Ullens Kindergarten is a place of reflective, intentional teaching and learning. Our interest in research, generated from within our school as well as from academia, is the foundation of our practice. Through our ongoing reflective process, our understandings evolve and deepen. In collaboration with teachers, children, parents and the community, we are committed to the promise of all children.
The philosophy of Ullens Kindergarten has its basis in constructivism, a theory that emphasizes the child’s active role in constructing knowledge through exploration and play. The teaching approach is inspired by Bank Street College’s Developmental Interaction Approach & Caltech’s science-based curriculum. By reflecting on our experiences, we construct knowledge and understanding of the world.
At Ullens Kindergarten, teachers focus on making connections between facts and fostering new understanding as the children explore and play. Teachers tailor their teaching strategies to student responses and encourage students to analyze, interpret, and predict information. Drawing inspiration from best practices worldwide, Ullens Kindergarten offers an emergent curriculum of both planned and spontaneous activities, encouraging independence while presenting limits that arise from being part of a group. Teachers provide a variety of choices for play designed to encourage physical skills, cognitive learning, problem-solving and independent thought.