Site Priorities
Literacy Development
The Center has established early literacy development as a site priority. We use the Literacy Implementation Training Model, California Literacy and Reading Project strategies, and the project approach to meet our early literacy and language development goals. Every project integrates a literacy component that is designed collaboratively among the environmental educator, artist-in-residence, and classroom teachers. Our partners include the Jewish Coalition for Literacy and Raising A Reader (RAR)—a project of the United Way.
Parent Involvement and Community Building
TEP celebrates the relationships and involvement of the community in order to create partnerships that support the academic and life successes of children. We achieve this priority through the Center Policy Advisory Council (CPAC), regular parent conferences and classroom meetings, parent surveys, and parent education.
Professional Development and Leadership
TEP provides ongoing professional development for all teaching staff that meets site priorities and engages our children, families,and staff as responsible learners and researchers together.
Project Approach
TEP has adopted the project approach as the primary method for curriculum delivery and carries out emergent and planned projects through our seamless indoor-outdoor classroom structure. Projects give children meaningful opportunities to investigate a topic in-depth over an extended period of time. Past and current projects include Alternative Energy through Art, Art and the Written Word, the Tea Project, and Homes and Habitats of Living Things.
Reggio Emilia Influence
TEP is influenced by the Reggio Emilia public preschool system of northern Italy. We embrace many of the values and philosophies and adapt the Reggio teaching methods to meet the unique experiences of our children, teachers, and parents.
Curricular Programs
Environmental Education
The part-time environmental educator works closely with classroom teachers and the artist-in-residence to use the green space and garden as the primary context for learning. The environmental education program has a two-part focus: 1) To provide the children with direct experiences in the natural world and to develop their sense of respect and caring for the environment; and 2) To develop the children’s literacy and critical thinking skills through the integration of indoor/ outdoor learning experiences.
Artist-in-Residence
Art is an essential part of our program and supports a core belief that creative expression is just one of a hundred languages—symbolic mediums—that children use to express their ideas, emotions, and experiences. Our artist-in-residence program, made permanent in 2003, enables children to incorporate artistic expression into curricular activities and project work.
Orff-Schulwerk Music and Movement
Scientific research confirms that music and movement have an enormous impact on early brain development. Orff-Schulwerk is an interrelated music, movement, and speech concept created especially for children by the German composer Carl Orff (1895-1982). The TEP program exposes children to music making that stimulates active involvement and optimal growth.
Evaluation Instruments
State of California Department of Education Desired Results Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS), the School-Age Childhood Environment Rating Scale (SACERS), Developmental Profiles, California English Language Development Test (CELDT) and the San Francisco Unified School District’s Child Development Program’s Pre-Kindergarten Literacy Assessment. Teacher observation and documentation are also important evaluation tools. Through these methods, staff are able to reflect on what and how the children are learning, using the information to inform their lesson plans and instructional practices.