our approach

Ever felt at a loss for how to deal with power struggles, defiance, poor behavior or aggression? Have you ever wondered what would help your child stay on task, pay attention, and finish their work?

We adopted the Conscious Discipline approach many years ago to resolve this in the classroom. With Conscious Discipline, we can transform these everyday discipline issues into teaching moments.

These moments are our opportunity to teach our students the social-emotional and communication skills necessary to develop emotional intelligence, self regulation, conflict resolution, and healthy relationships with their class and teachers, alike.

Conscious Discipline allows our teachers to spend less time policing behavior and more time teaching vital life skills in a way that doesn't interfere your chosen approaches at home.

School Preparation

Teachers' Pet is considered to be a preschool, not a daycare, and this is why: We aren't merely keeping your child safe while you're at work (although that is always a high priority). We're preparing them to be "school ready" and educating them now.

We help develop self regulation, curiosity, perseverance in task completion and an eagerness to learn. These are the primary indicators that a child is ready for a primary level of education, but we go even farther than that.

Graduates from Teachers' Pet will enter into grade school having already been thoroughly introduced to each of the primary domains of learning. So when mathematics is introduced, for example, it won't be as intimidating because they will have already experienced lessons in that subject. Our goal is to provide the best foundation for a future of success and strong education.

Intentional Play

Play and learning are not separate activities. At Teachers' Pet, we think of them as wholly intertwined, and that's what helps our students feel the most interest and curiosity about learning.

Play is the child’s laboratory. We sneak in many evidence-based approaches of play at Teachers' Pet, like symbolic, socio-dramatic, functional, and games with rules–to name just a few. But as far as your child is concerned, it's just fun, and that's what matters.

Accreditation

Thematic Play

The Teachers' Pet education program is founded on thematic play!

By exploring a theme in depth for a longer period of time, our students are are able to harder-to-grasp concepts more wholly and and remember what they have learned for a far longer time. We teach important themes based on our primary domains of learning for an entire week at a time, in an immersive setting with foods, activities, lessons, and play related to the topic.

Big Events

Expanding on our thematic play approach, we explore some themes with great detail and fun - a different theme per age group, so your child has something really exciting to look forward to each year. 

The Royal Ball in our senior classroom is a parent favorite, because families are invited to watch as their child participates in a full dress and gown, cotillion styled ball with knights, princes, a red carpet and castle. There's even a little dancing involved - *wink!*

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Language & Literacy

The formative years play a crucial role in fostering literacy skills. Beginning with story sessions in early classrooms, progressing to phonics, and eventually preparing to learn how to read on their own. This is a skill that is greatly reinforced by family involvement and opportunities to learn at home, as well.

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Science & Engineering

Children possess an innate curiosity in learning, much like researchers. We help them to use all their senses and sometimes even specialized tools to explore and understand the world around them.

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Social Studies

As a part of our social studies, children will learn what the positions in our government are, and who sits in them locally. Don't be surprised if they come home singing about the mayor of North Little Rock one day! We'll cover some foundational principals in social studies that will help them to more fully understand deeper topics in the future.

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Creative Arts

Visual and creative arts ignite imagination and foster creative thinking. At Teachers' Pet, your child will have the opportunity to engage with the arts from infancy! We'll offer specific lessons related to art for developing motor skills, and some form of art supplies will be made available for them during regular free play, as well.

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Math

We really believe that an early exposure to mathematics will help your child have a better chance of success in grade school. It also helps them to develop reasoning abilities and perseverance in problem-solving. Our approach to math education introduces concepts such as numbers, measurement, and patterns through interactive, hands-on activities.

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Physical Development

Engaged children grow into active adults. Our age-appropriate playgrounds offer ample opportunities for sliding, climbing, and running. We give each child ample opportunity to burn off some energy and have fun, while cultivating balance and motor skills.

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Social & Emotional

Social-emotional intelligence is a lesson that your child will be deeply involved in every day at Teachers' Pet. We'll have lessons that offer your child the chance to formally learn about emotions, how to read and respond to them, and how to recognize them in themselves. We'll also engage with them in real time as they experience some of these emotions on their own to promote a feeling of safety, teach self-regulation, and reconciliation when necessary. This is a part of our Conscious Discipline approach.

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Our Approach