Our Philosophy
The education children receive at the preschool level is arguably the most influential they will receive in their entire life, providing the basis and foundation upon which the rest of the child's life will be built. We work to develop thinkers.
At the CMC, children have the opportunity to thrive and grow, to have fun and to enjoy themselves while learning about their physical, intellectual, social and emotional selves, their language, and their world.
Our faculty sets limits in positive ways, modeling and teaching appropriate social behaviors and moral understanding. Conflicts are viewed as an opportunity to help children develop the skills to solve problems and cope with stressful situations.
Conflicts are viewed as an opportunity to help children develop the skills to solve problems and cope with stressful situations. We nurture social development, encourage our students to participate constructively in peer relationships, and teach them the language of cooperation, negotiation and compromise.
We pay close attention to each child's developmental needs, interests and strengths, guiding our students toward an awareness of who they are as individuals, and as members of the larger community in which they live.
Children are given opportunities to foster their natural curiosity and gain mastery in a range of areas at their own pace.
Our Values
We believe in the value of play and the child's right to choose that play freely. Through play, children develop physical, intellectual, social and emotional skills, their language and their world. Autonomy and independence are strongly encouraged so that children may see themselves as competent and confident people.
We foster the growth of each child by paying close attention to his or her developmental level, interests and strengths. We work to help all our students feel good about their individual accomplishments.
We emphasize the importance of respect for one another and ourselves. Friendship, communication, problem-solving skills and affirmation of self are built into our interactions.
We allow children to be children, learning to play and grow in the company of others within our unique and dynamic indoor and outdoor spaces.
Parent involvement and school community relations are all important factors in the overall success of the education of children. We provide ongoing channels of communication, including detailed narrative progress reports, and regular parent/teacher conferences. We also encourage parents to email or call the director and teachers at any time with questions or concerns.
Our Curriculum
All areas of learning, including language arts, math, music, movement and art are integrated into our students' experience.
Our curriculum encourages children to learn through active involvement in many disciplines. Our approach is the use of exploration and discovery to promote critical thinking, encouraging children to make decisions for themselves whenever possible and appropriate. We value play as a vehicle through which children consolidate their understanding of their world.
The school is organized around interest areas that support the learning process. Cooperative and shared learning are encouraged. Children learn through work and play in thoughtfully designed classrooms full of rich and varied materials.