The Saul and Carole Zabar Nursery School at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan’s philosophy and educational approach is built upon a foundation of Reggio Emilia inspired philosophy, Jewish values, and Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Antiracism.

Teachers are constantly growing and exploring, and know that our own understanding of teaching and learning is never fully settled. We are always eager to learn more from our children as we test our own theories. We strive to create inspired and cooperative learners, individuals who can work independently and collaboratively to solve problems with fortitude and tenacity. Empathy and respect, intellectual curiosity, and creativity are core values that will stay with our students for a lifetime.

Reggio Emilia

Inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy, children’s voices, passions, artistic visions, and questions are driving forces in our curriculum. We believe that children are competent thinkers, problem solvers, and builders of their own knowledge. Teachers and children together identify paths of inquiry and engage in extended collaborative work that fosters individual growth and the ability to learn in large and small groups. Teachers facilitate this process by working collaboratively as researchers, observing, guiding, and following the interests of the children.

In the Reggio Emilia philosophy, the environment, classrooms and common spaces, materials, bulletin boards, and print materials are powerful tools for learning. Children use their physical world in a myriad of inventive ways, finding pathways for self-expression at every turn, transforming the everyday into the extraordinary. We support each child’s learning, their connections with one another, their achievements, and their points of view by making their work visible through many forms of documentation, ensuring that they reach developmental milestones and master the academic skills necessary for continuing their educational journey. Daily reflections, journey binders, small booklets, visual narrations on the walls, and videos provide windows into the world of the children at school.

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Antiracism

Our nursery school is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We celebrate differences in individual and cultural identity as well as differences in the many ways of learning. We are a school that engages children and families in the work of social justice. We include our youngest students in reflective conversations, and we partner with them as they think through actionable ways to make change and to challenge injustices.

 We believe it is our ethical responsibility to support children in building increasingly complex understandings of race and identity, in growing comfortable talking about diversity, and in forming their own sense of commitment to the work of shaping a more just society. Education, at heart, is about fostering engaged and knowledgeable citizenship. This begins in the earliest years, as children take part in their first learning community. Young children are eager observers of structures of fairness and power; we believe that educating for democracy necessitates that we embrace these themes and nurture children’s capacity to identify and resist injustice and oppression.

We believe that each child’s learning is enhanced by the diversity of learning styles in their classroom. All learners have a place at The Saul and Carole Zabar Nursery School. We believe that every child arrives at school with a variety of interests, strengths, and challenges, and we root ourselves in the inclusive Reggio Emilia understanding that children have “100 languages”—or 100 ways of experiencing the world and expressing their thinking. Our goal is to support children as they reach their individual potential within a caring and inspiring learning community.

Jewish Values

The nursery school embraces and welcomes families from all backgrounds as we cultivate a connection to Jewish values and tradition. We offer children many experiences that foster empathy with others, and encourage students to make a positive imprint on their world. Mitzvah projects, such as collecting food and clothing for city shelters and visiting nursing homes, are practical experiences that allow our children to be actively involved in tikkun olam, the Jewish concept of repairing the world. Shabbat and holiday celebrations are occasions to share Jewish stories and rituals, and to pass on a love of Jewish traditions to children. Our families gather around important moments on the Jewish and national calendar to assert our feelings of connection, remember our history, and celebrate the beauty of our traditions. Music is a key element in our Jewish curriculum, as we learn songs and melodies that bring us together, and give us a feeling of belonging throughout the year. It is part of the fabric of our life at the JCC, in the air around us, creating the setting for all of our communal celebrations.