As a college student at Brigham Young University, I had the awesome opportunity to learn all about the "ideals" of an early childhood classroom. I was taught that a young child's learning should be hands-on, engaging, and concrete. Curriculum in the early childhood classroom should seek to integrate all the subjects into a meaningful learning experience. Children should learn to ask questions and find answers--in short, they should grow to love the learning process!
When I started student teaching and substitute teaching in the "real world", I discovered that many of the ideals I learned about in college were not happening in the public schools. I do believe that most teachers and administrators are doing the very best they can, but because of limited resources, government regulation, and so many students, it is difficult to create that ideal learning environment.
As I started my job search, I was lucky enough to be hired by a family who wanted to start a small private school for their children. They wanted the best education for their children, so we set out to create the "perfect" school together. Well, of course, our school wasn't perfect, but it was an incredible experience for all of us. Because we didn't have to worry about report cards or standardized testing, the children were free to learn at their own pace. Our class size was small, and I was able to individualize each of their instruction and often planned our learning experiences around subjects the children found interesting. All of them loved coming to school because they were engaged in real learning.
My daughter is starting Kindergarten this fall. It dawned on me one day that even though she will likely be educated through the public school system, I could at least create this type of learning experience for her in the summers. So I've set out to start Summer Science Camps again! And I'm hoping that at least a few other kids in the community will benefit from these camps too. :)
My purpose is to teach children to love the learning process. I hope they will ask questions and learn how to find answers. I want them to feel like they are "little scientists" exploring the world the around them. I plan to keep class sizes small (12-14 kids) to help create an ideal learning environment. I will also plan curriculum that integrates all the subjects (reading, math, writing, art, science, music, etc.) into activities that are hands-on and engaging. And of course, we will have a lot of FUN too!
*Scroll down to the next blog post for information about the specific camps this summer!...
