Our Shepherd Early Childhood Philosophy
We believe that children are a gift from God and are strong, capable learners. Our teaching
practices reflect our belief that Jesus Christ is all and in all. We honor the importance of a
Christ-centered developmentally appropriate environment for the children as they play, learn, and
grow.
We believe that early childhood education must be holistic in nature in order to address the
student’s intellectual, social/emotional, physical, creative, and spiritual growth. We place value in
adjusting the environment to meet individual student needs. Therefore, we pay careful attention to
each student’s individual capabilities so that the environment can be enhanced to appropriately
challenge the children as they grow and mature.
It is our belief that young children learn best about God’s world through hands-on
experimentation and exploration of real items. Play is integral to a young child’s growth and
development for it is through play that a child unveils the world around them. Through a balance of
guided, directed, and free choice play, students are provided with opportunities to express wonder
and curiosity. Teachers are able to provide rigor and support students as needed to foster a lifelong
love of learning through an inquiry-based approach centered on student interest.
We value the importance of relationships with children and their parents. A positive, loving
relationship between the teacher and each individual child is the foundation for learning.
Furthermore, this view is also reflected in the positive partnership fostered between teachers and
parents to optimize a student’s success.
