Contact Us
Contact Us
Heart and Mind Preschool is a creative learning environment where children are encouraged to explore the world and construct personal meaning of it through experiences, experimentation, and exploration of the surrounding environment. Our program also strives to teach and foster the principles of faith in God while providing the necessary tools to facilitate learning, problem-solving, and creativity. Our curriculum instills a foundation of biblical principles and applied scientific thinking through Montessori methods and STEM activities. Children explore the outdoors regularly in a fenced-in outdoor space with access to nature trails. Daily activities include dramatic play, circle time, reading Bible stories, art, cooking, music, nature walks, field trips, gardening and much more.
At Thoughts of the Heart and Mind Children’s Cottage, we believe in the Reggio Emilia philosophy. The Reggio Emilia approach is an educational philosophy based on the understanding that children are competent individuals who have a natural desire to learn about the world around them. It is a student-centered approach that focuses on experiential learning, principles of respect and community through explorations of play.
The Creative Curriculum is a comprehensive, research-based curriculum that features inquiry, exploration, and discovery as the foundation for learning. It is a content-rich, developmentally appropriate curriculum, that delivers academic rigor alongside social-emotional learning and cognitive development. It brings meaningful interactions and learning to life. We are using the Creative Curriculum that has been provided by the Aspire program.
The Montessori curriculum is a hands-on, experiential learning program that focuses on specific areas of study. The curriculum is made up of a set of educational materials for each area of study, with the materials increasing in complexity over time. Children progress through the curriculum at their own pace, based on their interests and stage of development.
Thoughts of the Heart and Mind is a Children’s Cottage that has emerged from my heart. I believe that children speak their own language and only a handful of adults have been able to engage with them, observe their ways, and understand their ways. Children are very capable individuals that explore their world through observation as well as interaction. They need love, nurturing, and training to grow into strong capable human beings.
As an educator, I have been in the early childhood field for over 15 years. I hold a Master’s of Arts in Teaching. I have contributed to Har Shalom/Sherman ECE where I was an assistant teacher. At Har Shalom, I was part of an outstanding program where educators were trained to ask children questions to encourage their learning through exploration of their environment. I also worked as a preschool teacher at Montrose Christian School, a head counselor at Green Acres Camp, and a teacher in Montgomery County Public Schools. Our Program is MD Excels certified and credentialed by the state of Maryland. This program has arisen from my experiences and education from my past as well as a current real need to provide quality childcare in my community.
Our vision at Thoughts of the Heart and Mind Children’s Cottage is to create a space where being a child is completely accepted. A place where love and respect are primary. A place where we can learn about God. A place where we can explore and test our hypotheses. A place where children are so valued that their words are written and studied. A balanced place; where children are trained to be independent, take pride in hard work, and care for others. A place for growth of the Heart and Mind.
