Early Childhood

Understanding a Reggio Emilia-inspired program
Schechter Bergen’s Early Childhood program views children as capable, curious, and full of potential. Each one expressing their ideas and thoughts in countless ways. As a Reggio Emilia inspired program, we refer to this as the “One hundred languages of children.” Our classrooms are vibrant spaces, rich with research, exploration, and collaboration, where light, materials, and documentation make thinking and learning visible. Teachers act as co-learners, listening, observing, and engaging alongside children to nurture curiosity, confidence, and a lifelong love of learning.

Emergent Curriculum
Understanding that children are active participants in their learning journey informs how we create curriculum throughout our Early Childhood. Teachers observe and listen closely to understand what captures their students’ interest.  Then, they design experiences that build upon those ideas. As learning unfolds, the curriculum evolves, refined to reflect the children’s discoveries and passions. Inspired by this information, we naturally weave essential early skills in literacy, numeracy, problem-solving, motor growth, and social development into deep, meaningful, and joyful learning.

Judaic Studies
Schechter Bergen’s commitment to deep and reflective Jewish Learning begins in the Early Childhood. We follow the rhythm of the Jewish calendar, celebrating holidays, exploring parashiot, and engaging with the Hebrew language. Guided by our Reggio Emilia inspired approach, how we teach grows from the children’s own curiosity. Teachers use the same ‘cycle of inquiry’ that helps them design their emergent curricula to connect their students with Judaic Studies. They listen for themes that emerge in play and conversation, then weave Jewish stories, rituals, and values into experiences already unfolding in the classroom. This approach helps our youngest learners form authentic, joyful connections to their Jewish experience.

Open-ended exploration in our classrooms 
Our classrooms are filled with open-ended materials - clay, wood, fabric, light, and natural objects. The environment itself becomes a third teacher, and interactions with the materials become the “languages” through which children think and communicate. Provocations, developed with these materials, invite children to explore, research, and express complex ideas through hands-on discovery. Each creation, question, or collaboration reveals a child’s growing understanding of the world and their unique voice within it. We watch as our students discover their world with interest and enthusiasm, and develop the critical skills they need to continue on their educational journey at Schechter Bergen.