Our View of the Child
Our Perspective
At Oberlin Early Childhood Center we do not believe in the theory that children are blank slates awaiting knowledge to be given to them, but that each child is born with the innate ability and desire to construct knowledge for themselves.They are strong, competent, creative, and curious individuals. We feel that this curiosity drives children to experience and explore everything that surrounds them to try to build a better understanding of the world in which they live.
Our Philosophy
We agree that the child has 100 languages and uses each of these to create, explore, assemble, manipulate, research, learn, play, rejoice, feel, and communicate. Children are capable of communicating to us from the time they are born, it is up to us to listen, watch, and observe to gain a better understanding of them.
The child is capable of using a wide variety of materials to explore. Our teachers create an accessible environment full of real life materials to express to the children that we respect them as researchers, trust them as competent learners, and believe that the work they are doing is worthwhile and important.
Children strive to create strong attachments and secure relationships with others. These relationships develop confidence in the children. It is this confidence that strengthens the children's' ability to look for answers for themselves. A confident child is ready to learn.
