Philosophy
We believe that every child is born with a deep, natural curiosity about the world—and that nurturing this curiosity through careful listening, thoughtful guidance, and meaningful experiences is the key to a lifetime of joyful learning.
At TriBeCa Community School, we create environments where play and exploration are rich with possibility, and where each child’s potential as an individual is honored and encouraged
Pedagogy
Our work is grounded in the theories of constructivism, social constructivism, and the highly regarded Reggio Emilia Approach to early childhood education. Guided by these philosophies, we strive to create conditions that strengthen a child’s “powers of thinking” by offering opportunities for self-expression, collaboration, and self-discovery. This happens through a blend of principles and practices that include problem-solving, documentation of children’s work, and the ongoing involvement of families and our wider community. In our classrooms, painting, sculpting, music, science, storytelling, and theater are just some of the “hundred languages” children use to share their ideas, express their thinking, and make their learning visible.
With social constructivism at our core, we see teachers as researchers, co-constructing knowledge alongside the children. We observe closely, document thoughtfully, and design experiences rooted in both children’s interests and current best practices in early childhood education. Our approach prioritizes critical thinking, inviting children to ask questions, make connections, and develop the cognitive flexibility essential for lifelong learning.
“The Hundred Languages”
The Hundred Languages is both a philosophy and a metaphor for the many different ways (i.e., “hundred languages”) children think, express themselves, and make sense of the world.
In a Reggio-inspired classroom, teachers recognize and honor these many languages. Instead of focusing purely on traditional academic skills or verbal expression, they give children opportunities to explore ideas through a wide range of materials, tools, and experiences. This serves as a reminder that children are capable, resourceful, and full of ideas — and that our job as educators is to provide the time, space, and materials for those ideas to take shape in many different ways.
Academic Foundation
At TCS, kindergarten readiness is seamlessly woven into this emergent, hands-on curriculum. Math concepts come to life in organic ways in the classroom. Counting, adding, and subtracting are practiced, for example, when setting the table for community snack. Sorting, pattern recognition, and measurement skills grow while building intricate block structures. Literacy develops through creating classroom signs, journaling, storytelling, and dramatic play, fostering vocabulary and phonemic awareness. Science emerges from walks around TriBeCa, a sensory experiment, or caring for plants and animals. Social studies is introduced through exploring community roles, mapping familiar spaces, and learning about traditions from classmates’ diverse cultures.
Every material in our classrooms is chosen to spark exploration, problem-solving, and collaboration. In this way, children engage deeply with foundational concepts in authentic contexts, gaining not only the academic skills needed for a smooth transition to kindergarten, but also the creativity, confidence, and love of learning that will serve them for years to come.
Elements of the Reggio Emilia Approach
As interpreted by the teachers and children of TriBeCa Community School
Emergent Curriculum
Topics of study and areas of experience emerge from the children’s interests and needs. The teachers carefully observe and document the children’s learning processes. The teachers also create provocative environments allowing the children to express and discover their own interests. Short and long-term in-depth investigations and explorations that cover a wide range of topics, emerge from listening to the children and co-constructing knowledge with them.
Collaborative Problem Solving
Children work collaboratively on in-depth investigations. The teachers view themselves as the children’s partners and support independent peer learning as a critical tool for the development of problem solving and critical thinking skills.
Social Interactions and Learning
We believe that social interactions are at the foundation of learning. Through effective communication and by challenging and questioning one another’s theories, the children engage in deep processes of reflection.
The Hundred Languages
Through the use of painting, sculpting, music, science, storytelling, theater and other forms of self-expression, children are taught to give voice to their thoughts and ideas, as well as share their newfound discoveries and understandings.
The School Environment
Unique, loft-like open spaces demonstrate our commitment to community life and open communication. Classrooms are designed to support the children’s ongoing interests, experiences, and developing projects. Each campus has a large, central Atelier, library, and movement room that all children are able to use.
Documentation
Through use of videography, photography, and note-taking, teachers gain a deep understanding of the children’s work. Together with the children, teachers revisit past work in order to inspire and provoke deeper thinking. Documentation is visible around the school through panels, photos, and books. It gives value to the process as opposed to only the product, and shows children their work and thinking is valued.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
At TCS we work consciously to make our school a community that actively fights discrimination of all kinds. We expect that this work will continue for the lifetime of the school; it is not a project that we can ever finish, but rather a developing perspective and an approach that will build and grow over time. Since the school’s founding in 2006, values related to social justice have informed both classroom practice and institutional choices. We work to help children think independently, to collaborate and problem-solve, to explore identity and develop empathy and awareness of their larger community. We foster open, regular discussions so the children feel comfortable naming and having conversations around issues of race, class, gender, and more at meaningful and developmentally appropriate levels. We strive to always re-energize and recommit to values that have been a part of us from the beginning through our foundational documents (mission, vision, values), our self-image, our classroom practice and language, and our institutional policies and practices.