Optimal Learning School, Germantown

Our program is based on current information about children and how they develop and learn and builds on the best practices of the finest educators and researchers from across the world. Parents, teachers, and administrators of our center programs are aware that all children enter the world ready and needing to learn. We believe that children's needs for food and shelter are matched by a vital need to make sense out of the complex sights, sounds, smells, tastes, textures and cultures of the world. In a real sense, knowledge about the physical and social world is constructed by the children, and given an optimal environment set by the adults; children do so with only minimal supervision from anyone. The program recognizes that every child comes to this world as a unique individual. Among the children participating in our program are those who are slow learners, creative, talented, natural leaders, and gifted or potentially gifted. Thus, the program accommodates the broad range of children's developmental and learning needs, their knowledge, experiences, and interests in order to facilitate continuous learning. Strongly believing in the development of the whole child, our program reflects an understanding that children learn best through active involvement. Furthermore, the program views assessment and evaluation as integral components of the learning-teaching process. We believe that assessment and evaluation support the children's learning and assist the teachers, parents and program administrators in making appropriate development and education decisions. Last, but not least important, the program values teachers, parents, and the community as partners in the children's education and development. The community, teachers and parents consult each other and collaborate to create a climate of respect, success and joy necessary for lifelong learning.