Garcia Street Club’s curriculum is strongly rooted in the Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Learning and is:

• Nature-Based
• Culturally-Informed
• Arts-Rich
• Play-Focused
• Socially-Emotionally Strong

An Overview: The curriculum at Garcia Street Club is emergent and project-based, and is guided by the Principles of the Reggio Emilia Approach. In our curriculum model, the teachers are seen as co-researchers and work alongside the children to assist them to go as deeply as possible into the topic of investigation. Through relationships, play-based experiences, and hands-on investigations, teachers facilitate the exploration of emergent, relevant topics alongside the children. At Garcia Street Club, we also place a strong focus on social-emotional skills, such as turn-taking, communication, resilience, empathy, conflict resolution, and self-help. Weekly lesson plans help organize long-term projects and are created by teaching teams after careful observation and documentation of children’s interests.

Each plan touches on desired outcomes from our Early Learning Guidelines, which include the following developmental domains and areas of content:

Developmental Domains

• Social-Emotional Competence
• Creative Development
• Thinking, Reasoning, and Problem-Solving
• Language and Communication
• Movement and Motor Skills – Fine and Gross
• Literacy

Areas of Content

• Creative Expression
• Literacy
• Numeracy
• Science and Nature
• Community and Culture
• Health and Nutrition

Portfolios

We utilize an individualized focused portfolio process to document the progress and individual strengths of each child. Through careful daily observation of each child and their interests, questions, and play, we are able to track developmental milestones, collect work samples, anecdotes, photographs, quotes, and more, which we compile into portfolios to share with families. We use these observations and collections to individualize curriculum, scaffold and extend learning, and to celebrate each child and their uniqueness.

GET OUT! Outdoor Learning and Nature Time

In an increasingly screen-focused world, we believe strongly that children need the opportunity to be outside whenever possible. We strive to incorporate activities that foster an appreciation of the natural world into each week’s activities. Outdoor learning is a strong component of our curriculum model and teachers facilitate outdoor experiences and nature-based discovery opportunities on a regular basis. Our all-weather outdoor play policy gives the children opportunities to experience all weather, and to benefit from all the valuable learning experiences that come from splashing in puddles, digging on the mud, playing in snow, taking nature walks, and exploring the neighborhood acequias. WARNING: We Get Messy!