Overall Health of Children
The overall health of the child focuses on more than just keeping children home from school when they are sick or preventing them from obtaining an injury. The overall health of the child is every aspect of life for the child, that contribute to their total experience and well being.
•Physical Health of the Child: Children must be able to explore and grow. For a child to improve cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness, bone health, and cardiovascular and metabolic health biomarkers: children must accumulate 60 minutes of physical activities daily. Additionally, children must also eat healthy meals, with the appropriate nutrients, that support the energy demands for their daily schedules. Eating healthy is also essential to their proper growth and development (WHO, 2014).
•Social Health of the Child: Children must learn how to communicate with others. Children must also learn how to interact with a group of their peers. It is important that children learn how to build positive relationships and long lasting bonds with their peers and caregivers, to support a healthy learning environment. When children build these relationships, they develop a certain comfort in their environments, which also encourages them to develop a sense of security and independence.
•Oral Health of the Child: It is important that children learn healthy eating habits, as well as hygiene and bacteria elimination. Children at First Steps Learning Academy are directed to brush their teeth after large meals, before bed, and upon early morning arrival. Children are also taught about the importance of brushing their teeth and flossing, to support healthy teeth and gums. Lastly, children are taught about the healthy foods that support bone marrow and the healthy grow of teeth verses harmful food and drinks.
•Mental Health of the child: CONFIDENCE AND SELF ASSURANCE is the most important tool of success for a child. Children must believe that they have the ability to solve their problems and they must have the ability to trust themselves to produce the results expected by others. Children that are confident are more likely to be independent and happy during their lifetime. They will take risk, they are not afraid to lead, and they have BOLD personalities, in which they are very sure of themselves. It is important that children learn these qualities early in life, so that they are inspired to explore their environments and learn as much information as possible, during the window of opportunity.
Schedule A Tour
open House for the New Facility
First Day in the New Center
VPK Orientation in the Cafeteria
Caregiver & Parent Relationships:
"Relationships must be inviting, supportive, warm, and respectful"
Parents are always encouraged to stop by the facility/classroom and view their children during classroom activity. Parents also have access to the online portal, that allows them to view their child in class over a Wi-Fi video streaming device, where they can see their child interacting in the classroom while they are away. It is important to keep an open line of communication when working with parents to insure that everyone is on the same page and that the correct support is being provided to each child and family.
Implmenting an open door policy is an effort to encourage parents to interact with teachers often. Progress reports, as well as daily reports, are sent home to insure parents have updated information on the progress of their child in the classroom
Caregiver & Children Relationships:
Strong relationships are build on trust and experiences, that can only be accomplished when providers are openly involved with each child in their classroom. Teachers must get on the eye-level of the child, to show a certain level of respect and equality, that will encourage the child to participate in their environment and will build a level of trust with the caregiver. It is important that children also maintain a consistent relationship with their caregiver, which is why we insure that turnover is as limited as possible.
Teacher must interact with the children daily verses observation. Teachers must engage in conversations with the children and build long lasting bonds with each child in their classroom.
First Steps Learning Academy PRESENTS:
Watch me Grow
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In this approach, there is a belief that children have rights and should be given opportunities to develop their potential. Children are believed “knowledge bearers”, so they are encouraged to share their thoughts and ideas about everything they could meet or do during the day.
The Reggio Emilia approach to teaching young children puts the natural development of children as well as the close relationships that they share with their environment at the center of its philosophy. The foundation of the Reggio Emilia approach lies in its unique view of the child. In this approach, there is a belief that children have rights and should be given opportunities to develop their potential. The child is beheld as beautiful, powerful, competent, creative, curious, and full of potential and ambitious desires. The child is also viewed as being an active constructor of knowledge. Rather than being seen as the target of instruction, children are seen as having the active role of an apprentice. Children are also viewed as social beings and a focus is made on the child in relation to other children, the family, the teachers, and the community rather than on each child in isolation.