PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” -Proverbs 22:6


Education, at its basic nature, is about equipping our nation’s children with the tools necessary to succeed in life.  Tools are not only academic skills, but also life long skills such as integrity, responsibility, and forgiveness.  These tools should be learned through instruction, practice, and perhaps more importantly, by observing the teacher.

We want our students to feel safe taking risks, exploring, and encountering new experiences.  GPCC believes in giving our students leadership roles.  Leaders serve their peers by encouraging, assisting and guiding.  This level of commitment helps them take ownership over their learning and environment.

It is our joy to provide a safe, loving, and welcoming environment.  GPCC will maintain a high level of excellence and will push our students to do the same.  By weaving in character development in day to day instruction, encouraging positive behavior, and instructing in the academic areas, our staff will prepare students for the real world.  Keeping each child enthusiastic about learning will create a lifelong, self-motivated learner with solid character traits.

MANAGEMENT AND DISCIPLINE POLICY

Management and discipline function together.  With great classroom management comes less need for discipline.  Our management philosophy is to be pro-active, instead of re-active.  This means that we set time aside to reflect on our lesson and ask ourselves “What could go wrong?” and “How can it be fixed?”  If we are prepared to handle all possibilities, we will be able to stop behavioral issues.  This will also allow our teachers the freedom to focus on teaching and creating an environment conducive to learning.

When we see a behavioral issue, we believe in using appropriate consequences.  For example, if a child does not follow the rules of the center, he/she may end up losing their movie day.  Children need boundaries.  Their job is to test boundaries because it helps them learn.  If they test the boundaries of the rules of the center without consequence, they will soon learn they do not have to follow the rules.  Idle threats are pointless and will only result in a lack of respect toward the teacher.  This is why being firm, fair and consistent is so important. 
Respect is the most important rule in the class.  Students will understand that respect encompasses all rules.  It is only respectful to wait until someone is finished before you begin to talk, keep your hands to yourself, and raise your hand.  These are all examples of rules that fall under respect. 

Above all, students need to feel safe, encouraged, supported, and nurtured.  As we show students how much we care about them, they will begin to gain respect for our staff.  Respecting authority is a very important skill to us at GPCC.  Being a role model that students can look up to and respect is one of our goals as a staff.  This will create symbiotic relationships that spur on learning, confidence, and ultimately, success. Corporal discipline will only create a stressful and scary environment for the students.  We will be fair, firm, and consistent without using corporal punishment or embarrassment.  Students benefit from boundaries and rules.  In the classroom, students will learn what is acceptable and what is not, and this is a lifelong skill.

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