The Early Learning Academy

Dear Parents,

At the Early Learning Academy, we acknowledge and understand the family is a child’s first Teacher and remains the longest lasting context for learning and development throughout a child’s life. We welcome the opportunity to partner with you in the care and education of your child. In the field of early childhood education, it is common to speak of partnerships between families, childcare professionals and childcare programs. In order for a true partnership to exist there must be mutual respect, shared decision-making, and an appreciation for the contributions made by both sides to the partnership.

Family members know their child in ways that the childcare professional can never know them. Family members have been with the child over extended periods of time and have witnessed many developmental milestones. As such, family members are the experts on their child and have a wealth of information and insight into how the child behaves and interacts in a variety of settings and situations. The attachments that children form with family members, serve as models for their relationships in the wider world. Within the family, children learn the language, behaviors, social skills, and moral values of their culture. This is the information and knowledge you as a Parent bring to the partnership.

Childcare professionals know the child as one of many children his/her age. They are trained to assess and document evidence of growth in all areas and possess knowledge of how to further ongoing development in young children. They also have insight into the child’s progress relative to other children his/her age because of their experience in working with many children of a similar age. They observe on a daily basis how your child interacts with others and learns about the world around them. This is the information and knowledge our Teachers and other Staff bring to the partnership.

When family members and childcare professionals work together sharing their information and knowledge, they can create a common understanding of what each child is like, how he/she develops, how he/she behaves in certain situations, the challenges he/she faces, and the skills needed to best overcome these challenges to promote further growth and development. When we invest the time and energy to build this cooperative relationship and share information on cultural diversity, child rearing practices, family values, and educational expectations for the child, Parents and childcare professionals learn together and mutually support one another in their efforts to maximize learning outcomes for young children. As this relationship builds over time, Parents and childcare professionals truly become partners in the education process creating bridges between the family’s culture, values, and child rearing practices and those utilized within the childcare setting.


At The Early Learning Academy, we respect and value the uniqueness of each child, family member, and Staff member. We welcome you to become part of our community of learners and welcome your input as partners in planning meaningful, creative, and fun learning experiences for your child that will prepare them not only for success in school but also in life.