High Quality Early Childhood Education
“Every time I walk into a classroom I learn about how to engage with children in a more thoughtful way. I could sit and watch the teachers all day.”
Our teachers are at the heart of everything we do. All of our teachers are fully qualified, and the variety and breadth of the experiences, passions, and education that they bring to the table form a rich and complex mosaic and professional learning community. Amongst our staff we have dancers, musicians, brilliant minds, tinkerers, and athletes; San Francisco natives, East Coast transplants, and immigrants; representatives from many walks of life – The Little School seeks to balance our staff in the same way we balance our classrooms. The passion all of our teachers have in common, though, is in helping each child develop his or her unique set of talents to grow into a powerful and caring advocate for themselves, for others and the world around them.
Learning is a continual process for staff as well as children. Teachers are not finished products, and we hold precious the time to reflect about children and best practices, observe one another and give feedback, and engage in professional development.
Just as passions of staff are treasured, The Little School follows the passions of children to create the basis for materials, themes, and projects that emerge throughout the course of a year. A class that is very excited about air travel, for example, may spend extended time designing and testing airplanes, finding out what helps them fly, playing airplane in the classroom, and perhaps even visiting a real airplane! Following the children’s lead allows teachers to help cultivate a joy for learning that children can carry with them when they leave The Little School.