A school needs to be a place for all children, not based on the idea that they’re all the same, but that they’re all different.

- Loris Malaguzzi, Founder of the Reggio Emilia approach

The History

The Reggio Emilia approach began in the 1940s when a community located in the town of Reggio Emilia in northern Italy, along with schoolteacher Loris Malaguzzi, began building a preschool for their children. Following the destruction of their area during World War II, the community came together to build their schools with the desire to raise a new generation of citizens committed to justice and equality. And it was a true community effort. A local farmer donated land for the structure, and townspeople – men and women – donated their time and labor to build the school using materials from the ruins of their village. This idea of coming together as a community for the sake of the children is at the very core of the Reggio Emilia approach today.

… these same people, without a  penny to their names, with no technical offices, building permits, site directors, inspectors from the Ministry of Education or the Party, could actually build a school with their own strength, brick by brick …

- Loris Malaguzzi

The Fundamentals

Schools that follow the Reggio Emilia philosophy of education build their programs on the following principles:

• An emergent eurriculum that builds upon the interests of children
• In-depth projects that are long term and built upon the concepts, ideas, and interests of the group
• Representation in multiple forms (print, art, construction, drama, music, puppetry, and shadow play) as tools for development
• Collaboration among home, school and community
• Teacher as learner, researcher, resource and guide
• Documentation of children’s work into portfolios
• An environment that plays a crucial role as the third teacher

A key tenet of the Reggio Emilia approach is that art helps children express their thoughts. Reggio classrooms are packed with a profusion of innovative materials for the children to work with, such as pebbles, dried orange peel, driftwood, tangles of wire and tin cans. “The environment as the third teacher” is a favorite Reggio phrase.

- excerpt from The Garlanded Classroom in The New York Times

The Reggio Emilia Approach in San Diego

If you are searching for a preschool program in the San Diego area that follows the Reggio Emilia approach, you might quickly become overwhelmed by the plethora of preschools that San Diego offers; Greatschools.net lists 667 programs! The San Diego Reggio Roundtable, a group of early childhood educators and parents who promote the Reggio philosophy, comes to the rescue with the following alphabetical list of schools and centers that appear on their website.

Aspirations School of Learning
6286 El Camino Real
Carlsbad, CA 92009
(760) 603-9173
http://www.aspiringchild.com/

College Park Preschool
5075 B Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 92115
(619) 582-2520
http://www.collegeparkpreschool.org/

Cuyamaca College Child Development Center
900 Rancho San Diego Parkway
El Cajon, CA 92019
(619) 660-4660
http://www.cuyamaca.edu/cdc/

Grossmont College Child Development Center
8800 Grossmont College Dr.
El Cajon, CA  92020
(619) 644-7000
http://www.grossmont.edu/childdevelopment/center.asp

Hanna Fenichel Center
336 N Acacia Ave
Solana Beach, CA 92075-1108
(858) 755-0860
http://www.hannafenichel.com/

La Jolla United Methodist Church Nursery School
6063 La Jolla Blvd
La Jolla, CA 92037-6799
(858) 454-1418
http://www.ljumcns.com/

The Little School
9614 Pebble Beach Drive
Santee, CA 92071
(619) 449-7162
http://www.onelittleschool.com/

Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church Preschool
17010 Pomerado Road
San Diego, CA 92128
(858) 487-0824
http://www.rbcpcpreschool.net/

Southwestern College Child Development Center
900 Otay Lakes Road
Chula Vista, CA 91910
(619) 216-6695
http://www.swccd.edu/4thLevel/index.asp?L3=298

Do you know of additional preschool programs in the San Diego area that either follow or are inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood? If you do, please share in the comments section below!

Learn more

An Argument for Preschool
from Newsweek

A School Must Rest on the Idea that All Children are Different
from Newsweek

The Garlanded Classroom
from The New York Times

Montessori, Reggio Emilia and Waldorf
from An Educated Choice

Reggio Emilia Approach
from Wikipedia

The Reggio Approach and Creative Learning Environments
from Understanding the Reggio Approach via www.alcassociates.co.uk

San Diego Reggio Roundtable

Photos from Aspirations School of Learning website at www.aspiringchild.com.

• 

  The Montessori School of San Diego

  Montessori schools are based upon the work of Italian educator Dr. Maria Montessori in 1907. The underlying philosophy of these schools is that children are individual learners and teachers are facilitators or guides. Students work at their own pace in classrooms that are organized around hands-on, self-directed, developmentally tailored projects and toys. Classrooms are often multi-age and can span two- or three-year age ranges. Montessori programs strive to develop self-motivated, curious, and self-disciplined children.

• Reggio Emilia programs are based upon the preschools developed by Loris Malaguzzi and the people of Reggio Emilia, Italy in the 1940s. Their emergent curriculum reflects the interests of their students and learning is a collaboration between teachers and students. Teachers document their students’ learning and play through pictures and words. Reggio Emilia programs emphasize creativity and artistic pursuits, and they consider the educational environment as the “third teacher,” playing a crucial role in the education of their students.

• Waldorf schools, also called Steiner schools, were founded in 1919 by Austrian educator Rudolf Steiner. Their pedagogy is based upon Steiner’s educational philosophy  and teachings, which follow a developmental model of education, and on anthroposophy, a sprititual philosophy founded by Steiner. Waldorf schools emphasize creative learning with the goal of developing the child whole child – academically, emotionally and physically. School days follow a dependable routine within a home-like atmosphere with play materials made of natural substances. Television and computers are strongly discouraged for younger children. Teachers often remain with a group of students for several years, creating a strong bond between teacher and child.

For a more in-depth look at these three approaches, Carolyn Pope Edwards at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln has written an article for Early Childhood Research and Practice titled, “Three Approaches from Europe: Waldorf, Montessori, and Reggio Emilia.”

Thanks to Private School News by Robert Kennedy on About.com for the pointer to this article.

The Assessment

A kindergarten assessment will usually cover language and developing literacy skills (speaking, listening, writing, pre-reading), social skills (ability to separate from parents, desire for independence, ability to play well with others), motor skills (fine and gross), and basic math skills. While the tasks your child will be asked to perform may vary from school to school, you can expect developmentally appropriate activities that might include a selection of items from the following list:

• Identify basic shapes, colors, numbers and letters
• Pull a letter of the alphabet from a bag and name words that begin with the letter
• Name opposites (what is the opposite of hot) and rhyming words (what rhymes with cat)
• Identify whether an object is placed above, below, right or left
• Distinguish between words that sound similar (wish vs which, fly vs fry, etc.)
• Recognize common sight words
• Read a simple word by phonetically sounding out the letters (c-a-p)
• Sit in a group with other students and listen to the teacher read a story
• Listen to a short story and then put the events of the story in the correct sequence
• Listen to and follow multi-step directions (Walk to the bookshelf, pick out a book, and place the book on the table)
• Write first and last names
• Count from 0 to 20 (or 30), and then count backwards from 20 to 0
• Count the number of objects in a group and then match to the corresponding numeral
• Sort and classify objects
• Identify an object’s ordinal position
• Estimate the length of an object using a smaller object
• Use scissors to cut a shape from paper
• Watch the teacher make a pattern with blocks and then replicate the pattern
• Draw a picture of yourself with your family
• Identify animals and name their habitats
• Identify parts of the human body, food items, or other groups of objects
• Play and interact well with other students, both in the classroom and at recess

You should be aware that schools do not expect all children to have mastered all of the skills that will be assessed. Some tasks will be easy and some will be more challenging so that the school can assess a wide range of ages and developmental levels. They may also be watching to determine how the children react to unfamiliar questions and situations that are more challenging.

When you talk with your child about the upcoming kindergarten assessment, make sure that she understands that it’s okay if she doesn’t know everything that is asked of her. Also let her know that she can (and should!) ask for help from the teacher when she needs assistance.

Birth date vs. Readiness

You may worry that your child will not be ready for kindergarten, especially if she has a birthday between August to October and you are faced with the decision to either begin kindergarten early or wait a year. In reality, the birth date is not as important as a child’s development, which is why recommendations and assessments are important. Discuss your concerns with your child’s current teacher and with the admission officer, knowing that you all want what is best for your child.

The Gift of Time

Sometimes a school will recommend that a child wait a year before beginning kindergarten based upon recommendations, observations and the assessment. When this recommendation is made, it is by no means a reflection on parenting skills. Rather, it is based upon the child’s readiness to be successful and meet the expectations of kindergarten. To paraphrase a quote, kindergarten is a journey, not a race. Sometimes the best gift that parents can give their child is the gift of time and along with it, a better chance at future success.

Resources available from Amazon.com

Links to More Information

About.com School-Age Children: Is My Child Ready..?
http://childparenting.about.com/cs/k6education/a/schoolreadiness.htm

ChildFun: Kindergarten Readiness Assessment
http://www.childfun.com/index.php/parenting/grade-school/953-kindergarten-readiness-assessment.html

Education World: What Is the Right Age to Start Kindergarten?
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr027.shtml

Family Education: Kindergarten Readiness Checklist
http://school.familyeducation.com/kindergarten/school-readiness/38491.html

Scholastic Parent & Child: Ready for kindergarten?
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=701

When going through the process of selecting a private school, you’re looking for the stated benefits of the schools in which you are interested. You’ve gone over websites with a fine-toothed comb, you’ve received materials in the mail, and you’ve even taken time off of work to attend Open Houses and other get-to-know-you type of events. And based upon what you’ve seen and heard so far, the schools all seem perfect. But what source – or sources – will give credibility to what you’re seeing and hearing? What’s the school REALLY like?

One way to find out what current and former families think about a school is to just ask them. Perhaps you know someone – a neighbor, friend, co-worker – who has had a child attend the school that you’re interested in. Ask them what they thought about the school overall and what they thought specifically about the program and people. You can also ask admission directors for references from current parents who you can call to find out more about the school.

If you’re reading this blog, however, my guess is that you are looking for online sources for information and reviews on private schools. While there are fewer San Diego-specific school review web sites than you might find in cities such as New York City or San Francisco, below is a list of sites with up-to-date information that you can use.

• Great Schools
  http://www.greatschools.net/
• Nickelodeon Parents Connect
  http://gocitykids.parentsconnect.com/category/san-diego-ca-usa/resources/schools
• Private School Review
  http://www.privateschoolreview.com/
• The Savvy Source
  http://www.savvysource.com/
• Trulia
  http://www.trulia.com/real_estate/San_Diego-California/schools/
• Yelp
  http://www.yelp.com/

Additional online resources that have more specific information include:

• The Baby Bond, Favorite Schools of Attachment & Natural Parenting Families
  http://thebabybond.com/San%20Diego%20Private%20Schools.html
• San Diego Magazine, Great Schools, July 2006
  http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/media/San-Diego-Magazine/July-2006/Great-Schools/

Do you have any additional web sites that you use to find out information on San Diego private schools? If so, please list them in the comments. I’d love to hear about them!

Update: Another resource you might try is EducationBug.

How do schools decide who to admit in the first place?
Many factors go into determining whether or not a child will be offered admission to a school. Additionally, many factors go into creating an entering class of students. A school’s highest priority is to admit students who have the greatest chance at success in their educational environment and who will contribute the most to their school’s community. They also take into account the make-up of the class and will want to strike a balance between criteria that might include gender, birth date, geographic location, and more. Ultimately, the decision to admit – or not admit – a student takes into account individual characteristics as well as potential group dynamics.

Is being placed on a waitlist just a polite way for a school to deny admission?
If a school feels strongly that a child will not succeed in their environment, most admissions directors will not offer admission to the student. However, if the admissions director believes that the child could be successful but wasn’t admitted for another reason, perhaps a group factor as described above, the child could very well be placed on a waitlist. Then, if a space becomes available at some point in the future, a student from the waitlist will be offered admission.

If the school believes that my child could fit in well at their school, why was my child placed on the waitlist rather than someone else?
Many factors go into admitting students to private schools. For example, let’s say that two students – a boy and a girl – are both seen as potentially successful students at a given school, but the entering class has an overabundance of girls. If all other factors are equal, the school is more likely to admit the boy to better balance the class.

Is there anything I can do to improve my child’s chances of getting off of the waitlist and into the school?
If you receive a letter telling you that your child has been placed on a waitlist, you can call the school’s admissions office to affirm your commitment to enroll if your child is ultimately admitted. You may also ask how many children are currently on the waitlist and the likelihood that your child is in a position to move off of the list. If a spot does open up, the school will be more likely to offer admission to a family that is a “sure thing” over a family who might not commit. Be mindful, however, that there is a fine line between letting the school know that you remain interested and stalking the admissions office. One phone call should be sufficient.

What if my child doesn’t make it off of the waitlist but the school is still our first choice? Is there anything we can do to improve our chances in the future?
If you know for certain that your child will not be attending a school for the upcoming year, either because you did not make it off of the waitlist or you received a rejection letter, you really have nothing to lose by contacting the admissions officer and politely asking for feedback. Some admissions officers will even go as far as offering advice on how you might improve your child’s chances for admission in the future. For example, if the admissions officer thought there were issues of academic deficiencies, perhaps your child can spend the upcoming year building up the skills that are required to be successful at the school.

Learn more

Find out what parents outside of San Diego have to say about their experiences with waitlists on the following blogs and discussion forums:

AdmissionsQuest: Waitlisted at a Private School?
http://www.admissionsquest.com/~Resources/ShowArticle.cfm/ArticleID/90/ArticleTypeID/5/Topic/waitlisted-at-a-private-school

NYC Private Schools Blog: Waitlists for Private Schools; You’re Not Alone
http://nycprivateschoolsblog.com/education/waitlists-for-private-schools-youre-not-alone/03/03/2009/

Private School Review: Waitlisted? What next?
http://www.privateschoolreview.com/articles/66

The SF K Files: Private school wait lists
http://thesfkfiles.blogspot.com/2009/02/hot-topic-private-school-wait-lists.html

This is the third in our series of Tuesday Testing Tips, prepared by Megan Cohen of La Jolla Learningworks.

You’ve helped your child prepare for the ISEE. Test day has come and gone. Now, the moment you’ve anticipated finally arrives and you receive your child’s score report. You open the envelope and unfold the report. You scan it over for meaningful information, but it all looks like Greek! All you can think is, “What do these scores mean?!”

Rest assured, once you know what to look for, the ISEE score report can be a helpful tool to learn about your child’s academic achievement. Below are some tips to help you make sense of your child’s score report.

1. The score report you receive will present data on the four different multiple choice sections of the ISEE. The essay is not scored; an unscored copy is sent to each score you select to receive score reports on your child. Results for each of the multiple choice sections are presented as comparative and individual scores.
2. On the score report, you will find two categories: 1) Test Profile and 2) Analysis. The Test Profile contains information on how your child’s performance compares to other independent school candidates in the same grade who have taken the ISEE in the past three years. The Analysis gives section-specific information on how your child performed on the test.
3. The Test Profile section of the score report breaks down results in 4 different measures: scaled scores, percentile rank, stanine, and stanine analysis. The scaled score is a statistical measure based on the raw scores for each section of the test and used by the ERB testing company to adjust for differences in the versions of the test administered on different testing days. Your child’s scaled scores for each section are used to determine his/her percentile rank, ranging from 1-99.

   Since small differences in percentile rank are not considered significant, stanine scores are also assigned as comparative measures. Percentile ranks are divided into 9 different segments to identify stanines. The breakdown is as follows:

   Percentile Rank	1-3	4-10	11-22	23-39	40-59	60-76	77-88	89-95	96-99
   Stanine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9

   It is important to remember that the group of students that takes the ISEE is much more competitive than those who take private or public school annual standardized tests. Due to this difference in the comparison group of students, you may notice that your child’s scores are lower in some areas than they have been on similar types of tests in the past. You should also know that admissions offices do not expect all students to be above average in their performance.

   The stanine analysis presents a student’s scores in a more visual depiction with a band to indicate the percentile range within the assigned stanine. It also allows comparison between the ability measures (Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning) and the achievement measures (Reading Comprehension and Mathematics Achievement).

4. The Analysis section of the score report indicates how your child performed on each section of the test. It provides more detailed information on your child’s strengths and weaknesses based on the specific types of questions he or she responded to on the test.

For more information on the specific types of questions on the ISEE, please visit the ERB’s website at http://isee.erblearn.org/guide.aspx and select “View This Book as a PDF” from the left-hand navigation options.

Below is a list of items to consider when calculating the cost of attending private school. You can check a school’s website or inquire at the admission office to find out associated costs as well as which fees are included in tuition and which fees are optional.

• Tuition
• New student fee
• Building/facilities fee
• Textbooks and other school supplies
• Yearbooks
• Laptop computer
• Field trips
• Class trips
  Depending upon grade level these may be local day trips, overnight trips, or extended international travel
• School uniforms
• Physical education uniforms
• Lunch
• Parent Association dues
• Interscholastic sports participation fees
• Summer camps
• Camps offered between semesters or during school breaks
• Bus transportation
• After school enrichment classes
• Student club participation
• Before and after school care
• Contributions to the Annual Fund each year
  While not required, private schools do often depend upon Annual Fund donations to make up the gap between tuition and the actual cost of educating a student. (Usually, tuition only covers approximately 70%-80% of the actual cost.) Find out what your school’s expectation is regarding participation.
• Contributions to Capital Campaigns
  Once again, while most schools will not require contributions, research what your school might expect.

It’s the journey and not the destination, I keep reminding myself.  This statement rang true for a group of my parents recently when we enjoyed a discussion about the benefits of a junior kindergarten program versus a kindergarten program for their children. In consideration of this, many thoughts come to mind and as always, I let parents know upfront that ultimately, I cannot make that decision for them. They must consider many factors when deciding which program best meets their child’s needs socially, emotionally and cognitively.  For some parents this is a tough decision.

Junior kindergarten and kindergarten aside, looking at early childhood settings can seem to be a daunting task. As parents, you begin your search early, often when you are expecting your first child. You spend hours touring schools, asking what you hope are all the right questions, looking at classroom after classroom, considering curriculum, backgrounds of the staff, schedules, etc. I think you know the drill.

But as parents you should be doing this. Investing in your child’s first educational experience is a big responsibility and requires thought, consideration and commitment, and this investment should also include thoughts on tuition, student-to-teacher ratios, and of course, location.

Here is a list of questions you might reflect on as you are searching for the right spot for your child:

• Is there an evidence of calm when you enter the school?
• Do staff and administration seem genuinely happy to be there?
• Are they attentive to your needs as a potential parent?
• Was your tour informative and thorough? Were your questions appropriately answered?
• Does the environment – both office area and classrooms – appear clean and well maintained?
• Are teachers joyfully engaged and focused on their children?
• Does there appear to be a rhythm and nice hum to the classroom while children are working? Do children appear happy, confident, and comfortable?
• What does the classroom environment look like? Is it warm and inviting? Is the environment set up to encourage collaboration among students? Would it create curiosity in your child? Could you envision your child there?
• Does the approach being used at the school and the development of curriculum jive with your thoughts of what young children should be exposed to? Does the general feel of the school and the approach used touch your heart, make sense to you and, is it a good fit for your child?
• Are the staff well cared for, provided with opportunities for professional growth, enjoy a positive mutually respectful working relationship with their director and administration, well educated and trained, genuinely happy to be there?
• Are parents welcomed and encouraged to be a member of the school community, to participate in classrooms, to visit for lunch, to talk with teachers or administration regarding concerns?
• Are academic areas developmentally appropriate for children? Is it equal parts challenging and intellectually stimulating, and is it just plain fun?

This phase of a child’s life is fleeting and it is the point at which you begin to look more deeply at how to help create a solid foundation for life-long learning. For many children these days, this includes an experience in an early childhood center. Like most foundations, whether it be a home or a relationship, you want to make certain that its foundation is solid and surrounded by love, security, opportunities to grow and change, and that your child (in this instance) is encouraged and able to help develop and construct his/her own knowledge. In essence, children learn by doing and should enjoy doing so.

Enjoy the experience, educate yourself in the process, and listen to your heart. In keeping all of the above in mind, you will know when you find the right school for your child for a number of reasons, but mostly because it will just feel right to you.

How do you evaluate preschools and gauge the quality of the programs? A good place to start is by searching for schools that meet standards set forth by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Look for programs that follow these four guidelines.

1. Preschools should focus on children.
   • What type of opportunities does the school provide for children to interact with other children and adults so that they can build healthy relationships?
   • How does the curriculum include a variety of activities that are developmentally appropriate the children’s ages and needs?
2. Preschools should have qualified staff.
   • What degrees and training do the faculty and staff have?
   • How long have the teachers and staff been with the program?
   • What is the child-to-teacher ratio for each class or age group?
3. Preschools should build relationships with families.
   • How are information and concerns communicated between staff and families?
   • What are the school’s policies for families visiting their child during the school day?
4. Preschools should be well-run.
   • Is the program licensed by the state?
   • Is the program accredited – for example, by NAEYC?
   • How does the school ensure that the facilities are age-appropriate and maintained?
   • What are their policies and practices to help keep children safe from preventable illness and injury?

The school has created a rich and well-rounded academic program that helps children develop a love for learning and prepares them for future success. In addition, the school is deeply committed to helping students grow as individuals who are concerned about their world and their place in it.

The Community

While these traits are in line with what one might expect from any excellent private school, one factor that sets Gillispie apart is its extremely strong community. The school has created a nurturing environment that feels welcoming and even intimate, which is helped by the fact that they keep class sizes – and corresponding student:teacher ratios – small. Faculty quickly get to know children’s strengths and challenges so that they can teach in a way that encourages children to continually grow and learn. This feeling of community is a huge draw for families who are concerned about overcrowding and a “one size fits all” mentality found in many public schools today.

I have been fortunate to spend time at The Gillispie School getting to know their program and their people. From the moment I step through the front doors of the school, I am impressed by the friendly, calm, and professional atmosphere that I encounter. And when meeting Alison Fleming, the head of school, and Steve Bunyak, assistant head of school, their warm smiles and kind words are guaranteed to make anyone feel comfortable.

The Campus

The campus is impressive in features and structure if not in acreage. Since the school is located in the heart of La Jolla Village, they do not have the benefit of acres of grassy playing fields. However, they have made extremely good use of the land that they do have with two playgrounds, a gymnasium (with a rock-climbing wall!), a science lab, a library and a fine arts center as well as well-equipped and modern classrooms. They recently revamped their early childhood outdoor area and it includes a wall mural painted by a teacher. A major benefit of their location is that students are walking distance from area facilities and resources within the community.

The Future

While the school honors its past, it definitely teaches to the future. The technology program at The Gillispie School is state-of-the-art with a one-to-one laptop program for every teacher and students in third through sixth grades, and a laptop cart for younger grades. The school is a Lighthouse School partner with Apple Computers, and they won a Leading Edge Award from the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) for technology.

Because The Gillispie School provides education only through sixth grade, many families wonder what the next step will be for their children. According to the school’s website,

We believe that learning is a journey. Our early childhood and elementary programs are designed to guide our students’ academic, creative, and social growth. We strive to develop resiliency in our students so that they are prepared for whatever paths they may choose.

The school seems to be quite successful in achieving this goal. Students who graduate from The Gillispie School are prepared to succeed at the area’s most competitive private and public middle schools.

If your family is looking for a rich and rewarding academic environment that is balanced by a nurturing school community, I encourage you to visit The Gillispie School. Your children will thank you.

Learn more

Website
http://www.gillispie.org

Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/search/?q=the+gillispie+school&init=quick#/pages/La-Jolla/The-Gillispie-School/243119163463

Contact
The Gillispie School
7380 Girard Avenue
La Jolla, CA, 92037
Phone: (858) 459-3773