About Elm Tree Preschool

OUR PHILOSOPHY

 I believe every child is capable of academic success.  The key is discovering their unique set of strengths and struggles.  I learned while raising my kids that one method of teaching was perfect for my daughter, and would never work for another daughter. It is my mission to help young students fall in love with learning. It starts with helping them to identify their specific learning style, so they (and their parents) know how to foster their love of learning for a lifetime.

Research has identified seven distinct learning styles.  To help foster learning, I approach every topic from multiple learning styles. This holistic approach allows the children greater comprehension and higher levels of engagement in their learning.

ENGAGED LEARNING METHOD (E.L.M.) 

I use the Engaged Learning Model or ELM (get it?). This model harnesses children’s natural curiosity as momentum for learning. When we get older, we tend to associate learning with pain and difficulty. But while our children are preschoolers, they don’t know what learning is. ELM is all about engaging our little ones in educational play, so they learn without feeling much of the struggle of “learning”.

For example, to learn that red and blue make purple, they will be given yellow, red, and blue paints, and then allowed to experiment, discovering for themselves what colors they make.

I love this method because it is so fun to watch children make connections. The pride in their smile when they figure out something new is sheer joy; wouldn’t it be awesome if we could bottle up their enthusiasm for life and learning?

The ELM program also lets me teach your child at their level.  I believe in being flexible and approaching learning from an individualized approach. Some children may already know their letters, while another is just beginning to recognize sounds.  The level has nothing to do with intelligence and is merely an indication of where they are in their development. This method helps every child to learn without worrying about how they compare to others. They are engaged in their own journey of discovery.