First Friends

First Friends is a one-year program for children who are two years old. This program provides a calm and nurturing setting to introduce our ECC to our youngest learners, and helps to begin engaging families in the MRH community. Both parents and children receive support with transitioning to school and away from parents' or guardian's care. The program aims to build confidence and independence, which will help children transition to the 3-5-year-old MRH preschool program.

Preschool

Our MRH Preschool program serves children who are 3, 4, and 5 years old. Children who enroll in this program must be 3 or 4 years old and must be fully potty-trained. Inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach, teachers in our program view all children as competent, capable learners with voices that matter. Using the Missouri Early Learning Standards as a guide, we create opportunities for learning within our daily routines, play, and project work that are grounded in the interests and motivations of children.

School As Studio: What is the Reggio Approach and how do we use it at the MRH ECC Preschool?

This is a research based early childhood approach to teaching and learning developed in Reggio Emilia, Italy over fifty years ago. The Reggio Approach now inspires early childhood educational systems of quality and excellence throughout the world. In these early childhood classrooms, teachers offer interesting and meaningful learning experiences that support children in developing high-level thinking skills. The work of schools in Reggio Emilia challenges the teachers at MRH ECC to consider the many capabilities of their young students. The study of the Reggio Approach encourages all teachers to extend their own thinking about the many topics of study related to the development of young children. This method of early education values listening, participation, collaboration and depth of learning by children and adults including both educators and family members.

At the MRH ECC Preschool, we believe all children have…

• A right to joyful, authentic experiences

• A right to community

• A right to be heard

• A right to explore their sense of self

• A right to wonder

• A right to safe and inspirational spaces

• A right to be viewed as capable