Guiding Principles
Go Beyond Immediate Experience
As human beings, our experience is not limited to what we can see and touch in the immediate here and now. We are able to use our ability to represent and communicate our ideas through symbols in order to act on the world “at a distance.†To exercise this inherent and important human ability, Little Leprechaun teachers provide children with a variety of experiences focused on considering past events, anticipating future events, and imagining possibilities beyond what is immediately present.
Make Choices
A child’s development as an autonomous learner, who is motivated to inquire, explore, and experiment in order to solve meaningful problems, depends on her having the opportunity to make choices. We give your children as many opportunities as possible to encounter manageable choices that fall within their competencies. This allows the child to feel in control of her experience and to have a vested interest in the outcome of her activity.
Experience Alternative Perspectives
Children need the opportunity to experience alternative perspectives, both within the physical world and within the social world. The materials and activities at Little Leprechaun are designed to encourage children to view things from different perspectives and to “consider all angles.†Social interaction sets the stage for children to experience the varying opinions expressed by their peers. In addition, celebrating the cultural differences that exist in our society exposes children to the varying ways in which people live their lives.
Reflect on Themselves as Doers and Learners
It is a fact of development that children are able to "do" before they are aware of themselves as "doers." That awareness begins to develop around the time children enter kindergarten and primary school.The fact that children can't think of themselves as a "doer" doesn't mean that it isn't an activity that should be emphasized and encouraged. Little Leprechaun teachers continually encourage children to reflect on themselves as "doers" and learners. Children are provided with the opportunity, for example, to review activities already completed, revisit a problem they encountered in their play, and revise something they may have created.