Our Center offers a loving, rich and alive learning environment that combines a nurturing family atmosphere with a progressive approach to education.  A primary goal of Serendipity is to create a strong partnership with each family, offering the parents peace of mind and an exceptional learning experience for their child. As our professional staff set up the child’s curriculum format, they take into account each child’s uniqueness and individual learning style, which offers flexibility and fluidity within the educational process.

Great attention is given to the surroundings within the classroom as to the  way it looks, smells and feels, which we feel is a large component in the learning experience. Classrooms are arranged with accessible material so the children learn from the environment itself, and they can actively pursue their interests with minimal adult intervention. It is designed to stimulate curiosity and exploration, while communicating a sense of comfort, belonging and community. A home-like atmosphere with baskets, wooden furniture and fabric are conducive to creating a warm and inviting classroom. Defined centers are used to offer specific areas of investigation, while core expectations include honesty, respecting others, demonstrating self- responsibility and practicing compassion.

Understanding that constructive play is the foundation for learning, our age-appropriate and balanced curriculum offers a variety of activities to meet the social, emotional and cognitive needs of each child. There is a strong emphasis on literacy, math and science as well as incorporating music, drama, and art as a means of fostering self-expression and creativity. We believe in presenting materials and activities in a relaxed manner, which allows children to gain knowledge through creative thinking, problem solving, and discovery. The programs have an emphasis of hands-on experiences that are designed to challenge children, as well as foster curiosity, which result in children learning through discovery and having a feeling of success. A unified goal at our center is to help families raise intelligent, capable and creative individuals who will feel confident and curious about their learning process!

Serendipity Learning Center has integrated the “Reggio Philosophy”,  the “Project Approach” and “Emergent Curriculum” to create the dynamic matrix for our educational system. Our philosophy embraces the concepts that children learn through natural discovery, and their environment should provide a balance of free exploration and classroom teaching. Education is viewed as an experiential process, with teachers taking on the role of researchers and guides, while creating a curriculum rich in literacy, math, science and the arts.

The “Reggio Philosophy” emphasizes the involvement of children, staff and parents in the educational process, which reflects the belief that children are active and competent contributors to society. Our interactive educational approach is fueled by questions and the natural curiosity from the children, who then bring inspiration to the instructional process. Exploration, in-depth investigation and self-discovery become natural outcroppings from this experience. The children are not rushed, and they develop their projects or activities at their own pace, allowing for an individual integration of the learning experience!

The “Project Approach” and “Emergent Curriculum” are both natural compliments to the “Reggio Philosophy”. Projects are used to build upon the emerging interests of the children as they move through their daily explorations. Both foster collaborative group work, which is considered extremely valuable in developing critical thinking skills. Children are encouraged to dialogue, critique, compare, hypothesize and problem solve through group work. Documentation, through pictures, artwork and written reports, is considered an essential tool in the learning process for children, teachers and parents.

A process called “webbing” is used to visually track the children’s investigation on a board, which is supported by verbal documentation and pictures. Parents are encouraged to participate in the unfolding progress by helping, or just watching the bulletin board tell a story of the children’s developing project! Education becomes alive, active and exciting for the child and their family, while validating the child’s innate intelligence.