Choosing to learn

Tanner Martin, age 4, of Stanwood, and Rubi Lopez, age 2, of Camano Island, play with a gray whale model from a science lesson at Country Kids Learning Center in Stanwood Thursday. In the play area, children dress up as a vampire, a princess and a photographer. Two boys play with toy barns, and a group of three works with a teacher on what they might find on the beach.

It's another morning at Country Kids Learning Center in Stanwood.

The learning center is the school Ann and Scott Martin, of Stanwood, chose for their children, Taylor, 6, and Tanner, 4.

Ann and Scott looked into many daycares and preschools before picking Country Kids. After some bad experiences, Ann said they wanted to make sure they found the best place for their children.

Country Kids has a structured environment and a positive reputation in the community, Scott said. The children are taught in tangible ways and challenged to learn.

Scott said he's never seen anything like it for the preschool age group. It's organized, and there is good follow-through on the topics taught. Children are engaged, and their thoughts are provoked.

"They treat the kids like little people," he said.

Country Kids uses the "reggio emilia" approach, which is named after the village in Italy where it was developed.

Children are encouraged to make their own choices and voice their own opinions.

"In the real world, children have to make choices," said Penny Crane, owner of Country Kids Learning Center in Stanwood.

Reggio is not as well known as the Montessori approach, which it shares some similarities with, Crane said. The next closest reggio school she knows of is in Seattle.

The room is divided into open centers, where children can do anything from playing make-believe and creating art to building using blocks.

During free choice, the children are turned loose to choose what they want to do, Crane said.

They quickly learn that if there is something they need, they should ask, because Crane will make it available to them.

Parents send in supplies, which helps the preschool operate on the principle that children can never use too much of the materials.

Both Zack, now 10, and Kailey, 6, enjoy the options that are offered, said Megan Rudikoff, their mom.

They don't always have to be doing the same thing as everyone else.

"Peggy really encourages creativity and individuality," Rudikoff said.

Both children have learned the basics, how to work with their peers and be supportive.

In addition, Crane doesn't use negative discipline, Rudikoff said. Instead, she redirects the children to a better choice.

Crane said she very rarely has to take a choice away from a child. Normally, if something isn't working, she will ask them to make a different choice,

Time out doesn't happen at Country Kids, Crane said. The reggio philosophy is that if children are in time out, all they learn is that they were excluded.

The school has only three rules, "be kind, be safe, be neat."

Crane adopted the reggio approach after she obtained her teaching degree. It was a method she discovered while taking classes.

Cheryl Vlach, a teacher at Country Kids, teaches the children music and science lessons twice a week.

The science and music lessons give the children variety, Ann said. Both Tanner and Taylor enjoy those lessons.

In addition, the preschool has an outside play area that rivals most parks, she said.

Taylor and Tanner get excited to go to the learning center, Scott said.

After preschool at Country Kids, Taylor, now going into first grade, was prepared for kindergarten, he said.

Taylor was one of the top readers in her kindergarten class, Ann said.

The curriculum follows the seasons, and has a threeyear turnover, since most children are in the program for three years. The alphabet, colors and numbers are all studied each year, and some field trips remain the same. However, as they age, they get something different from those lessons, Crane said.

For example, one year, they made rockets, and the next, volcanoes.

Lessons progress from day to day.

"Everything doesn't happen in one day," Crane said.

The school accepts children ages 2 to school age, and has a regular school program in addition to a summer session.

In the 20 years since Crane started the preschool, this is the first year she has had five openings at once.

Normally, she has a waiting list.

Country Kids Learning Center is something Ann recommends to other parents.

"I really feel like it's one of the best programs out there," she said.

For more information, contact Country Kids Learning Center at 939- 2000.

Staff Reporter Kristi Pihl: 629-8066 ext. 125 or kpihl@scnews.com.