Philosophy
La Petite Colline practices a whole-child teaching approach influenced by Reggio Emilia & Montessori Methods with emphasis on learning practical life skills, bilingualism, and creativity. What does Reggio Emilia mean at La Petite Colline?:
- Reggio Emilia is a child- and inquiry-based teaching and learning philosophy that constructs meaning from the natural environment, the inherent inquisitiveness of young children, and the belief that children are deeply capable.
- The Reggio Emilia teaching style is process-driven and follows children’s interests, encouraging them to make meaningful connections and deepen their curiosity. Embracing this style of enabling children to construct their own learning from the roots of their own interests primes children for a joyful ongoing relationship with information seeking, knowledge and skill building, and living and learning in a curious and intentional way.
What else does our staff have to say about Reggio Emilia?:
- “Such an important part of Reggio is the idea of ‘the classroom as the third teacher’ – emphasizing the environment in which children can learn!”
- “Artwork – see the learning on the walls!”
- “Reggio is a more organic way of learning with the children. It fills in the gaps created when the focus is purely on academic learning. It teaches them real life skills!”
- “Children are SO capable!”
La Petite Colline is dedicated to supporting joyful independent learners who are focused and creators of their own environment. We provide inspiring educational materials, a collaborative and individual space with access to the exploration garden and intriguing toys which ignite curiosity and empower children.
Promoting a passion for learning and meaningful knowledge through our personalized and whole child education approach is key. Providing a backdrop for children to develop self-esteem, confidence, academic excellence and to explore the world and improve their skills is what we offer to support your child’s exploration. We feel that high quality education and care is centered around highly skilled and sensitive teachers, a progressive program and a stimulating environment. Delighting in children’s natural curiosity and desire to make sense of the world, we encourage each one to spread their wings.
For young children, this is their first experience away from home and their family. This can be a life-long rewarding and positive experience but at the same time, this transition can be challenging. That’s why our first priority is to provide a healthy, safe, and loving environment, where children feel happy, inspired, valued, and respected.
Children need a safe-haven to be able to explore and discover themselves and grow. Our program encourages children to learn through play and natural every day exploration as well as teacher designed situations that enhance their experiences. Making new friends and adjusting to their ever-shifting social world are crucial skills that will continue to develop as they grow.
We adapt our French and English curriculum weekly to the interests and needs of the classes and the individual child through careful monitoring and reflection in our planning. As a Swiss early childhood education background school inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, we offer a bilingual language curriculum by providing immersive holistic learning in both French and English.
