Rethinking the Discourse of Readiness in Preschool

Abstract

La Escuelita is a dual language preschool in the basement of a church on a tree-lined block in Manhattan. Children who attend are two to five years of age and come from mixed socioeconomic and linguistic backgrounds. The preschool offers half-day and full-day programs that vary in length from two and a half to five and a half hours. The curriculum is based upon the philosophy that children are active participants in learning: play-based, child-centered, and based upon the understanding that children construct knowledge and learn through their social interactions with peers and adults.