Early Childhood Education: Philosophy

Our ECE Program is play-based—that is, foundational learning concepts are embedded in every activity, not explicitly drilled or taught. Our primary goals are to develop each child’s self-esteem, promote positive feelings towards learning, and to encourage social interaction within an early childhood setting.

The SIJCC Preschool insists that its community members adopt an interpersonal stance that is curious, tolerant, flexible, and reflects community best-practice standards related to the delivery of appropriate, nurturing, and growth-oriented developmental programming as we feel that this is the only way we can truly support and nurture the children in our care.

We believe you each, in wanting to join this community, are expressing a shared belief in the primary value of a nurturing environment for the growth and stimulation of your children. We are tasked with modeling open, curious, community centered behavior together.

The SIJCC is a center for Jewish education, arts, and culture on the east side of Los Angeles. Driven by the diverse minds of our community, our programs offer thoughtful, innovative, and enriching insight into the world of Jewish culture and tradition.

Each child brings their potential and curiosity to our community—we treasure these gifts, and it is our job to provide many opportunities for them to investigate their surroundings. This is the hands-on, child-centered approach that we use to interact with materials and ideas. Children are encouraged to explore, to ask questions, to problem solve, and to experiment. The focus is on engagement in the process, not the product. Any medium can be used to spark discussion and to present opportunities for innovation.

At every opportunity, we are looking to foster:

Community: A sense of our connectedness to one another. We get along and we take care of our members and actively try to bring people together. We do this as we celebrate together--when we come together we are greater than we are as individuals.

Competence: A sense of mastery of both body and mind. We care for our bodies through the food we eat, the interactions we have with others, and the way in which we move. We experience this joy with others when we move together and share our tables.

Peace: A sense of reasoning and responsibility and the ability to solve conflicts and move beyond difficult situations.  We recognize that the strength of a community becomes evident when we have to respond to challenges. We have the tools (and will offer them to you, too) to respond to difficult moments with grace and purpose.

Welcome: A sense that we want many different people together at our table. We do not just understand and tolerate differences; we see them as a path to enrichment and evolution of our community.

Mindfulness: A sense that when we listen, we love. We hear children when they express their fears and their wonder and we are whole enough to model appropriate ways to process those feelings. We create enough space between impulse and action so that choices can be made and we are grateful for these experiences.

Intention: A sense that we must be oriented to all of these values as we interact within our communities. We practice self-control and coping skills, and we rely on our inner strengths to navigate our worlds.

Justice: A sense that we should strive to extend the ideal of fairness to our interactions. We actively repair what has been ruptured and we aim to engage with each other without bias and unfair expectation.

Child-Centered Curriculum

We recognize that children have individual patterns and timing for growth. We adapt best practices in early child development to the needs, interests, and abilities of each child.

Our primary goals are to help children discover a love of learning and discover how to become actively kind and trusted community members. By modeling open, curious, community-centered behavior together, we support our children learning our shared values.

All children are welcome.

Inclusive Community

The SIJCC’s Early Childhood Program is open to all members of the community regardless of cultural or religious affiliations. We welcome all families & community members to participate in weekly Shabbat sing-a-longs and other activities that celebrate Jewish culture and traditions in a warm, creative environment. Through song, dance, celebration, and exploration of holidays, children become attuned to the changing of the seasons and to their own growth and development in ways that are deeply relevant to their daily lives.