Our Philosophy

Philosophy Statement: Our philosophy is rooted in teaching through secure, empathetic and nurturing relationships to help cultivate a healthy emotional system based on our belief that emotions are the internal builders, orchestrators, and organizers of our minds.

Shambala House Preschool is based on 5 principles:

1. On going nurturing relationships and emotional awareness

2. Physical protection, safety and co-regulation

3. Experiences and learning tailored to individual differences

4. Developmentally and age appropriate experiences

5. Stable and supportive community

We teach through nurturing relationships; the most crucial primary foundation for both intellectual and social growth. We understand when there are secure, empathetic, nurturing relationships, children learn to be empathetic and develop an ability to communicate about their feelings, reflect on their own wishes and develop a strong sense of self-esteem and the motivation for learning.

Nurturing emotional relationships are the most crucial primary foundation for both intellectual and social growth. We understand that emotional interactions are the foundation of cognition, intellectual abilities, creativity and abstract thinking skills. Emotional interactions literally build the foundation for all other brain functions that follow.

We provide the basis of understanding and allowing emotions in our students. By the teachers accepting and naming the child’s emotion, the child can then accept their emotion and can more easily identify it and allow it to move through them. By utilizing this method of acceptance and empathy, we help the students to understand their own feelings and another person’s feelings.

When we offer empathy and compassion, it teaches the child to do the same. We can feel empathy and caring only if someone has modeled and offered us the same. We never force a child to apologize, but we explore the interaction with each student, modeling compassion and understanding. We also never force a child to share, but again encourage each student to express their needs and to see each other with empathy.