Pacific Palisades, CA
Kehillat Israel Early Childhood Center

Discipline

OVERALL RATING (4.1)

Parents at this school, on average, believe that conflicts between children:
...are handled extraordinarily well in a way that not only gives me confidence in the safety of my child but also reassures me that my child (and his/her peers) are learning the early skills needed to socialize effectively with one another

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Director's Description to School's Approach to Discipline

'One of the most important tasks in growing up is learning what behaviors are appropriate and which are not permissible. Although the words 'discipline and punishment' are often used to mean the same thing, they are very different. Discipline, for our purpose, means teaching, guiding, and directing children toward acceptable behavior. The goal of discipline is to help children establish internal controls. For young children, gaining internal control is a process and often takes time. The teacher may have to act as an external control helping the child while he or she develops self-discipline. Setting clear, firm, fair and friendly limits, and having patient persistence is often the only way to help children gain mastery over their inappropriate behavior. We help your child learn that anger can be expressed through words and non-destructive behavior. Further, we will help your child disengage from a situation that is overwhelming or dangerous, acknowledge their feelings, and then help them come back to the group when they are ready. Punishment is punitive. It may stop children's negative behavior temporarily, but it does not help them develop self-discipline. Instead, it reinforces a negative view about themselves and others. At all times, we respect and reinforce your child's sense of self worth while teaching, guiding, and directing appropriate behavior. We do not punish children. Rather, our goal is to help your child learn self-discipline and develop problem-solving conflict resolution skills. Conflict resolution is a technique that we use as a way of responding to problems between children. It is a point of view that comes from a place of wanting to make peace and make things work, and of giving children the communication skills to acknowledge and validate upset feelings. Using this technique, the children brainstorm positive ideas and create collaborative solutions.' -- Extracted from the Kehillat Israel Early Childhood Center Handbook

Health

OVERALL RATING (3.8)
Temperature and overall air circulation is comfortable
Healthy and nutritious snacks are provided More >
Toys and furniture are cleaned regularly

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Safety

OVERALL RATING (3.3)
Screen and identify all visitors
Parents may not bring sick children to school where they may infect others

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Montessori? Waldorf? Play-based?

What school type is right for your child? Is one model better than another? What does the research say?

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This is a great memento from the holiday season. Dip your child's hand in white paint and press (read more)

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