The following is taken from the New York State Prekindergarten Learning Standards and serves as the foundation of our program.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW YORK STATE PREKINDERGARTED FOUNDATION TO THE COMMON CORE
1. All children are capable of learning achieving and making developmental progress. The Prekindergarten Learning Standards are intended for all children regardless of economic, linguistic, and cultural differences or physical, learning, and emotional challenges.
2. Children develop at different rates and child is unique in his/her own development, growth, and skill acquisition. Appropriate and reasonable supports and accommodations must be provided to enable all children to succeed.
3. Children are active learners. A primary approach to learning is through purposeful play. Intentional planning promotes rich learning experiences that invite participation, involve multiple contexts and engage the senses that help children explore their environment.
4. Early leaning and development are multi-dimensional. Children’s learning is integrated and occurs simultaneously across all domains, which are interrelated and interactive with one another.
5. Children learn in the context of interactions and relationships with family members, caregivers, and other children in their immediate environment and in their community.
6. The family is a significant contributor to children’s lifelong learning and development. Actively engaging parents in the early education of their children essential to children’s success in the elementary classroom and later learning.
7. These Learning Standards may be used as tools to empower parents, teacher, and caregivers to better support and enhance young children’s learning and development.
8. These Learning Standards acknowledge and respect children’s rich backgrounds, their heritage, cultures, and linguistic differences.
9. The content of these Learning Standards is guided by research and effective practice to strengthen instruction and educational experiences across all settings. These Learning Standards are systematically aligned with New York State Common Core Learning Standards, performance indicators for bilingual and preschool special education, Head Start outcomes, and the National Association for Education of Young Children guidelines. They build upon provisions of quality set forth in child-care licensing requirements.
