Philosophy of Education
Because it is our belief that children are gifts from God, Good Shepherd Little Lambs Child Development Center, has been established to aid parents in the upbringing of their children. Our Christian preschool program seeks to nurture the spiritual, physical, intellectual, social, emotional and academic needs of 3-5 year olds. It is also our belief that the primary responsibility for raising children has been given to parents, and that the communication and partnership established between the parents and the staff will create a more well-rounded and beneficial experience for our little lambs.
Our Goals
Consistent with this philosophy, Good Shepherd Little Lambs seeks to meet the following
goals:
- Christian
- To teach Jesus as our Savior from sin through prayer, songs, and stories.
- To daily hear and apply God's Word as it is taught in its truth and purity from
the Bible.
- To respond to God's love in our life.
- Physical
- To model thankfulness for the gift of our bodies from God and all the talents
with which He has blessed us.
- To engage students in small motor and gross motor skills on a daily basis
through structured and unstructured play activities.
- To engage students in sensory activities and expose them to a variety of
materials.
- To develop muscle control and coordination.
- Intellectual
- To model thankfulness for all the gifts with which God has blessed us.
- To aid students in making God-pleasing decisions.
- To foster creativity and success through a variety of experiences and use of
materials.
- To provide age-appropriate activities related to basic language arts,
communication with adults and peers, science, reading and math readiness.
- Social
- To model Christian love toward one another and reflect the love of Jesus in
our hearts to all people.
- To provide a variety of learning experiences in large group, small group and
a one-on-one basis.
- To learn responsibility, and independence while learning to share,
compromise and cooperate.
- Emotional
- To assure all children that they are redeemed children of God.
- To provide a safe and caring Christian environment where all children can
learn and succeed.
- To help children understand and cope with their own feelings and to learn
appropriate ways of expressing themselves.
- Academic
- To expand the visual and auditory skills by exploring the world around them
and trying new things.
- To build vocabulary and communication skills through interaction between
teachers, staff and peers.
- To teach basic elements necessary for a successful school experience, such
as how to listen, how to follow directions, and respect for others.
Many of our goals are based on the Missouri Early Childhood Standards.
Curriculum
The curriculum used by Good Shepherd Little Lambs CDC, above all else, strives to
center around Jesus Christ, His love for us, and how we can live our lives to glorify
Him. The aspects of development for His little lambs then includes spiritual,
social/emotional, physical, and intellectual growth. Since it is our belief
that children are active learners, many of our daily activities will then be based on
giving children the opportunity to choose from a variety of activities. Our hands-on
curriculum will encourage the child to manipulate a variety of materials in our
learning centers. Some learning centers include art, language and writing, dramatic
play, science and math, music/worship area and manipulatives.
Our day will always include a Word of God lesson. Descriptions of the lessons
from ChristLight can be found at NPH ChristLight Curriculum. The Bible story and lesson for the
day will be taught by a Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) certified
teacher or the Director. This is to ensure the teachings and doctrines are taught
according to the view of Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church, a member of
the WELS. The Bible story for the week will be provided with the weekly newsletter.
Other aspects of our curriculum will strive to include an appreciation of diverse cultures,
traditional holidays, and current events. Weather permitting, we will include
large motor activities outside on the playground, otherwise, they will take place
inside the classrooms.
All staff members are knowledgeable in the Early Childhood field. They utilize
developmentally appropriate practices to challenge and engage God's children in
joyful learning activities. All staff members are encouraged to pursue continuing
education which is of utmost benefit to our students and their families. Our greatest
delight is to see our students succeed and our family of believers strengthened.
