Learning in Community

“Stand aside for a while and leave room for learning, observe carefully what children do, and then, if you have understood well, perhaps teaching will be different from before.” -Loris Malaguzzi

Branches Community School is a vibrant early learning community for young children and their families. Inspired by the Reggio-Emilia approach to early childhood education, we believe children thrive in diverse communities.

We love the people of Durham and welcome families of all ethnicities, faiths, sexual orientations, gender identities, and family structures.  We strive to create an environment free of bias, and provide regular opportunities to discuss, advocate, and support the rights of all children.

CAPABLE CHILDREN

Branches believes that all children are capable, strong, beautiful, and unique. We acknowledge every child’s right to explore their passions, dialogue with others, and practice kindness. At Branches, we dedicate time and patience to helping children work through frustrations and disagreements and empower empathy and respect for others. We allow children to take healthy risks, build confidence, and let their inner spirit shine. 

CO-LEARNING

Early childhood research continues to prove that teacher-directed, curriculum-heavy models are not in the best interest of young children. At Branches, we harness the natural disposition of children to explore and discover. On any given day, teachers and children share ideas, pose curiosities, and experiment with new materials together. Every learner is unique, and their differences become the patchwork of our community.

EMERGENT PROJECTS

To synthesize the ideas taking shape in our classrooms, teachers at Branches utilize emergent project work to guide our practice. Recording children’s conversations, photographing daily experiences, and documenting the learning process allow us to revisit big ideas and come to a deeper level of understanding. Often, our project-work encompasses field trips, visits with experts, and multi-media representations of our emerging interests.

IMPACTING OUR COMMUNITY

Early childhood programs hold the unique role of being cultural translators of young children. It is our mission to include children in our community and to reveal the incredible potentials they possess. From stroller walks in our neighborhood to working with like-minded businesses, partnering with our community keeps us connected to environmental and social issues that even young children care deeply about.