Chemeketa Child Development Center Philosophy Statement

In a warm, supportive and respectful environment, the Child Development Center provides opportunities for children to grow and learn cognitively, physically, socially and emotionally both as individuals and as members of the group.  Our philosophy is based upon the concept that knowledge is constructed by the child through her or his interactions with both the physical and social world.  This concept is central to the dynamics of our program because it puts the children, their ideas and explorations as the pivot point in the classroom.  Thus, the environment says "yes, you can be successful."  The teacher's role is to thoughtfully and responsively facilitate children’s interactions with their environment.  In order for this to happen the program takes into consideration the following characteristics of young children:

• Young children become increasingly autonomous and independent, developing self discipline and responsible judgement.
• Young children are experimenters and theory builders - constantly having and testing ideas about their world.
• Young children learn in an integrative manner - they do not leave their emotions behind while working with pattern blocks, nor do they abandon their intellect to problem solve social issues.
• Young children are social beings - they grow intellectually, socially, and emotionally from their interactions with others.

For children to explore both their physical and social worlds and for these characteristics to be honored, independence needs to be encouraged through choices, availability of resources and opportunities for self-reflection.  Children need to develop an awareness of how their actions effect the environment and others around them.  They need to be given opportunities to both share their feelings and to listen to the feelings of others.  Self-directed play in a social context provides children with integrated opportunities to share ideas, express themselves, listen to others, reflect upon their own ideas and feelings and to negotiate and cooperate.

The staff at the Child Development Center conscientiously strives to honor all these values and goals for young children.