active learners. By contributing thoughts, ideas, preferences, and interests, children experience a satisfying, empowering, and successful learning experience. As they take on more challenging responsibilities alongside their peers, they build essential self motivational skills, their pride and self-awareness further blossom and they form a solid foundation for a lifetime of learning.
AGES AND STAGES
Research has shown that children will learn as much from birth to age three, as they will from three through the rest of their lives. The seeds of learning, curiosity, and identity take root in infancy. At The Gan, we collaborate with you through your children’s development as they grow, discover, and embark on their lifelong journey of learning.
INFANTS
We strive to be an extension of your home, and this is especially evident in the warm, comforting environment we create for the youngest members of The Gan Family.
Our experienced educators encourage our infants’ innate curiosity and rapid development by providing a safe, loving, and engaging environment for our babies to explore the world around them. Aware of each child’s individual patterns, we help establish a schedule with eating, frequent diaper changes, and naps when needed. Interaction with each child is responsive, thoughtful, and intentional in every way. As a partner with parents, we help integrate each baby’s development into a seamless transition between school and home.
TODDLERS
Toddlers are mobile and curious about the world around them, ready to explore with all their senses.
By observing their behavior and responses, we cater to their inquisitiveness by using the room as a third teacher. This helps build their confidence and self-esteem, invites curiosity and discovery, and most importantly, fosters strong, respectful relationships.
They begin gaining their independence and fine and large motor skills by learning how to feed themselves, find their own cubbies, understand routines, all while growing their verbal language skills. Our toddlers feel empowered and capable, excited to explore in their loving and safe environment.
TWO YEAR OLDS
We focus on developing the socio-emotional skills children need to thrive, supporting and empowering their development through choice. At this age, children desire to exert their growing independence, and it is our role to guide that development in a positive, nurturing manner. Our classroom provokes learning through play, such as sorting, counting, pre-reading and math, colors, verbal expression, and much more. Emphasizing the self-help skills of dressing, hand-washing, and toilet training, along with a healthy social-emotional foundation for problem-solving and recognition of feeling, our two’s gain immense confidence in a warm, comfortable environment created expressly for their developmental needs.
THREE YEAR OLDS
The emphasis of our 3-year-old program is to build upon and expand their love of learning while encouraging their natural curiosity about the world around them. At this stage, we begin introducing more formal academic activities by creating opportunities to explore and inquire with teachers and students embarking on learning adventures together.
This collaborative approach emboldens children’s passion for knowledge, further developing the skills needed for critical thinking and discovery. With a focus on kindness and empathy in social-emotional growth and development, we guide and model interactions with others to both express themselves and take their peers' perspectives.
FOUR YEAR OLDS
In our K4 program, children develop and enhance the skills needed for their academic journey and life.
In a student-led creative space, academics such as reading, writing, mathematics, and science, along with verbal and social-emotional skills are refined, building on independent critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
We focus on providing each child with tools to succeed and feel empowered in their learning while emphasizing relationships among their peers and how to navigate challenges in a positive, kind, and thoughtful manner.
OUR GRADUATES
The children are ready for Kindergarten not merely because they have mastered or memorized the letters, numbers and shapes, but because they learned how to be critical thinkers and approach literacy in an organic way. They have also grown to be independent, mature, creative, empowered, socially and emotionally aware human beings. They emerge with a strong sense of self, confident in who they are as Jews and ready to interact in a kind, compassionate manner with the world around them.