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MERRICK WOODS PHILOSOPHY
 How
many times have we heard the question, "Will you teach my 3 year
old to read this year?" or "Will my child be doing more than
just playing in school?" As often as we attempt to address the idea
of pre-school readiness, the questions come up again and again. The following
summary is a description of our goals of pre-school education at Merrick
Woods.
With all that has been added to the pre-school and kindergarten curriculum
over the past years, the bottom line remains and always will remain, the
development of a healthy child. And how do we go about doing that? We
take into consideration the fact that each child is an individual, with
different levels of ability, different potentials, and different background
experiences. Basically, each child comes to us with different needs, motivations,
and abilities. It is our challenge to meet these needs and create in each
of them a positive self image along with the joy of learning. In order
to accomplish this, the following guidelines are used: We...
- provide an atmosphere conducive to each child's self expression.
- use positive reinforcement and immediate feedback.
- provide potential success experiences that develop each child's self
confidence.
- remember always that the process is more important than the end
product.
- do not compare children or their work.
- give opportunities to use materials freely in a creative environment.
This does not mean that children are to function without direction.
We establish broad guidelines that are consistent for them to follow.
- teach proper care and use of materials, equipment, toys, and books.
- encourage, but do not force participation by children.
- TEACH WITH ENTHUSIASM. Enthusiasm is contagious and can make
the difference in a child's attitude towards learning.
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