About Us
Your child's growth and wellbeing
is my passion.
Philosophy
Philosophy
Our mission is to provide an early childhood experience that fosters the wellness of the whole family, nurtures the creative individuality of the child, inspires an innate love for learning, and supports equity and visibility for children and families of all races, ethnicities, genders, religions, and orientations.
Lucky Ducklings' approach to curriculum and pedagogy is a combination of the Waldorf philosophy by Rudolph Steiner, and the Reggio Emilia approach. The aspects taken from the Waldorf educational philosophy are a childhood steeped in nature, natural materials, soft colors, baking, singing, and learning that is richly based in story. The aspects that are derived from the Reggio approach are child-led learning and an honoring of the innate wisdom of the child, ample opportunities to build, create, innovate, and explore, and a high focus on art. Both of these educational philosophies honor the whole child, place a high emphasis on the environment, recognize the importance of children going outdoors every day, and respect the autonomy of the child.
As of fall of 2022, Lucky Ducklings is a hybrid forest school, with at least half of the school morning spent outdoors on an acre of woodland. Early Childhood programs across the globe have prioritized a childhood spent in nature for hundreds of years. In a digital age, seeking to find balance is more important than ever. Please watch the following video for more information about how the forest school model benefits young children, and may become the wave of the future.
REI Presents: In Our Nature - Ep 3 | Are Forest Preschools the way of the future? - Bing video
Environment & Safety
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I pride myself in having a warm, loving and safe environment in which your child can explore, learn and experience many different things. We are a small, in-home certified preschool. Our class sizes are small, in order to maximize the amount of time and engagement I am able to give to each child.
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Students are exposed to natural, open-ended materials to facilitate learning through exploration, as well as multiple art mediums, stories, and music. Both the outdoor and indoor classrooms are age-appropriate and open in their design to invite movement and creativity.
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Our outdoor space is large, open, and filled with opportunities to run, climb, and play in a way that is safe and age-appropriate. Luck Ducklings has over an acre of both landscaped and forested property for children to explore with the guidance of their teacher. I believe that healthy risk-taking is paramount to the building blocks of childhood, and that the outdoors allows for that growth and confidence-building.
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We will continue to adhere to all Covid guidelines as specified through the Oregon Early Learning Division, as our number one priority is safety and respect for our students and their families.
