Mixed Ages

We intentionally chose a mixed age setting which is important to our philosophy of learning.  With this setting, the teacher AND students scaffold learning. Learning is most effective when an older peer who has already mastered a skill can give little hints of encouragement or suggestions, allowing a younger peer to succeed. The best way to remember something is to teach it to someone else, therefore, that child teacher is cementing their learning as well as gaining self esteem and leadership skills. Here at Life’s Little Joys, everyone is learning AND teaching AND growing!

 

     Other benefits:

• Since children mature developmentally rather than chronologically, they thrive in a setting where they can move at their own pace, depending on where they are at developmentally

• Because children are with the same child care providers from ages 2 to 6, they are able to develop long-term relationships with those providers as well as with their peers.

• Natural homelike setting where children are not segregated into age groups

• Siblings are able to stay together.

• Consistency

• Familiar routine

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