Philosophy
Purpose
Humans of all ages seek a sense of purpose in their lives. In play, children both create and fulfill that need. Children are also given the opportunity to participate in tasks with a concrete measure of purpose. Caring for the indoor and outdoor environment, planting/harvesting vegetables, preparing meals, raking leaves, sweeping/mopping, and wiping tables all contribute towards a child’s sense of purpose and help them develop a connection to their space.
Sense of Self
By the age of five, children have already developed a strong self-concept. We recognize the extreme importance in forming warm, loving connections at this age and thus create environments to foster those relationships. When children are loved unconditionally, they are then able to direct that unconditional love towards themselves. When adults believe children to be highly competent humans capable of assessing risk, resolving conflict, and making decisions, children internalize that belief and carry confidence with them throughout their lives.
Child-Directed Learning
Self-directed children feel a sense of ownership over their lives and learning. They are aware of their interests and the steps necessary to reach their goals. Staff at Juniper Root take time to step back and observe each child’s specific interests in order to expose them to environments with appropriate challenges, tools, materials, and areas for exploration. There are numerous benefits from allowing children to pursue academic interests on their own timetable. Children develop a sense of mass, volume, and quantity by shoveling dirt and rocks. They read numbers on a rain gauge and letters on a map. When a child expresses interest in a certain academic area, we help guide them towards materials to support that interest and refrain from imposing any sort of adult or societal agenda on their work. We believe that the best way to create lifelong lovers of learning is to simply allow childeren the time and space to explore their passions in a safe and supportive environment.
Conflict Resolution
Conflict is a natural part of every human relationship. When conflicts arise between children, staff at Juniper Root support their resolution process without stepping in to solve the problem for them. Adults are nearby throughout the conflict in order to keep everybody safe and to help verbalize the process. We acknowledge and embrace the fact that conflict resolution is often a messy process and there is no right or wrong solution to any altercation. Each time children are allowed to settle disputes in their own way, they become a little more adept and confident with this skill.
Multi-Age Grouping
Children of all ages at Juniper Root all work together in a collaborative environment. Mixed-age grouping benefits both the younger and the older children. Older children develop a sense of leadership and solidify knowledge by teaching younger children. Younger children learn new skills by observing children whose abilities extend just beyond their own. The age range also minimizes transitions by allowing children to stay with the same group for an extended period of time. Children are able to build strong relationships as well as a solid foundation for the rest of their lives.