-
Technology: it glues us together
Peter Van Houten | October 30, 2009 | Comment
I am so excited about the concept that The Grove School offers to families, immersing children in educational opportunities that nourish healthy minds, bodies and awareness of our community.
As the father of an educator in Texas who prides herself on leveraging technology in her classroom, I am very much aware of the value that comes from having close connections via multiple avenues between the school, the community and our families.
At The Grove School we are looking at how to best support our teachers, administrators and families through technology to stay connected, present an exciting and world-class curriculum, and enhance learning adventures. I hope you find The Grove School to be as exciting as I do.
-
The Grove School brings fresh approach to preschool
John Fread | October 27, 2009 | Comment
PORTLAND, Ore. — October 28, 2009 — Imagine a preschool where learning about organic foods and solar energy is considered as valuable as early reading and writing skills. Where locally sourced organic produce and dairy products are served in a welcoming learning environment filled with natural light, sustainable products and filtered air and water.
The Grove School™, a new preschool opening in the Plano, Texas, and Cary, N.C., in January 2010, offers curriculum, nutrition and a sense of community that reflect the guiding principles behind its healthy mind, body and planet philosophy.
After extensive research, a group of professionals with more than 35 years of expertise in early childhood education discovered that many parents nationwide were seeking a new kind of preschool experience. They were searching for a preschool that incorporates traditional curriculum as well as a social purpose and healthy lifestyle education into daily activities, offering a high-quality and well-rounded education.
The Grove School will immerse children age 2 to 5 in extraordinary educational opportunities for a lifetime of learning and connection with their community, while also preparing them for the traditional structure and concepts presented in elementary schools, including arts, math and science. This unique curriculum offers children a head start on understanding today’s evolving world.
The schools will open with teams of experienced and passionate teachers with degrees and credentials in early childhood education or environmental education, to engage students in a research-based curriculum that will help them meet key development milestones. The Grove School children will be encouraged to learn through play and become aware of the components of a healthy lifestyle and environment.
As numerous studies have shown, an inviting and stimulating environment is the atmosphere children learn best in. The Grove School children will spend their days in a bright, clean building filled with sustainable products and organic food. The unique curriculum will offer a variety of indoor and outdoor activities, from gardening to practicing yoga, that model healthy behavior, grow strong bodies and teach children how to make a positive, lasting impact on the environment.
Building lasting relationships with parents and their children is also a core commitment for The Grove School team. The teachers will be in constant contact with parents through frequent in-person meetings and online through email, The Grove School Web site and Twitter account. Parents will be encouraged to share their experiences and knowledge on the school’s interactive Web site. The schools will offer a new place for parents to join together with other like-minded families in their area – becoming an updated version of a community center.
The Grove School Point of View
The Grove School sense of purpose is as healthy for the mind and body as it is for the planet. The school approaches education comprehensively, encompassing the following facets:
• Educational Excellence: The Grove School has developed a research-based curriculum that helps children meet key development milestones in preparation for elementary school. Through this curriculum, a strong emphasis is placed on both traditional academic subjects and hands-on thematic explorations that encourage a healthy mind, body and planet.
• Sense of Purpose: Organic foods, gardening and sustainable products are part of The Grove School learning environment. Children learn why these things are good for their minds, bodies and planet through daily activities and lesson plans. Natural light brightens the classrooms to improve concentration while conserving energy. Sustainable building and playground materials are safe for children and reduce environmental impact.
• Community: The Grove School brings together a community of people committed to making a difference. Everyone is encouraged to dig in, share knowledge and build lasting relationships.
Quotes from The Grove School Executives
“We are very excited to see our vision for a holistic preschool education come to life,” said Ty Durekas, president, The Grove School. “We know that experienced teachers, a sustainable learning environment and research-based curriculum are most important to parents when they choose a preschool, and we are pleased to offer The Grove School as an ideal solution for parents and children in the Plano, Texas, and Cary, N.C. areas.”
“The Grove School is bringing a new kind of knowledge to children. It is important that today’s children grow into adults who understand what it means to take care of themselves as well as their community and environment today and tomorrow,” said Megan Riede, director of program development. “Through experiencing this unique curriculum, it will become second nature for these children to think about their impact on the Earth and living a healthy lifestyle.”
About The Grove School
The Grove School™, opening January 2010, immerses children age 2 to 5 years old in extraordinary educational opportunities that nourish a lifelong healthy mind and body while connecting them more fully with the world around them. With a research-based curriculum and socially conscious learning environment and activities, The Grove School offers a fresh approach to preschool education. The school is currently located in Plano, Texas, and Cary, N.C., with plans to expand to additional communities in 2010.
The Grove School is now accepting applications for admissions. Learn more and ask questions at www.groveschool.com.
-
Designing a sustainable experience
Scott Cervenak | October 27, 2009 | Comment
The overall experience for our children, parents and staff is meant to be unique with a clear goal of using sustainable materials and energy efficient technology whenever possible.
One thing really stood out when we researched and visited other providers. We noticed a tremendous degree of “sameness” amongst other preschools, to the point where they were hard to tell apart, especially when it came to physical elements. Frankly, most were pretty boring.
With The Grove School we wanted to say something different and blaze our own trail. Our buildings retain as much as we can of the existing materials, because it’s our belief that there’s nothing more sustainable than using what we’ve got wisely. And we replace only items that allow us to enhance the experience and tell a story.
We’re using recycled content flooring, casework, turf and playground equipment. Our lighting and plumbing fixtures are more energy efficient than industry standard. Even our signs feature low impact and recycled content materials.
The first two pilot schools are only the first steps in this direction. We wanted to push the envelope a bit and challenge everyone. But I want to stress that we have only begun. When you make a commitment to be a leader, you can never stop pushing the envelope. We expect even more from ourselves as the school grows.
-
A balance between education and fun
Ty Durekas | October 27, 2009 | Comment
We designed The Grove School to reflect what we believe is missing in preschool today–a true balance between education and fun. We represent the joy of learning. We’re giving children a stimulating and positive environment, with the right resources and access to fantastic teachers.
To make this possible one of our key commitments is to recruit and train the highest-caliber teachers. Our people are passionate, energetic and motivated to leave an indelible print on children so they’ll come out of our school prepared to be future leaders in what they do. There is a strong culture of empowerment throughout our organization, and especially at the teacher level.
Because of this, we’re creating positive memories as opposed to just educational experiences. If we do our part, children will carry these memories throughout their lives.
-
Up ahead
Ty Durekas | October 27, 2009 | Comment
This year, my hope is that families who enroll their children at The Grove School will understand and appreciate the teaching that occurs here and the rich educational experiences our curriculum offers. It’s really all about how we’re using the environment and technology to prepare these children for the world they will live in.
I also hope to see a connected and flourishing community in each of the schools. More than just a preschool, The Grove School is a place for parents to connect, teachers to share best practices and for children to develop long lasting friendships.
Long term, I see us developing a larger community of schools across the country. Where families and teachers are able to interact digitally, socially and environmentally so we can create positive social experiences for children. If we do that, we’ll become known as one of the truly unique opportunities for the children and families we serve.
-
The aha moment
Ty Durekas | October 27, 2009 | Comment
If I may be so kind as to say it, I’ve really enjoyed bringing The Grove School to life.
First a bit of background about me. I’ve been an entrepreneur in the education space for 18 years and have always enjoyed creating innovative and progressive organizations that focus on the needs of families, as well as children and their cognitive, social and emotional development. And so when I was asked to run The Grove School, I got excited about bringing together the right people, formulating a great team and moving from concept launch.
We have many fantastic people in our organization who have extensive educational experience. We also recruited top talent for specific skill sets. I asked around about individuals who were the most progressive, who would contribute substantively to a new brand and bringing it to market, and helping us move forward successfully.
Then I handpicked all seven people for our original team. I invited them and gave them the challenge. I told them this wasn’t a team where you can attend meetings and not contribute. They would truly frame and shape a wonderful new preschool experience.
With the team in place, we looked at best practices and got ideas from educators with 7-10 years of experience. We asked them about the challenges in early childhood education, and what would be the right way to proceed. We took that insight and formulated the school you see today.
There was also an aha moment. I remember a team meeting where I looked around the room. Everyone was contributing really great ideas and there were a lot of what-if questions. It was then that we decided not to put any barriers on our thinking. We knew we had the right people in the room and resources to make all of this happen.
That was the turning point. I realized this was unique and would resonate with families. Given the social and environmental consciousness of families today, we could align with their core values. We could truly extend what children are learning in their homes into a preschool environment.
As parents, many of us have watched in wonder as a lullaby or a gentle rocking motion turned an inconsolable infant into a sleeping bundle in someone’s arms. Actually, it’s no mystery why babies are comforted by music and rhythm. Even before they are born, infants are comforted by the steady heartbeat and rocking motions of their mothers’ bodies. After they are born, these same rhythms continue to console them. Babies begin responding to music in other ways, too, such as swaying their bodies and imitating the rhythms and sounds they hear.
As children grow, activities involving music naturally foster pre-language skills—listening, being attentive, and concentrating—which lead to anticipating what comes next and being able to follow directions. In addition, the rhythms and melodies of music help children anticipate and recognize when it’s their turn; as children grow, they will be ready to take their turn. All of these things and more help build the foundation for learning conventional communication and social skills. Music “works its magic” when we involve children in musical play activities that encourage:
• physical contact
• repetition
• taking turns
• nonverbal responses
• vocal play
• action as well as speech
• an awareness of appropriate timing for action and/or words
Music can work its magic with your child anytime—during mealtimes or other daily routines such as riding in the car, bath time, and bedtime.
Play is one vehicle through which young children learn about their world. Play fosters children’s development in many areas: social and emotional, language and communication, cognitive, and physical. As children grow and change, the types of play they engage in also develop and change—beginning with simple manipulation of objects and moving toward imaginative play and sophisticated games involving others.
Where children play can also affect the type and quality of their play. Indoor play often allows for a more structured and controlled environment, but the less structured environment of outdoor play is also beneficial. Outdoor play offers unique opportunities for growth unmatched by play indoors. Recent research shows that time spent in natural environments influences children’s ability to be sensitive, expressive, and creative in their later years.
Many of the developmental skills children acquire naturally through play are enhanced in outdoor environments. For example, large, open outdoor spaces encourage active play and whole-body movement such as running, jumping, climbing, and lifting. Children’s cognitive, or intellectual, development is fostered when they explore, experiment with, and create using open-ended materials found in nature, such as water, dirt, sand, and leaves. There are also fewer restrictions when play occurs outdoors—adults are often not as concerned about any messes or spills children may create.
Children’s language and communication skills are enhanced when they share and describe their outdoor observations. For example, one child may be fascinated by the fact that water disappears when he or she pours it in sand. Another child may wonder why a ball rolls effortlessly down a slide but a shovel doesn’t. As they search for answers and explain their discoveries to others, children use new and different vocabulary to express their thoughts and ideas about their outdoor surroundings.
Outdoor play also provides children with new opportunities to experience the impact and consequences of their own behavior among their peers. Outdoors, children can be noisier and move their bodies in ways they might not while inside, which might affect how they do or do not get along with each other in social settings.
-
Eco Friends: intro and philosophy
Linda Loop | October 27, 2009 | Comment
Eco Friends is a science- and ecology-based curriculum strand designed to meet the content standards established by state and national boards of education for early childhood instruction, in particular children two through five years of age. The lessons in Eco Friends introduce young children to the four main fields of science – physical, life, environmental, and earth and space. Children will also learn about the scientific method and the six basic science process skills: observation, communication, comparison and classification, measurement, inference, and prediction. Through interesting, interactive, hands-on activities using multi-sensory teaching methods, young children involved in Eco Friends will explore, discover, and make sense of the world around them.
Philosophy
Teaching science to children involves teaching skills more than facts. Children learn best through experiences that interest them or that apply directly to them. They are naturally curious and want to know how things work, why things happen, and what is happening in the world around them. Science activities meet this need in children by providing them hands-on opportunities to get involved. Science in early childhood is not only about ‘doing’ science activities as an integral part of daily life, science learning should be woven into everything the children do.
There are three important areas of science that should be included in science learning: the scientific process, science knowledge, and scientific attitudes.
1. The scientific process involves asking questions and seeking the answers to those questions–-a skill that is used regularly in all aspects of life.
2. Science knowledge encompasses the basic concepts of science, or what is known about the world.
3. Scientific attitudes focus on dispositions to science, such as curiosity, imagination, and respect for doing things in a specific way to validate results. (Virginia Standards of Learning, 2002)
Learning the scientific process should command significant attention when educating young children. Just as children must learn to crawl before they walk or run, certain ‘skills’ need to be learned before children can make sense of the scientific process. These ‘skills’ are referred to as science process skills, and they form the foundation for teaching science. Most scientists recognize six science process skills. Ironically, these skills are used by children and teachers everyday in various capacities, but are not always associated with science learning. When the connection between these skills and science learning is made that children become actively involved in science.
Listed below is a brief description of each of the six science process skills included in the Eco Friends curriculum:
Observation. Using the five senses to watch things with a purpose in mind; finding out about objects or events and what makes them unique or similar.
Communication. Describing characteristics, properties, and changes in objects or events; using language (both spoken and written) to share information and ideas with others; using graphs, charts, and drawings to document information from observations.
Comparison and Classification. Noticing similarities and differences among objects or events and sorting, grouping, or ordering them based on those properties and attributes; includes recognizing and following set patterns.
Measurement. Understanding quantity, size, and volume and comparing an unknown amount with a known unit; using measurement tools.
Inference. Explaining or interpreting observations; drawing conclusions from events.
Hypothesizing and Prediction. Making an informed guess based on observations; formulating a belief of what might happen based on evidence, observations, and inferences and that can be tested through experimentation.
-
Eco Friends: science and ecology
Linda Loop | October 27, 2009 | Comment
Ecology is defined as “a branch of science concerned with the interrelationship of organisms and their environments.” At The Grove School, children learn to take their environment into consideration every day through the materials they use, the activities they engage in, their awareness of their surroundings, and their interactions with others.
By providing opportunities for children to explore and experience nature in appropriate ways, we instill in them a caring and respect for their environment. Environmentalist Carol Petrash sums this up by saying, “Environmental awareness will come naturally to children when it is integrated into the early childhood classroom and home as a way of life” (Earthways, 1992).
Environmental awareness is imbedded in the Eco Friends lessons. As the children learn about animals, plants, themselves and the world around them, we are instilling in them a respect for each other and providing them with tools to care for each.
keep looking »
- Anne Saunders (1)
- Britt Stromberg (4)
- Burt Rosen (7)
- Dan Flood (11)
- Dani Kerrigan (1)
- David Roy (7)
- Heidi Venneri (1)
- John Fread (5)
- Laura Como (3)
- Lilla McManis (1)
- Linda Loop (6)
- Linda Nelson (9)
- Lisa Daley (4)
- Lisa Wohlschlaeger (1)
- Meg Davis (4)
- Megan Riede (5)
- Peter Van Houten (1)
- Regan Sheeley (3)
- Saras Ramamoorthy (1)
- Scott Andersen (37)
- Scott Cervenak (8)
- Serena Ross (1)
- Sue Davies (1)
- Ty Durekas (3)
- Wendy DeSpain (18)
- Inspection Perfection…Well, Almost! 03.11.10
- Providing Positive Guidance 03.11.10
- My Favorite Drink! 03.09.10
- Our Student-Led Video Tour 03.11.10
- P is for Passion 03.09.10
- Composting ORT 03.08.10
- Inside the Summer Program: Outside My Window 03.04.10
- What’s up at The Grove School of Plano? 03.03.10
