Parker-Chase’s educational plan encourages children to be actively involved in the learning process, to experience a variety of activities appropriate to their age and rate of development and to pursue their own interests in the context of life in the community and the world.  Play and experimentation are valuable forms of learning that encourage children to reflect on their ideas.  Powerful gains are made when children work together.  Collaborative or cooperative learning demonstrates the benefits of children working with other children in collective learning efforts.  When children collaborate, they share the process of constructing their ideas, instead of simply laboring individually.  The advantages of this collective effort are that children are able to reflect and elaborate on not just their own ideas, but those of peers as well.  Children come to view their peers not as competitors but as resources.  Mutual tutoring, a sense of shared progress and shared goals, and a feeling of teamwork are the natural outcomes of cooperative problem-solving.  Through play that is guided by adults, children learn concepts about the physical world, language, social skills, problem solving, motor coordination and self-confidence.  

Parker-Chase Preschool strives to be a model of quality early education and care for our community by:

• Providing a responsive environment where children and adults feel supported and free to explore materials, ideas and feelings;
• Fostering healthy self-esteem in each individual by respecting the individual’s needs, abilities, personality, and culture;
• Fostering the development of each child’s social-emotional, cognitive, language, physical, and creative abilities through the use of developmentally appropriate activities and practices;
• Providing a safe, clean environment that promotes safety, healthy practices, and an appreciation for nutritious food;
• Working in partnership with parents to ensure that children are receiving the highest quality of care.