Developmentally Appropriate Practice 

As NAEYC defines it, "developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) is a framework of principles and guidelines for best practice in the care and education of young children, birth through age 8. It is grounded both in the research on how young children develop and learn and in what is known about education effectiveness. The principles and guidelines outline practice that promotes young children's optimal learning and development".

Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences Theory  Website

The theory of multiple intelligences was developed in 1983 by Dr. Howard Gardner, professor of education at Harvard University.  Dr. Gardner proposed eight different intelligences to account for a broader range of human potential in children and adults. At Spirit at Play we seek to cater to each child's strengths while working to nurture and develop all of the multiple intelligences. We keep all of the following intelligences in mind during our lesson planning. 

- Visual-spatial

- Verbal-linguistic

- Logical-mathematical

- Bodily-kinesthetic

- Musical-rhythmic

- Interpersonal

- Intrapersonal

- Naturalistic

- Emotional Intelligence

Reggio Emilia Philosophy  Website

A program that is Reggio inspired encourages their children to express themselves through the hundreds of "languages"-- words, movement, painting, sculpture, song, sketching, dramatic play, collage, so on.  Reggio adds whole other layers of aesthetics and communication to the daily early childhood curriculum—Reggio inspired classrooms include authentic materials and children’s words are valued and documented. The Reggio Emilia philosophy includes the Project Approach, which is child directed learning, the teacher operates as a learner as well as a researcher. Documentation takes a variety of forms from transcribed conversations to inspire future lesson plans, bulletin boards, Bookworks, daily emails which log classroom events, reflections and dates on artwork, etc.  All forms of Documentation are displayed, revisited, and reflected upon on an ongoing basis. When a teacher documents they listen, Reggio is occasionally called the pedagogy of listening, because when one listens they can better teach. Listening and documenting encourages metacognition in both children and adults.In a Reggio inspired classroom the environment is viewed as the third teacher, as a result the teachers give a lot of attention to creating an environment that provides opportunities for exploration, the classroom setup is very purposeful. The image of the child in the Reggio philosophy is that children are competent and full of potential. The environment is then meant to reflect that view by presenting authentic natural materials like woven baskets and glass, an environment that makes learning enjoyable and shows the child they are respected. Materials are designed to be accessible, atheistically pleasing, and stimulating.

"…a hundred worlds to discover

a hundred worlds to invent

a hundred worlds to dream."

—Loris Malaguzzi, 

pioneer of the preschools in Reggio Emilia, Italy

The Project Approach 

The project method is an educational enterprise in which children solve a practical problem over a period of several days or weeks. It often involves building or creating something, but could be an activity as well. The projects may be suggested by the teacher, but they are planned and executed as far as possible by the students themselves, individually or in groups. Project work focuses on applying, not imparting, specific knowledge or skills, and on improving student involvement and motivation in order to foster independent thinking, self-confidence, and social responsibility.