Philosophy
"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn."
~Benjamin Franklin
Great strides have been made in the field of Early Childhood Education thanks to ongoing research undertaken by many scientists, psychologists, and educators. While theories and contributions may differ, ideas tend to coincide on the importance of a child's experiences, (interactions with their surroundings and the real world), as a large contributing factor to their development and attainment of knowledge.
At Teeny Scribbles, we believe that each child is an exceptional and unique individual possessing their own interests, abilities, and needs. Recognizing that parents are children's first educators, and that a child's culture is their family, we believe that a child's overall development, and their happiness with any program, is highly reliant on the mutual respect, and strong partnerships, established between caregivers and families. As a result, our program strives to meet the individual needs of each child, by providing a meticulously prepared space for their learning, in a cozy home-like setting, where their interests will be stimulated, and their sense of exploration and discovery will be encouraged through a variety of formal and informal activities.
At Teeny Scribbles, we believe that working with young children means:
At Teeny Scribbles, we strongly believe:
"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn."
~Benjamin Franklin
Great strides have been made in the field of Early Childhood Education thanks to ongoing research undertaken by many scientists, psychologists, and educators. While theories and contributions may differ, ideas tend to coincide on the importance of a child's experiences, (interactions with their surroundings and the real world), as a large contributing factor to their development and attainment of knowledge.
At Teeny Scribbles, we believe that each child is an exceptional and unique individual possessing their own interests, abilities, and needs. Recognizing that parents are children's first educators, and that a child's culture is their family, we believe that a child's overall development, and their happiness with any program, is highly reliant on the mutual respect, and strong partnerships, established between caregivers and families. As a result, our program strives to meet the individual needs of each child, by providing a meticulously prepared space for their learning, in a cozy home-like setting, where their interests will be stimulated, and their sense of exploration and discovery will be encouraged through a variety of formal and informal activities.
At Teeny Scribbles, we believe that working with young children means:
- Making a strong commitment to supporting each child's learning and development.
- Serving as a positive role model.
- Recognizing the importance of building strong partnerships with each child's family in order to build, and establish, the child's trust. *If caregivers and families do not develop a partnership, in the best interest of the child, the child has a high chance of being unhappy with the program.
- Appreciating cultural, family and individual differences.
- Understanding the stages of development, and providing developmentally appropriate activities to meet the needs of each individual child.
- Promoting a child's sense of autonomy.
- Maintaining a respectful, learning environment where children feel safe and secure.
- Providing learning materials that will encourage children to express their innate curiosity to explore their surroundings to supplement their interests, and contribute to their overall development.
- Provide a consistent program that offers children a sense of predictability.
At Teeny Scribbles, we strongly believe:
- Play is the medium through which learning occurs.
- Qualified caregivers are the core of the experience for children.
- The learning environment serves as a third teacher.
- Supporting diversity and resisting bias are essential values.
- Children can be guided to solve problems cooperatively through the consistent use of words.
- Home and Teeny Scribbles must work together in partnership.
About Me
"The purpose of life is not only to be happy - but to matter, to be productive, to be useful and to have it make some difference that you have lived at all."
~Leo Rosten
Hello There!
My name is Caroline Fernandez, and I am the proud founder of Teeny Scribbles. I would like to personally welcome you to my site, and thank you for your interest in wanting to learn more about our program.
Boasting 15+ years of experience in working with young children in both, educational and home settings, has allowed me the ability to prepare and provide an effective learning environment within a home, without sacrificing the structure and learning that accompanies many early childhood educational programs. Some of my credentials follow:
Education:
North Park University (2016)
Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership and Management - Magna Cum Laude
Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society
Oakton Community College (2013)
Associate's of Science in Early Childhood Education - High Honors
Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society
Certification in Infant and Toddler Curriculum
Professional Development Workshops:
Resources for Infant Educarers (RIE), Los Angeles, California
February 2019 - Nurturing Nanny
https://www.rie.org/classes/nurturing-nanny/
Relevant Work Experience:
Teeny Scribbles Home Childcare (2015 - Present)
- Founder and Primary Caregiver
- Lived with a family while I cared for and taught their children (3 & 5 years old) English.
- Observed early childhood educational programs
- Language exchange - Spanish - English
- Practicum Student
- Assistant Teacher
- Teacher Assistant
- Substitute
- Lunch Program Administration
Community Involvement:
- Partnerships in Education - New Orleans 2012: I participated in a mission trip that required my assistance with preparing and organizing a school library that was located within an underprivileged elementary school. http://www.partnershipsineducation.org/home.html
- Wright Community College -2010: Building a garden for the community at the Garfield Conservatory; Fundraising and gathering school supplies for young children in Kenya.
Having the opportunity to work with children for over 15 years has taught me the importance of building strong partnerships with families in order to encourage, and support each child's optimal development. It is therefore my goal to make each day of your child's life, in my care, an enriching experience that will initiate a lifelong love for learning, while establishing strong partnerships with families.
~Caroline Fernandez