One World Learning Playschool

Our Philosophy We are inspired by the Reggio Emilia schools and philosophy. Reggio exploded when Newsweek magazine dubbed them “the best preschools in the world” in 1991. This beautiful philosophy has many educational concepts we value deeply at One World Learning and it inspires our important work with children. We have: • Faith in parents: To be informed and cooperative members of the team • Faith in children: To be interested in what is worth knowing • Faith in teachers: To solicit multiple points of view, respecting children where they are on their learning journey We believe: • Children are born with rights • Children are competent • Children use many “languages” to communicate their experience • Children are not empty vessels to fill with facts, figures and dates but come to school with ideas, preferences and hypotheses to explore • In the child as protagonist, collaborator, and communicator • Children learn best through loving, authentic relationships • Child development and current brain research best informs our practice • In New York's Early Learning Standards and being ready for all styles of Kindergartens but with a spirit of joyfulness that promotes curiosity, problem-solving and openmindedness for a lifetime of learning We support: • Emergent curricula that comes from children’s ideas, thoughts and observations • Documentation as communication (pictures, quotes, journals, projects, portfolios) • The teacher as researcher, partner, nurturer and guide • The environment as a “third teacher”, aesthetically -pleasing and connected to nature • Play and playfulness We aim: • For peaceful, unhurried childhoods and parenthoods • To be connected with the natural world, the harmony in music and dynamics found in celebrating multi-culturalism • For “Nothing Without Joy!” (Loris Malaguzzi)

Additional Information: Ben Costa, OWL Playschool Director, has over 25 years of experience leading international education. He and his wife have two children, a boy and girl who are currently 4 and 2 and a half. Originally from Maryland, Ben and His family moved to NY in 2013 and have been residents of New Rochelle since 2017.