Our Village Children's Academy

As adults, when we first wake up in the morning we pause for a moment so that our eyes can adjust to the brightness of light and we can assess our position in the environment. Our infant program is about guiding these tender young eyes as they are just beginning to focus on their environment. The foundation of our program is centered around awareness, exposure, and interaction while helping them feel safe and secure in their surroundings. This is also the time when socialization with others is being developed. It is a marvelous privilege to work with young infants and help nurture them through the process of transitioning from their initial world of singleness and isolation to a world of interactions with people and things.

The transition from infant to toddler is really a transition from dependency to independence. As infants become more comfortable in their own skin and with caregivers, their natural curiosity takes over. They have an intense desire to explore the world – on their own! This is the beginning of the terrible twos, which really aren’t so terrible. It simply requires caregivers to start acting more like traffic cops. Toddlers now begin to realize that they can make choices. It is the role of teachers to guide the children in making proper and acceptable choices without curtailing their natural curiosity. Just as the infants transition to toddlers, so too does the role of caregiver transition. The primary function of our toddler teachers is to guide, direct, oversee toddler curiosity and only intervene for the purpose of redirection and protection. As older toddler progress through their developmental phase of independence they start yet another transition to interdependence.

At about 30-36 months children begin to create social bonds that are based upon choice and conscious decision. This is a critical time during which children are beginning to understand the need and desire for having other people in their lives. As Preschoolers start to experience the importance of interdependence, which will guide them through their entire lives, the role of their teachers must also transition. During this developmental stage the role of caregivers begins to take on characteristics of a mediator. Our preschool teachers are not only hired for their “teaching” abilities but more importantly for their “facilitating” abilities. They not only facilitate learning but most importantly they facilitate the social engagement of preschoolers with their peers.