Starbright Early Learning Center

Teachers at Starbright work with children individually to help them identify their own unique strengths and abilities. By having these strengths reinforced, children apply the self-confidence acquired to other less-developed areas. To help children reach their greatest potential in all developmental areas, Starbright offers fine and gross motor activities, self-help techniques, socialization skills, language arts, mathematical concepts, and art exploration. Our youngest children receive lots of individual attention and warm nurturing, as we work closely with parents to help them adapt to their learning environment. Preschool and kindergarten children take part in an exciting curriculum developed by Dr. Borgatta, an early childhood specialist, who is also the founder of Starbright Early Learning Center. School age children are given emotional support, a quiet place to work on school work with teachers to guide them, and enrichment activities to round out their day.

Starbright uses developmentally appropriate teaching practices. Young children tend to gravitate naturally, and in their own time, towards learning experiences that they need. Research supports the idea of providing an enriched environment with varied learning centers, such as housekeeping, block play, woodworking, artwork, computers, hands-on math and science, language arts, cooking, etc. With learning centers, the teacher acts as a guide, monitoring the child as he plays in each of these areas. She offers assistance as the child requires it. For example, a child roams freely during free play and sits down to play with some blocks. He has difficulty building a structure. The teacher asks him if she can help in some way or makes a suggestion to assist the child in manipulating the blocks better. As children grow from young preschoolers to older preschoolers and kindergartners, learning centers become more complex and varied.

Starbright supports the concept that children learn by playing. Playing is the child's work. Hands-on toys and educational materials are the "texts" of early childhood classrooms. We do not push or pressure children to perform the more academic skills. Instead, we supply the environment and professional guidance so that when children are ready, they have the resources to grow to their greatest capacity.