Each day, children explore materials on their own, participate in small group projects, join together in the whole group for stories, songs, discussions and play outdoors. There is time to peruse a book alone, to create small block constructions with a friend, paint a picture, cook, and to learn about people, nature and the world we live in through firsthand experience. Children are encouraged to grow in independence, curiosity and initiative, at the same time that they learn to cooperate, respect others and to form relationships based on trust, fairnessand sensitivity to the feelings of others.
Teaching is individualized to respond to each child's readiness to develop talents and abilities.
Children are grouped by age so that teachers may offer materials and activities geared to differing stages of development but each group shows the usual wide range of normal development.