The concept began in 1984 with a one-hour "mommy and me" class called Make a Mess and Make Believe. The program became it's own preschool in 1985 and began renting space from the Boulder Valley School District in 1969. The Reggio Emilio Approach to Early Childhood Education was introduced to the school in 1995. Since then, it has grown and moved around Boulder several times. View a complete history on their website.
Click the picture above to access Boulder Journey School's Website
The school consists of 14 classrooms grouped by ages:
Infants: 6wks-18mo
Young Toddlers: 12mo-30mo
Older Toddlers: 2yrs-3yrs
Preschool: 3yrs-4yrs
Pre-Kindergarten: 4yrs-5yrs
Mentor teachers stay with a group of students for 2 years or more to help create a community of learners.
The school uses Supportive Social Learning as an alternative approach to discipline and a general reflection of the classroom. There are four components that define a Supportive Social Learning environment:
The teacher appreciates all perspectives in the classroom and includes everyone
Relationships-in-community take precedence over other agendas
The teacher sees the children as capable of overcoming problems and being socially successful
The teacher enters interactions with a questioning posture and commitment to conversation
According to a parent at the school: "The building's thoughtful layout welcomes you in and encourages you to explore, to curiously nose around its hallways. The use of warm colors, the infusion of nature, and the chronicles of children's lives that decorate the walls similiar to a family album gets you excited about what is to come for you and your child."