by Kelsey Vasquez

They say children don’t come with an instruction manual. As parents, it can feel like we are constantly navigating through opposing viewpoints of how to best support our child’s development. Part of the conflict arises where culture clashes with current research.

So what do our children really need? Neuroscience Educator, Nathan Wallis, offers a compelling argument that breaks down some of the complexity behind brain development.

First, he divides the brain into four parts for easier understanding:

1. Brain Stem “the survival brain”
2. Cerebellum “the movement brain”
3. Limbic System “the emotional brain”
4. Frontal Cortex “the home of higher intelligence”

Brains come online from bottom to top. A child is not a little frontal cortex waiting for formal academics; we are first, and foremost, a survival brain, then a movement brain, then an emotional brain, and lastly, a thinking brain. So what does that mean for us as parents and educators of littles? We need to respect and fully meet the needs of each stage of development before moving to the next.

So, what does your child need? They need attachment in the first six months. They are operating primarily from that survival brain and depend on a caring, responsive primary caregiver to keep them safe. From six months to eighteen months, the movement brain becomes more prominent. During that 12 month span, children need freedom to move and develop the muscles to support their expanding gross motor abilities.

And then enters “the emotional brain.” Anyone living with a preschooler probably knows what this means (I’ll raise my hand in camaraderie- I’m living with three!). The Limbic emotional brain is center stage for children aged 2 to 7 or 8 years old. This is why a social emotional curriculum is imperative in early childhood, while a cognitive curriculum is more appropriate for older children in elementary, high school, and higher education.

What do children need in this stage? PLAY! They need the space and time necessary to play to develop the dispositions that serve as the foundation for the frontal cortex, aka higher intelligence. Play facilitates higher intelligence.

So what is a disposition? Perseverance is a disposition. Attention span. Grit. Resiliency. Belonging. If your frontal cortex is how brainy you are, then the limbic system is how brainy you feel. And that matters.

So, here is a practical example of how this plays out (pun intended). In a free-play curriculum, the emphasis is on the process. A child may spend an hour building a block tower. How high can the tower be? To answer this question, there will need to be some problem solving. How will it be stabilized? How do you manipulate the base to support the height? Which blocks work better on the bottom and which can be used on the top? How does the placement affect the balance?

Most likely, the child will not be successful on their first try. Each failed attempt encourages new potential solutions to be generated. And they are motivated to continue because it’s intrinsic. There was a choice. The child feels a sense of ownership to their work. They develop a disposition that supports working through multiple failures before finding success, maybe even managing conflict with peers when ideas differ, coping with frustration or disappointment.

In a product-focused curriculum, by comparison, a child may be doing a worksheet that is adult-directed. There is no ownership of the work (therefore, no intrinsic motivation) and they often learn there is a right or wrong answer. Statistically, a push down of academics shows little to no benefits long term, and instead is more likely to cause anxiety and depression.

Children who are allowed to choose where to play typically maintain an attention span for 45 minutes to an hour. Children in adult-directed curriculum stay focused for an average of seven to ten minutes.

On average, the frontal cortex takes dominance around the age of seven. In fact, research shows that cognitive results plateau at the age of eight - so whether your child has been reading since they were four years old or seven and a half years old, it makes no difference for the rest of their life after the age of eight.

Sooner isn’t smarter. Reciting numbers, colors, and letters at age 2 will not make your child any more successful or smarter at age 30. Step away from the flashcards and the worksheets.

Here is what you can do instead: 

1. Talk to your baby. Language is the major driver of cognition. Our brains are wired to interact with our environment in the first thousand days to see what type of brain we will need for the rest of our life. Talk to your baby about what you’re doing, engage in oral storytelling, sing songs and nursery rhymes, etc.

2. Attachment is key. The intimacy between parent and child creates the complexity of the brain. Your baby, your bond. Slow down and fall in love with that sweet newborn.

3. Follow the baby. Meet the needs of each developmental stage before moving on to the next. Sooner isn’t smarter. Children don’t need to be “prepared” for what will be expected of them in the next developmental stage, they need to be supported in the stage of development they are currently in.

4. Advocate. You know your child best. As their parent, you are their first and longest teacher. This research is shared with you to help you make informed decisions that work best for your family. Each child can develop at their individual pace and deserves at least one adult who will relentlessly advocate for their best interest.

Much of the work referenced in this blog is from Neuroscience Educator, Nathan Wallis. You can learn more about his work at: www.nathanwallis.com or by watching videos linked below:

Nathan Wallis - First 1,000 days

Nathan Wallis - Play based learning

First 1000 days - Sleeping

Nathan Wallis   Risk and resilience

The Sonoran Desert is full of subtle beauty. Our campus offers a tucked away oasis of desert gardens for students to investigate and explore. Children seem to have an innate ability to wonder at the beauty that surrounds them, and spring has brought beautiful blooms of color throughout the desert landscape that continues to ignite their amazement.

Our youngest class, the Quails, has taken a special interest in nature walks this year, visiting both the Memorial Garden and the Chapel Garden on campus. Each time they visit the space, children make deeper connections and expand their knowledge. On their first nature walk, they simply observed the desert around them, noticing the distinct features such as the sand, water, and variety of cactuses.

“It’s a big cactus!”

“Not small, big!”

“It has spikes.”

“It’s green. It has one arm.”

“It looks like a circle one.”

Small groups revisited the space again, bringing clipboards to document their observations. Then again, with View Finders to focus in on smaller details.

“Look at this tree!”

“It’s bumpy.”

“It looks white out today.”

“That’s because it’s cloudy.”

On their next visit, digital cameras were offered. From behind the lens, the child’s unique perspective is illuminated as they approach from different angles, zooming in on the details and noticing the colors, the subtleties, and the contrasts.

“I just love cameras”

“I pictured it!”

“I took the pictures of the bugs!”

“I took a picture of the air (sky) because it’s my favorite color.”

“I took a picture of the bug cactus!”

 The Quail class has explored their desert context this year in a way that has been meaningful and purposeful. Across our school, each classroom has taken a unique approach to thinking about the desert that surrounds us. We are excited to highlight these works in our annual Atelier Exhibition (formerly known as “Art Walk”) the week of May 16th – 20th. Each class will have their own time set aside for parents to join in an End of Year celebration and viewing of the exhibit. See class schedule below.

Monday, May 16th
Cottontail 9 AM – 10 AM
Jackrabbit 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Tuesday, May 17th
Javelina 9 AM – 10 AM
Quail 11 AM – 12 PM 

Wednesday, May 18th
Owl 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Thursday, May 19th
Gecko 9 AM – 10 AM
Roadrunner 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Friday, May 20th
Cottontail 9 AM – 10 AM
Tortoise 11 AM – 12 PM

Our next Family Tallulah Workshop will be Saturday, April 2 nd from 9 AM – 11 AM. We invite you to stop by and create beautiful clay tiles as a legacy piece for your family.

Our Tallulah project began in 2005 after the preschool was awarded a grant from the Arizona Commission on the Arts. Our initial project, the “Tree of Life” is in our front entryway and is a favorite place for families to take first and last day of school photos. Over the last sixteen years, our Tallulah tiles have spread across the walls of our preschool, leaving the legacy of the families and children that helped create them.

The name Tallulah was chosen for its Native American meaning of Leaping Water. Water is essential to all living things in our Sonoran Desert and can have a transformational impact on the desert surroundings. In this way, children and their families are like the water in the desert – both essential and transformational to our community of learning.

The beautiful clay Tallulah tiles are now simply synonymous with PPP. They have become a recognizable feature of who we are - from Pinnacle Peak peaking over the window of the Owl class to the Atelier Tree, Cottonwood Tree, and Havasupai Falls by the water fountains. Underneath Houdini’s home, our desert tortoise, are the bright orange Poppies and Schools of Fish. The tiles encircle our preschool campus with the Water, Desert, and Desert Wash projects interspersed throughout.

Our workshop this spring will focus on leaves for the new Mesquite Tree and pads for the Prickly Pear Cactus. We hope you’ll mark your calendar and join us:

Saturday, April 2 | 9 – 11 AM

 The beautiful Sanctuary on our campus is an enchanting place for students, outside of the typical areas of their daily routine. Once a month, children walk up to the sanctuary for Little Lambs with Hillary Mackowski. Ms. Hillary, as the children lovingly call her, joined Pinnacle church as the Director of Children’s and Family Ministries in 2017 and has been an incredible resource to our preschool program as a mission of the church. With a background in both ministry and teaching, she has a special way of teaching Christian values through playful and engaging stories and songs from the Bible.

During one Little Lambs, Hillary shared with the children how God made the world. After singing the song, “I’ve got the whole world in my hand” she asked the children if they could imagine what it would be like to hold the whole world in their hands. One three-year-old sweetly replied “I can’t even imagine.” Together, the children and Hillary wondered how we can help take care of the world:

“We can clean up the trash.”

“Play with Mama.”

“Pray for the world.”

“Put the soil back.”

A child shared her prayer for the world: “Thank you God for the beautiful world and I hope everyone has a beautiful life.”

All of the children prayed together, “God made the sun, God made the sea, God made the fisheys, and God made me! Thank you for the sun,  thank you for the sea,  thank you for the fisheys, and thank you for me!”

For another Little Lambs, Hillary read a story from the Bible about Moses. The Sanctuary floor was transformed into an ocean with shiny blue cloths set on the stage. She shared, “God gave Moses ten rules – four of the rules are how to love God and six of the rules are about how to love others. These are God’s Ten Commandments. The one big rule that encompasses all ten rules is: Love One Another.”

Hillary asked the children what rules they know about:

“You can’t always get what you want… or do what you want.”

“Stay safe.”

“Be patience.”

“Please don’t cut in line.”

“I have to clean up my room and my toys.”

“You have to chew when you are eating.”

This month, we began a new extended day class, “Jump on the Ark” taught by Hillary on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Students explore Christian values through hands-on activities, which include storytelling, imaginary play, music, art, and games. 

Hillary has fostered meaningful relationships with students through Little Lambs and Jump on the Ark. She often welcomes children at the preschool gate on Little Lamb days and the children are always ecstatic to see her, looking forward to their time in the Sanctuary together. They proudly bring home their work or handouts from the Little Lamb lesson and look forward to sharing with their parents. We are so grateful for the love and support Hillary has brought to our preschool and children!

School readiness typically refers to a child’s level of preparation for going into kindergarten. But what does it mean to be ready for school? Traditionally, this concept of readiness has been monopolized by academics – a child’s ability to count, recite the alphabet, or write their name. However, a growing body of research on social and emotional learning is finding that these surface-level indicators are missing the point on what it means to be prepared, not just for kindergarten, but in life.

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is a component of the whole child approach to education backed by a growing body of research demonstrating that non-academic skills are essential for student’s academic skills. SEL skills include self-awareness, relationship skills, self-management, responsible decision making, and social awareness.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation offers three domains for thinking about SEL:

Cognitive Skills – Executive function and planning, including working memory, attention control, flexibility, and inhibition; Beliefs and attitudes guiding one’s sense of self and approaches to learning and growth.

Emotional Competencies – Ability to cope with frustration, recognize and manage emotions, and understand other’s emotions and perspectives.

Social and Interpersonal Skills – Reading social cues, navigating social situations, resolving interpersonal conflicts, cooperating with others, and demonstrating compassion and empathy.

In the past, social and emotional learning has often been mistaken as “soft skills,” limited to concepts of self-esteem and praise. Thankfully this view is becoming less common as studies continue to show the essential role social and emotional learning plays in the world today. The World Economic Forum shows six of the identified top ten skills for the future involve social and emotional competence, including complex problem solving, critical thinking, and creativity.

As a parent though, sometimes it’s easier to see this long-term picture of SEL but difficult to translate to the next step: kindergarten. In school, children with higher emotional intelligence are better able to pay attention and feel confident in asking for help when needed. They are also more empathic with positive peer relationships.

The RULER approach is a tool for fostering emotional development in children:

Recognize emotions in oneself and others – How am I feeling?

Understanding the causes and consequences of emotions – What happened that led me to feel this way?

Labeling emotions accurately – What word best describes how I am feeling?

Expressing emotions in appropriate ways – How can I express appropriately what I am feeling for this time and place?

Regulating emotions – What can I do to maintain my feeling (if I want to continue feeling this way) or shift my feeling (if I do not want to continue feeling this way)?

For more resources on Social and Emotional Learning: https://www.naeyc.org/topics/31/list

References:
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/mar2017/teaching-emotional-intelligence
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/mar2017/social-emotional-intro
https://www.scilearn.com/the-overlooked-third-domain-of-social-emotional-learning/
https://casel.org/fundamentals-of-sel/what-does-the-research-say/

It’s that time of year. The weather is cooling off and the holiday shopping has begun. It feels like Halloween was just yesterday and yet Thanksgiving is tomorrow. It’s a busy season. But amidst the hustle, it is a Season for Gratitude. A chance to pause.

Children experience gratitude in so many ways. Gratitude can be defined as the quality of being thankful. It is the readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

In our classrooms, Conscious Discipline places a strong emphasis on gratitude and kindness through the idea of a School Family and the Power of Unity. It’s a shift from traditional views of education and discipline to one that asks the question “How do I contribute to a better world?” The Power of Unity instills the value that we are all in this together – that what we offer to others, we experience within ourselves.

Children’s books about kindness cultivate compassion and gratitude in children. A grateful heart is built upon kind acts, words, and thoughts. From others and to others.

 From our family to yours – we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving filled with health, happiness, and gratitude.

Resources:

Conscious Discipline Blog on Power of Unity.

Recommended books for children about kindness.

Recommended books for parents on kindness. 

You have probably heard people talk about how childhood has changed over the years. Many children today are spending significantly less time outdoors than previous generations. They are also spending an increasing amount of time tied to electronics and uninterrupted, unstructured free play has become a rare commodity.  Children (actually, all people) need hands-on, sensory experiences to engage with the natural world to make meaningful, long-term connections in their construction of knowledge. 

At Pinnacle, these encounters often begin with a material. 

We believe that materials offer immense potential in allowing children to experiment with their ideas, express their unique perspectives, and cultivate meaningful relationships with one another. Materials can be playful- inciting movement, singing, dancing, and laughter. They can also be calming, holding space for our sadness, worry, or fears. Materials offer meeting places for children to develop relationships with themselves, each other, and the world around them. 

Materials leave their trace on us, and children will often come home with the memory of these experiences on them, literally. Clay under their fingernails. Charcoal up their arms. Paint drops on their shirt. Soap and water or a rinse in the washer (for clothes, not kids!) will easily wash away the physical traces… but the connections they’ve cultivated within us stay. 

The joy that washes over as the first streak of color makes its way across the paper. The determination discovered when things don’t work as initially planned. The friendship strengthened when differing ideas come together. These are the moments that reveal who we are and where we are going. This is the foundation that quality early childhood education can offer. 

As a parent of a preschooler, I know the struggle of stains and clothes. In our house, we talk about the difference between “school clothes” and “special clothes” – basically, which clothes she can wear without worry at the painting easel and which ones are set aside to stay in good condition for a family photo or gathering. As an educator, I see an increasing number of children concerned about getting messy and stopping themselves from exploring a material before they have even really begun. 

“Materials live in the world in multiple ways. They can evoke memories, narrate stories, invite action, and communicate meanings. Materials and objects create meeting places. In early childhood education, we gather around these things to investigate, negotiate, converse, and share. Materials – a block of clay, pots of paint, a brush, a colorful wire, a translucent sheet of paper, a rectangle block- beckon and draw us in. Materials are not immutable, passive, or lifeless until the moment we do something with them; they participate in our early childhood projects. They live, speak, gesture, and call to us.” -Sylvia Kind

Fall is a busy season as we return to school and settle into new schedules, routines, and rhythms. As our students gleefully begin the new school, teachers have prepared meaningful opportunities for them to PLAY as they develop relationships, expand their knowledge, and build new understandings. 

Community Playthings published a blog this month by Lisa Murphy titled “It All Takes Time!” focused on developing essential lifelong skills through play. Here are a few of Murphy’s key points in her passionate plea to let children play:

Let’s get right to the heart of the matter: children need more time. Time to play, explore, think, daydream, imagine, and simply be children. They deserve better than being herded like cattle from one activity to the next all day long… Hard-and-fast, rigid daily schedules make me antsy. Why? Because out of one side of our mouth we say we want high levels of executive function and self-regulation skills and out of the other we insist on posting daily schedules that chop a child’s day up into twenty-minute time blocks. You can’t have the former if you insist on the latter.

Let me elaborate. One of the current hot topics in early childhood education is the development of both executive function (EF) skills and self-regulation skills. EF skills assist children in planning, decision-making, memory, flexible shifting from one task to another, and, among other things, managing feelings as well as unwanted thoughts and emotions… free play gives children time to discover their interests and tap into their creativity and that it is a “crucial element for building resilience,” which they will need to be happy, productive adults. 

Children with high EF skills are collaborative, persistent, cooperative, flexible thinkers with high levels of self-regulation—and a predictor of high EF skills is (wait for it) long periods of free time where the children are able to direct their play and the choices they make.

The Partnership for 21st Century Learning (and dare I say common sense) tells us that these are the skills our children will need to “be ready” for the future:

• adaptability

• agility

• attention to detail

• collaboration

• communication skills

• coping skills

• creativity

• critical thinking

• curiosity

• flexibility

• imagination

• leadership

• people skills

• problem-solving

• teamwork

Do you know where and when each and every one of those skills is being crafted, nurtured, developed, practiced, and mastered? When children are playing.

Bruno Bettelheim reminds us that “getting ready to play” can be developmentally more important than whatever ends up getting played out. Think about it. Figuring out who gets to use the red truck or who gets the favorite shoes, all the compromising, negotiating, bartering, badgering, turn-taking, and the putting of their own individual needs on pause in an effort to keep the play going are indicators of high levels of executive functioning and spot-on self-regulation skills. When we take this valuable time away from children, we deprive them of the opportunity to master the very skills we claim we want them to have.

When your child comes home from school today and you ask, “What did you do at school today?” Don’t be surprised when they proudly proclaim, “Play!” The teachers send home a Daily each day your child attends, and regardless of if they are individually featured, this is an incredible resource in discussing with your child all the fun play opportunities in the classroom and the friendships being fostered. We hope it offers you a small peek into their school day and encourage you to share it with your child as well!

Lisa Murphy’s full blog post can be found on Community Playthings website here: https://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/2021/Kids-Need-Time?_cldee=c2JhbGxAcGlubmFjbGVwcmVzLm9yZw%3d%3d&recipientid=contact-1c94d6902dc748b88712a01927288528-e8c30bb61c8347a89dee10e1925972bb&esid=78902490-8e15-ec11-b6e6-00224808e305

This year, our Art Walk will be in Fellowship Hall to allow families to safely social distance while seeing some of the cumulative work done in the classrooms and Atelier.

The Art Walk is a collaborative effort between the classroom teachers, Atelierista, and the children – spotlighting the interests and projects that emerged throughout the school year.

Each class’s display may center around a different material or study, but the underlying capabilities of young children are evident throughout.

Although this school year has looked different in so many ways, we remain committed to providing children with meaningful opportunities to expand their knowledge and valuing the documentation behind their authentic learning.

We hope you will join us next week in viewing the amazing work done this year by both children and teachers as we begin our end-of-the-year celebrations!

Monday, May 17
Jackrabbit Class | 11 am – 12:30 pm

Tuesday, May 18
Quail Class | 9 – 10:15 am
Javelina Class | 11 am – 12 pm

Wednesday, May 19
Tortoise Class | 9 – 10:15 am
Owl Class | 11 am – 12:30 pm

Thursday, May 20
Gecko Class | 9 – 10:15 am
Roadrunner Class | 11 am – 12:30 pm

The children in Room 3 have been exploring the beautiful environment that our campus offers. On a nature walk, a child observed some similarities and differences between the Prickly Pear, Saguaro, and Buckhorn Cholla cacti saying, “the thorns are all the same, but the shape isn’t.”

Many children referred to the thorns on the cactus as pokeys, prompting the teachers to ask why the children think cacti need pokeys? When children communicate their theories, they are challenged to articulate their own unique perspectives, as well as consider the point of view of others.

“They don’t want us to touch them because cactus are scared of us. So God put thorns on them, but that doesn’t hurt them.”

“They protect their selves, and they cover them too. Flowers too”

“Maybe the pokeys help the pieces that can’t stick to the cactus.”

Children use View Finders to concentrate in on the details of the thorns. Digital cameras were also used as a resource for children to explore distinguishing features of cacti by photographing, themselves, parts of the cactus to focus in on.

“Whoa, check this out guys! I can see where they connected!”

Ms. Melanie, our Atelierista, set out chalk pastels near the beautiful desert greenery in our Memorial Garden for the children to explore.

 “It is still daytime but there is a pretty pink and purple sky. The grass is pretty green. The wind swirled in the sky”

“I’m drawing grass. The white underneath is the worms. They help the garden.”

The Reggio Emilia approach to education celebrates the role of the environment as the “third teacher.” The possibilities are truly endless when children are given rich environments and quality materials to represent their thinking and deepen their understanding of the world around them. We look forward to sharing more of the children’s ongoing investigations of our desert context in our Art Walk next month!

It comes as no surprise that young children like to move. This year the teachers in our three-year-old class noticed their student’s drawn to the music playing in the kiva area and dancing with one another. 

A white sheet was added to the kiva with an overhead projector to explore light and shadow in motion. 

“It’s like a ballerina” A photograph placed near the easels inspired one child to paint the motion of a twirling ballerina. 

Painting easels were placed outside with different types of music playing. As the children painted, the movement was evident with both their bodies and the strokes on their paper. 

“It’s so great, it made me feel amazing! It grown’d in my mind”

A strong connection between home and school supports children in developing a positive association with school while building relationships with parents. This year, the Quail teachers have utilized the Share Bag as a safe way to engage families in the learning occurring in the classroom and most recently, to extend the children’s ongoing interest in paint mixing.

After returning from winter break, the share bags were sent home asking the children to choose a color that holds meaning to them. Inspiration came from so many amazing places, from a special blanket to found treasures in nature and photographs capturing everything in between. The children were then invited to name and create their very own “recipe” with paint.

As the children continued painting with their special colors, the teachers noticed that relationships played an important role in their exploration. The children often commented on whose color they were painting with or which friend had created the colors. A variety of tools were also introduced in the easel area to allow them to add texture to their paintings.

The children were invited to use their fingers, hands, and various hole punchers and tools to tear, cut, and create shapes with their painted papers to use as collage materials. They also used their special colors to paint in a different way – using cars instead of paint brushes!

The beautiful painted collage materials are being sent back home through the Share Bag now for families to build upon a shared story, utilizing the meaningful paper scraps and shapes created by the children. This connection between the home and school allows children to bring their learning home, extend their thinking, and deepen their understanding and knowledge.

Our registration for the 2021-2022 school year has begun to open and potential new families are safely touring our program wondering if our school is the right fit for their child. So, what does early childhood education look like at Pinnacle?

We are inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach. Studying the incredible work of educators from Reggio Emilia, Italy serves as a strong foundation for much of our work in the classroom. We see the undeniable capabilities of children as inquisitive learners constructing knowledge through relationships with each other, materials, and the world around them. Our strong image of the child corresponds to our image of teachers as researchers - partnering with children as co-constructors of meaningful, dynamic, and purposeful learning. Our curriculum emerges through documentation as teachers observe, interpret, and adapt to the ideas, hypotheses, and theories of the children in their classroom. For more information about the Reggio Emilia Approach: http://learningmaterialswork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/ValuesAndPrinciples.pdf

Children need meaningful opportunities to learn in purposeful, engaging ways. We remain dedicated to providing our students with best practices in early education. Open-ended, child-initiated play paves the way for higher order thinking. Academic disciplines are integrated into our classrooms in organic ways that foster children’s natural interest. One example of this might be mailboxes that encourage children to write letters to one another, bridging emerging concepts of literacy and authentic relationships with other. Here is a helpful article highlighting the emergent curriculum at Pinnacle: https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/nov2015/emergent-curriculum

We are committed to the development of the whole child. Conscious Discipline is a framework for Emotional Intelligence and is the social-emotional curriculum utilized in our classrooms. Conscious Discipline is a shift from traditional forms of discipline through its emphasis on self-control, creating a compassionate culture and school family, and focus on internal motivation. Children are empowered by clear expectations, routines, and structures to develop interdependency and helpfulness. Grounded in brain-based research, Conscious Discipline allows children to strengthen the executive functions in their frontal lobe through developing self-regulation. For more information about Conscious Discipline: https://consciousdiscipline.com/methodology/

We are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Research shows a direct correlation between high-quality early learning and children’s positive long-term outcomes in life, including increased educational attainment. NAEYC accreditation supports teachers in developing a shared understanding and commitment to quality and parents in recognizing quality early learning programs grounded in research-based education. For more information on NAEYC and high-quality preschool programs: https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/what-does-high-quality-program-for-preschool-look-like

High-quality environments include the outdoors. Our certified Nature Explorer playground nurtures children’s relationship with nature, cultivating wonder and curiosity. Outdoor classrooms are dynamic learning spaces providing nature-based play through research-based, field-tested design principles. These spaces support children’s imaginative play, increase their physical and mental well-being, and enhance environmental stewardship as children communicate their knowledge about the world around them. Children develop essential skills embedded in context through nature, such as initiative, literacy, math, science, social-emotional skills, and social studies. Learn more about Certified Nature Explorer Classrooms: https://natureexplore.org/

We hope you will join our Pinnacle community!

Priority Registration begins Friday, January 8th
Open Enrollment begins Tuesday, January 19th
Deadline for both Priority & Open Registration is Monday, February 1st
Placement Notification for 2021/2022 School Year is Wednesday, February 17th

Last month, the Roadrunner class celebrated Diwali, an important Festival of Lights in India which celebrates the victory of good and the essence of light. We are grateful to Ms. Juliet for sharing her beautiful culture with us and offering an opportunity for us to widen our perspective as global citizens.

Upon arrival, the children were welcomed by a traditional rangoli in the entryway symbolizing health, wealth, and happiness. Rangoli is an art that precedes sculpting and painting and is considered an essential component of any celebration. They are symmetrical in pattern and believed to emit waves that help us cool our mind and make us feel better, enhancing our balance and harmony (yes, please!).

In the classroom, Ms. Juliet placed a bindi on each child’s forehead for wisdom. She pointed India out on a world map, inviting the children to come aboard an imaginary airplane and fly the two-day trip across the globe to India. “When we arrive, it will be nighttime,” Ms. Juliet informed them, “when it is daytime in America, it’s nighttime in India.”  

The children had many ideas about why the times would be different:
“Because it’s a different time and they’re sleeping”
“There’s a clock”
“Because the different times”
“There’s no sun; there’s only one and it moves” 

Throughout the week of celebration, the children experienced different elements of the celebration but from the start the beautiful and colorful outfits instantly captivated the children’s attention with intrigue! There were so many new words to explore, from ghara for skirt, choli for blouse, and kurta for shirt to tikka for headpiece and chudia for bracelet.  

Payal, known as an anklet in Hindi, is a metallic string with small tinkling bells to create a jingling sound while walking, alerting others to be respectful in the presence of a lady. Married women wear them as receipts of respect and unmarried girls wear them to signify bravery and pride. 

Hudson, “How do we do this?”
Palmer, “We’re doing eight bells… we tried ten but it was too long. You have to slide that through very gently, then you pull it slowly.”
Ms. Juliet, “We are making payal so we can dance together”
Hudson, “It’s going to be great songs!”
Nelson, “This is fun!”
Jett, “I love the bindis and the Indian dance” 

In the Atelier, the children explored Mehndi with Ms. Melanie:
Presley, “It smells like lavender”
Carter, “It’s cold”
Jett, “Wow! You’re good at that! How did you learn how to do that?”
Ms. Melanie, “I just liked it and I practiced and now I do it every year during Diwali”
Lochlann, “I want a swirl with dots inside the leaves and then some fairy dust (glitter)”
Jett, “I love mine!”
Vivi, “Me too!” 

Diwali is an all-encompassing celebration for your senses. From the beautiful sights of the outfits and the touch of the colorful sand to the sounds of the lively music and the smells and tastes from the delicious foods.

Ms. Juliet, “It’s time to cook! Listen, now they are dancing” (adding the spices to the oil)
Callum, “I can hear it! I can hear it louder” (after the onions were added)
Palmer, “Because they’re bigger”
Jett, “That looks awesome!”
Carter, “It smells good”
Emery, “They’re louder because there’s more stuff in it”
Lucy, “They’re talking while they’re dancing”
Palmer, “They’re saying Hi to their new friends”
Lucy, “They’re talking in Bubbling language!”
Viv, “It’s delicious!”
Carter, “I loved, loved, loved it!”
Lochlann, “I wish I could eat it the whole time, because I love it… Namaste, Ms. Juliet”

From their celebration of Diwali, a strong interest in the Taj Mahal has emerged from the Roadrunner class. Many children have begun representing their ideas through elements of block building, drawings, and light/shadow.

We wish you all a very happy holiday season! This year, more than ever, we are immeasurably grateful for your support. Thank you for allowing us the privilege of serving your family!

Love, Pinnacle Presbyterian Preschool Staff

Something happened in the Owl class, something extraordinary. A group of children unexpectedly stumbled upon a map of the United States and in that simple, unassuming poster of geography they found something beautiful – relationships.

“Washington is where apples live and Florida has spaceships. Then we continue to Indiana where my grandparents live.”

“I’m tracing Ohio because that’s where my grandparents live and they have a house in Georgia too.”

“My daddy goes to Texas.”

“We live in Arizona.”

“I’m pointing to Ohio because that’s where my parents lived before I was in my mommy’s tummy.”

One of the children, an expert envelope maker, was excited to show his classmates how they could make an envelope to send letters to their loved ones.

“This is for my mom. I used this paper so you can see inside. She’ll like to look inside- she likes surprises. I made it small because she likes tiny things like me.”

“I made this envelope for my mom because she likes pink and lots of colors. I added water because it gives it energy.”

“I am making my letter for my grandparents in Payson. How do you write Nana? This is Papa.”

“I want to write I love you and I miss you.”

“I am going to make this for my mom. M-O-M.”

“I made it for my dad. His name is Philippe.”

“I want to write a letter for my grandma: I love you, Grandma. I wish that I could visit you today. I miss you.”

We began to wonder: How has the Covid-19 pandemic affected children’s relationships with loved ones? Were they unable to see grandparents or relatives in other states? How might it feel to receive a letter, a handwritten letter, from a person you loved?

As children began receiving responses to their letters, ideas emerged as to how exactly the letter gets from one place to another:

“He couldn’t have walked it’s too far”

“I don’t think it’s that far, he could have walked”

“He could have flied in a big airplane”

“It’s a car that goes from mailbox to mailbox”

“I think he put it in the truck and drove it or maybe he put it in a train”

“Maybe he used the airplane and truck and train”

“They matched his name to get it here”

The children have continued to stay busy writing letters to loved ones, each other, and even an elusive elf named Notty whose camper resides in our Outdoor Classroom. This work is purposeful, meaningful, and grounded in cherished relationships. It offers children an invitation to share a part of their thinking, their world, and themselves.

Transitions can be difficult- especially after a six-month quarantine! As children are returning to school and getting back into their rhythm it can feel like a struggle getting out of the house in the morning. At school, children are navigating social roles with their classmates as they take turns, negotiate play ideas, and include others in their work. For all these moments, and more, Conscious Discipline provides a framework for both children and adults to be successful.

Conscious Discipline fosters the development of emotional intelligence through a comprehensive system backed by neuroscience and child development. It offers a shift from traditional punishments by empowering both adults and children strategies to handle their emotions. Perhaps the most fundamental, and simple, of these strategies is: BREATHE.  

Sounds easy, right? Actually, it can be harder than you might think. Your oldest just logged on to their remote schooling and the internet is acting up; meanwhile, your preschooler is having a hard time getting dressed for school because he wanted to wear his favorite shirt which is currently in the hamper and your spouse is trying to work from home and probably hiding in the back of the house desperately searching for some quiet. Can you feel the adrenaline kick in? The sense of urgency that slowly morphs into frustration? Often, we begin to take in less oxygen as our stress increases.

Children behave similarly when they are placed in emotionally challenging situations- a toy has been taken away, they are not able to have something they wanted, or they are having a difficult time waiting. Taking a breath is like pushing the pause button so that you can consciously respond instead of unconsciously react. When children take deep breaths, they shut off their “flight or fight” system, their adrenaline slowly subsides, and they can restore calm.

Deep breathing, or “belly breathing,” signals your brain to calm down and sends a message for your body to relax. Your heart rate begins to slow, and your blood pressure returns to normal. By contrast, shallow breathing or “chest breathing” limits the diaphragm’s range of motion and limits the amount of oxygenated air in the lowest parts of the lungs which can lead to shortness of breath and anxiety.  

Conscious Discipline offers a few deep breathing choices with picture images, so they are easier for children to remember: S.T.A.R, Balloon, Pretzel, and Drain.

S.T.A.R. breathing encourages three deep breaths as children Smile, Take a deep breath, And Relax. You can help direct their attention to their belly breathing, where they tummy goes out when the air goes in, and in when the air goes out. It is also helpful to help children learn to exhale slower than they inhale.

For Balloon breathing, children place their hands on top of their head and interlace their fingers. As they breathe in through their nose, they raise their arms and inflate their imaginary balloon. They exhale slowly, releasing the air in their balloon by lowering their arms and relaxing their body. It is helpful (and fun!) to have them make a “pbpbpb” sound for dramatic effect as the balloon flies away.

Drain breathing brings awareness to the whole body. Children extend their arms out, pretending their arms are the faucets, then tighten their arms, shoulders, and face muscles and slowly exhale making a “shh” sound to release all their muscles and draining out the stress.

Pretzel breathing also engages the whole body as children stand up and cross their ankles, cross their right wrist over the left and turn their hands so thumbs are facing the floor and palms are together with fingers interlaced. They then bend their elbows out and gently turn their hands down and toward their body until rested on the center of the chest. Remind them to put their tongue on the roof of their mouth, relax, and breathe.

It is useful to introduce the breathing techniques in a playful way, outside of emotional situations. That way, children already have a foundation to pull from when they find themselves upset. Although the pictures are intended for children, there is no age limit on the benefits of deep breathing (and it might be the best way to make it through the rest of 2020). Remember the airplane rule- put your oxygen mask on first, and then help others.

Take a deep breath. You’ve got this.

We are so happy to welcome both our new and returning families to a brand-new school year. Though we are getting used to some new things (Covid, phases, bubbles, oh my!), you can be sure that beneath our masks, we have huge smiles on our faces because we are just as excited as ever to start this new school year with our amazing Pinnacle families!

The wellbeing of our community is our number one priority. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, we have made some pragmatic changes to the start of our school year. Although some details will look different, our commitment remains to provide intentional learning opportunities rooted in developmentally appropriate and best practices.  and the Reggio Emilia Approach.

So, how does a three-year-old socially distance? Your children are here to learn, grow, and expand their understanding and thinking. We understand the importance of hands-on, collaborative experiences anchored in relationships with both teachers and peers- which is why we developed the concept of “classroom bubbles.” Each classroom will socially distance as a cohesive unit with no intermixing of outside teachers or children.

Separation difficulties can be normal at the start of every school year. Some of our first-time students may have an especially hard time saying goodbye at the gate as they adjust to their new teachers behind a mask. Parents, this is hard. And we understand the enormity of our request for you to trust the process. The hand-off is often the hardest part and once in the classroom children become immersed in their paintings at the easel, intricate building of homes for their dinosaurs, and sense of belonging within their classroom family. Developing a consistent goodbye routine and talking to them about what they can expect will also help to alleviate some of their uncertainty.

We are cautiously optimistic we will be welcoming parents back into our classrooms as we move through the return phases outlined in A Path for our Return to Pinnacle. For now, although we will be physically distancing, we remain socially connected with parents as children’s first and most important teacher.

Have you ever asked your child what they did at school today and they replied, “Play?”  It is reassuring to know a little about your child’s school day. Revisiting their experiences also facilitates deeper learning and connections. Your classroom Daily Journal remains an important tool in the emergent classroom. This one-page resource is emailed out at the end of every class day and highlights some of the meaningful play, learning, and relationships from the day. It is important to remember that even if your child is not featured in the day’s Daily, it is intended as a starting point for cultivating conversations with your child. We encourage you to find a moment to slow down and share it will your child; ask what they remember from the experiences and about their other classmates. You can also stay connected by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and this blog where we will periodically highlight children’s thinking and role as active sense-makers in their own education.

Some things look different, but the important things have stayed the same. We remain committed to our students and families as an active community dedicated to raising competent, creative, and caring children. Together we are stronger- we’ve got this!

Helpful Resources:

A Path for our Return to Pinnacle https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5771608c414fb5bdf8e68072/t/5f4fd2f72fa4ee1e6d740683/1599066871780/PPP+Path+to+Return+Fall+2020+%28reduced+size%29.pdf

Pinnacle Presbyterian Preschool Covid-19 Child Health Screening Questionnaire
(to be completed each day your child attends school)

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfGhqaz7qSUTHd_soKy7NDWjKMeUYCzSEJLZgHQYFMOHSCn6Q/viewform

Conscious Discipline on Covid-19
https://consciousdiscipline.com/covid19/

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully,
everyone is blessed.” -Maya Angelou

Empathy development first emerges in the preschool years, as children begin to understand that other people have experiences, emotions, and even bodies that are different from their own. This concept, called Theory of Mind, is crucial for developing true empathy in later years. Developing emotional intelligence in a preschool child can be done in so many ways. Teaching them to identify their own and other's feelings, learning how to cope with their emotions, and discussing positive and negative behaviors you see in books, on TV, or at the park are all wonderful ways to pave this golden road to empathy.

Another powerful way is to teach our children the importance of giving. Our annual Empty Bowls Celebration in November was a beautiful reminder that 4 and 5 year old’s not only have the capacity to understand giving to those less fortunate but feel an immense and pure joy in the act. While glazing their creations in the Atelier one morning, children in the Owl Class were asked if they remembered why they were creating these bowls. “We’re going to ask mommy for a little money and the teachers are going to give the money to the people who don’t have very much money.”, answered one. “Yeah, we want them to stay healthy. So that they can stay alive for a long time. We want them to have a school and toys, too. Let’s give them money when we sell our old toys.”, added a classmate. “The kids that don’t have money, their tummies get hungrier and hungrier.”, another friend answered. “They’re thirsty, too.”

As the holiday season enters full swing and Santa, elves, candy, and wishlists fill our daily conversations, we thought it would be lovely to share some other ways you can include your own young children in the true spirit of the season; the spirit of giving. So, look through the list, pick one to try, and let us know how it goes! Happy Giving!  

1)     Help your child to gather a few toys that are no longer played with. Discuss that some

girls and boys do not have many toys, and how happy these things would make them.  Here are a few wonderful organizations that would greatly appreciate your gently used toys:

•   UMOM New Day Centers: umom.org

•   The Welcome to America Project: wtap.org

•   Phoenix Children’s Hospital: phoenixchildrens.org

2)   Shop at a store together and buy a new toy or book for a child that is your child’s age! Again, discuss how this toy or book would make another little boy or girl very happy and how good it makes our own hearts feel to give to someone else. Here are a few places collecting new toys during the holiday season or any time of the year:

•   Each year AZ Helping Hands has a Christmas toy drive: azhelpinghands.org

•   Toys for Tots is collecting toys until December 15 at various drop-off sites around the valley: phoenix-az.toysfortots.org

•   Phoenix Children’s Hospital: phoenixchildrens.org

•   Childhelp: childhelp.org     

3)    Participate in a neighborhood clean-up day together. Taking care of the world we live in is a wonderful step on the road to empathy development and a whole lot more!

4)    Consider driving a Meals on Wheels route once a week for approximately 2 hours with your preschooler! PPP teacher Shauna Winburn drove a route with her then 3 year old. The experience was not only life-shaping for Miss Shauna and her daughter, but for the elderly men and women on their once-weekly route, as well. To find out more call Diana Wert at the Area Agency on Aging, 602-241-6196.

5)    Grow out your hair together and donate it to Crowns of Courage! Our very own PPP parent Jessica Rinehart co-founded the organization, which crafts beautiful halo wigs for children who have chemotherapy-related hair loss. These wigs are given free of charge and bring nothing but joy to their very deserving recipients. Hair must be 10 inches or longer. Reach out to Jessica at crownsofcourage@gmail.com. 

6)     Read together! Here are a few books that inspire the true spirit of Christmas, whatever time of year.

•   How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss

•   The Berenstain Bears Think of Those in Need by Stan and Jan Berenstain

•    Harold Loves His Wooly Hat by Vern Kousky

•   The Gift of Nothing by Patrick McDonnell

•   The Giving Book: Open the Door to a Lifetime of Giving by Ellen Sabin

•   A Snowy Surprise by Amy Hest  

Nearly all visitors of Pinnacle Presbyterian Preschool have some version of the “I remember the first time I saw PPP” story, and nearly all of these stories involve the playground (we call it our Outdoor Classroom). The Outdoor Classroom is not a static space. It is an ever-evolving extension of our classrooms and Atelier, a place to test theories, take risks, wonder, create and MOVE! A track runs along the perimeter of the playground, acting as an all-important conduit for the bikes, trikes, wagons and tiny fast feet that zoom around with purpose and pride. At one end, our desert tortoise friend, Harry Houdini, makes his home. Nearby, a simple wooden boat takes students on daily adventures (usually through shark, pirate, and storm-infested waters). Several picnic tables, a ring of tree stumps, and a small, low stage sit in the shade of a large Mesquite tree, the anchor of our outdoor space. In the sand area, a pump and trough guide water into buckets, bowls and the sand below. Stories and adventures come alive daily in this space, and collaboration and turn-taking are worked out over prized dump trucks and turns at the hand pump. Occasionally, a treasure is buried or dug up by an elated child. Cross the wooden bridge (and hope you don’t wake the Troll!), and you are at our play structure. Physical grit and perseverance are honed here, as the children learn to navigate their bodies in space. Past the wooden magnet house, tucked into a shady corner of the Outdoor Classroom, is the Eric Carle Garden. Among sprouting sunflowers, carrots, and mint, the children can be found reading in the book hut, exploring worms, or turning over stones in search of bugs.  

Managing the continual evolution of this complex space is our very own Miss Kristine. In addition to teaching in the Roadrunner class, Kristine is in charge of planning and setting up the materials in our outdoor environment. Her choices often reflect the interests of the children or the seasons, and the environment is altered just often enough to be both comfortable and unexpected. Kristine loves the challenge of making the playground exciting and fun. She can often be found wandering the aisles of Home Depot in search of inspiration, or rigging up beautiful fabric or a dangling magnet on a rope as an alluring provocation. As she readies the Outdoor Classroom each morning, nothing makes Miss Kristine happier than hearing the students and their parents excitedly commenting on the space as they walk to class.

Over the years, the Outdoor Classroom has been a labor of love for PPP. Eight years ago, the staff drew up plans, altered spaces and literally labored to received our very first “Nature Explore Classroom” certification. This designation is given to outdoor spaces that connect children with their natural environment. The aesthetic and beauty of the space is important, as is the idea of the outdoors being a classroom itself. The final product of this process is an outdoor space that invites the desert landscape into our world and elicits a sense of wonder and connection from the children. Ask the pre-k students about their favorite cacti, and you will get an excited flurry of answers about jumping chollas, saguaros and prickly pears. Seed pods scattered under the mesquite tree become rattles and sand cake decorations. And after a few months of school, children can tell you that we don’t climb this special tree because we might hurt its bark or step on our tiny red ant neighbors that busily march from the base to the tip-top branches.

As with every other space in our school, the Outdoor Classroom will continue to evolve to meet the needs and interests of our young adventurers. Lately, Kristine has noticed a growing number of “ninjas” loose on the grounds. She is in the process of creating a new obstacle course activity that will make sure these young ninjas receive the best training in the Valley. Another exciting project in the works is the addition of a Sensory Skill Zone. This simple structure will have interchangeable parts that can be connected to a frame to help build the children’s core strength, support appropriate risk-taking, engage a multitude of senses, and boost neurological development.

Do you know just the right thing to enhance the Outdoor Classroom experience? Don’t be shy! Share your idea with Miss Kristine! PPP parents and family members have contributed some of our best ideas, sweat, and tears (hopefully only of joy!) over the years.

Chances are, before learning of this school or the Reggio Emilia approach, you rarely heard the word ‘atelier’ and may never have used it yourself. Yet here you are now, reading an entire post on the subject! But let’s just say you’re not entirely sure what happens in the Atelier, or maybe the visiting grandparents are wondering why their 3 year old granddaughter is excitedly shouting, “It’s ‘tilier day! It’s ‘tilier day!”. This month’s blog post has you covered!

By definition, an atelier is a workshop or studio typically used by an artist or designer. Think Parisian houses of fashion. To the innovative educators of post WWII Italy, however, the Atelier became an essential piece of the reimagining of education for young children. Loris Malaguzzi, founder of the Reggio Emilia approach, realized that schools needed to do a better job of teaching children how to think, not what to think. He saw that reinforcing only verbal language in schools was stifling the chance for many other languages, ideas, skills and abilities to be recognized and developed. He had the idea to bring professionals from many other creative fields into schools. Artists, architects, engineers, etc. were invited to share their skills and knowledge with the children. Malaguzzi’s hope was that the learning environment would engage all of the senses, therefore allowing everyone to connect to the space. From this, the idea of an Atelier was formed, and the creative professional who guided it became the Atelierista. The Atelier would become a place where children’s learning, social development, cognition and creativity were reinforced and guided with open-ended materials, innovative tools, and thoughtful provocations and questions. The Atelier also came to serve as the creative heart of the school community.

Across the ocean, and many decades later, the Atelier at PPP remains true to Malaguzzi’s vision. Upon entering the space, children are greeted by the scent of lavender and the quiet sounds of piano music. They arrive in small groups once or twice a week for the better part of an hour. Miss Melanie, our visionary Atelierista, greets them smiling at the door. The room is light and airy, colorful but peaceful. Children may be guided to briefly sit together to discuss a project or an idea. They might listen to a story about color, a desert creature, or emotions. Then they are invited to explore the room. The children are taught early on how to use the materials and tools in a thoughtful and respectful manner. Students as young as two can be found rolling clay into carefully formed balls, refilling water jars for paint, or softly cradling a real bird’s nest. And there, observing, documenting, and asking thought-provoking and confidence-building questions is Miss Melanie.

Miss Melanie has been Atelierista at PPP for 8 years now. Just as in Reggio Emilia, Melanie comes from an art background, rather than a teaching one. And just as in Reggio, Melanie is the creative guide of our school. In reflecting on the importance of the Ateiier, Melanie shared, “It is a joyful space for relationships across the board…relationships with each other and with the materials. This, in turn, builds confidence for those children to communicate with the world.” The learning that occurs in this joyful, shared space is often deep and complex. And it is not just the children who learn and grow here. Melanie remembers the moment she learned the importance of asking a child about their work. A student created a collage that very clearly resembled an elephant. But, instead of saying, “Tell me about your elephant…”, Melanie simply asked the child to tell her about his picture. What followed was a beautiful story of the relationship between a lightning-fearing, long-tongued cow and the tree that protected it. This story might never have been told if Miss Melanie had labeled the cow as an elephant in her question!

The Atelier is also a place where family members are welcomed throughout the year. Each year, families have an opportunity to create clay tiles that will adorn our school walls for years to come at our Tallulah Project days. Miss Melanie also welcomes parents to her “Prepping Parties”, where they assist with anything from sorting beautiful papers by texture to creating documentation for our annual Art Walk. If you have yet to spend a few moments in the Atelier this year, pop by and ask the students (or Miss Melanie!) to tell you about their work. We guarantee you won’t be disappointed.