Program Introduction

At Blue School, we create an educational environment that supports creative expression, physical, social and emotional growth along the developmental continuum. We employ a co-constructivist approach where each child’s unique voice and interests are valued. Children construct knowledge and meaning through active participation with peers and adults. Students, teachers, and parents all learn and grow together. Blue School’s programs foster curiosity to fuel deep and powerful learning within a nurturing and respectful community. We believe these practices ignite a passion for learning that will last a lifetime.

Our goal is to build a diverse, well-rounded and challenging curriculum that allows our students to prosper as they encounter many different ways of working in the world. The school’s programming is based upon a solid understanding and knowledge of development across all domains and ages while keeping in mind the complexity of the process.

For example, development refers to an increase in complexity; a change from the relatively simple to the more complicated and detailed. The process involves an orderly progression along a pathway. Knowledge, behaviors, and skills become increasingly refined and expanded. Major markers or points of accomplishment are referred to as developmental milestones, which track the emergence of physical, social, cognitive and language skills.

While these accomplishments appear in orderly steps and within fairly predictable age ranges, care must be taken to acknowledge that there is a broad range of expectations within each age group and that the rate of development varies greatly from child to child. Therefore, the most important factor to be considered is not age but sequence. Every child progresses through each stage or step within all developmental areas but there is the possibility, even probability that any specific stage may appear in one child at a younger or older age than it does in another child. At Blue School, we believe it is extremely important to remember that each child is unique and that the developmental domains – physical, cognitive, social/emotional and language – are interwoven and interdependent throughout life.

Developmentally appropriate learning experiences are individualized based upon a child’s level of skills, abilities and interests. Teachers identify developmental profiles for each child using dynamic and authentic assessment. They then plan and implement activities that support the unique development and learning of each child. The aim is to establish an appropriate match between a child’s skill level and the materials available so that the child is challenged but not frustrated.

Blue School provides a supportive environment where children’s efforts are encouraged and they have unlimited access to developmentally appropriate experiences and materials. In addition, teachers understand and acknowledge that respect and recognition for all accomplishments and successes are essential components of a child’s self- esteem and his or her motivation for learning.