Child-Friendly Environment
While you visit Cornerstone's classrooms, you will observe the signs of a good program for young children:
- frequent, positive, warm interactions between adults and children
- planned activities appropriate to the children's age and development
- specially trained staff who respond to individual children
- many varied, age-appropriate toys and equipment
- a healthy and safe environment
- planned nutritious meals and snacks.
Cornerstone allows children time to discover, pretend, dawdle and play. The program is child-centered, and for the most part, child-driven. It does not place values of good or bad on children's efforts or the products of those efforts. The goal is to encourage children to try new things, recognize their efforts and facilitate and reward their successes.
We believe self-esteem flows from success working at the business of living. We provide program opportunities for children that allow them to direct their own activities and through which they can experience success and learn from failure. We envision teachers as there to explain, encourage, facilitate and provide comfort to the children as they pursue things that interest them.