Individualized, Child-Centered Learning for Every Child
Every day, children explore new and developing skills to expand their minds, strengthen their bodies, and inspire a love of discovery. With a focus on customized learning, activities are modified to meet the needs of each individual child in our care. We fundamentally believe that every child is unique and our program is designed to embrace and celebrate these extraordinary differences.
Our learning guidance tools help customize our child-centered learning approach and facilitate conversation between educators and families. Based on each child’s individual learning journey, appropriate and attainable goals are set with children’s teachers and school administrators to help children achieve the next milestone. This is so much more than just daycare!
Learning guidance tools and strategies for child-centered learning may include:
Curriculum Modifications
Within the Budding Scholars™ framework, all activities can be modified to adapt to the developmental needs of each child. If a child has already mastered a skill, a modified version may increase the challenge of an activity to support continued development. As a child is introduced to or honing a new skill, a modification can make an activity more approachable to inspire curiosity.
Developmental Benchmarks
Honoring each child’s individual abilities, our benchmark assessments offer teachers and families an opportunity to reflect upon learning objectives. Teachers observe children’s behaviors and interactions to develop a comprehensive understanding of each child’s skills. With an appreciation for age-appropriate milestones, our educators use this benchmarking tool as a way to support the learning journey for the whole group and each child within. Assessments are reviewed annually during parent-teacher conferences.
Ages & Stages Questionnaire®
The ASQ-3 leverages specific questions designed to observe progress and monitor opportunities for continued development. Families respond to the questionnaire at home and discuss results with the child’s classroom teacher. This questionnaire is performed as an entry point assessment across all age groups to better understand each child’s developmental level.
Environmental Rating Scales (ERS)
To assess process quality within a classroom, ITERS (“Infant Toddler”) and ECERS (“Early Childhood” for Preschool/Pre-K) checklists are used to evaluate best practices around the physical environment, basic care, curriculum, interactions, schedule and program structure, and parent and staff education. Bimonthly checklists are used across all age groups.
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Little Sprouts welcomes private parent-teacher conferences upon request at any time. Formal conferences are scheduled annually to review progress with families.