St. Michaels Episcopal Day School. A Reggio-Emilia Inspired Preschool Based in Austin, TX
At St. Michael's Episcopal Day School, we encourage the growth and development of our students through an emergent curriculum, project-based learning, opportunities for messy play, and utilization of loose parts.
Emergent curriculum is the philosophy of teaching and planning curriculum that focuses on responding to children’s interests to create more meaningful learning experiences. Priority is given to active participation, relationship building, inquiry, and play-based learning. The curriculum is child-initiated, collaborative, and responsive to the needs of the child.
In our classrooms, children engage in thought-provoking, challenging play every day. A child’s natural sense of curiosity about the world around them leads to experimentation with math, physics, language, and art. We believe that children must construct their own knowledge, and our school aspires to cultivate an authentic passion and love of lifelong learning and exploration.
Messy play is exactly what it sounds like: play that is a sensory experience in nature. Whether it be paint, sand, or water, messy materials draw children in and invite them to create an experience in their own way. Messy play is infinite, open ended, and, more importantly, child directed.
Loose parts are materials that can be moved, carried, combined, redesigned, lined up, and taken apart and put back together in multiple ways. The idea of ‘loose parts’ uses materials to empower a creative imagination. The more materials and individuals involved, the more ingenuity takes place.