Imua Inclusion Preschool – Learning Better Together
Imua Family Services has a well-established reputation for helping children with special needs reach their full potential. With the inception of Imua Inclusion Preschool, Imua now helps children of all abilities thrive. The preschool opened in the summer of 2015 with the goal of becoming a unique model of preschool education. “Inclusion” means teaching all children together, and celebrating similarities, differences, abilities and cultures.
All children are special and deserve a childhood filled with authentic relationships and experiences. The physical, social and emotional environment in which we spend our time influences greatly how we behave and who we become.
Imua Inclusion Preschool provides a welcoming, well-prepared learning environment that is developmentally appropriate for each individual. The preschool staff has a wealth of experience and education in early childhood; and it works closely with a team of experts including the child’s family, occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, Autism specialists and special education teachers, to create a unique program accessible to all children. A quarter of the spaces at Imua Inclusion Preschool are reserved for children with a diagnosed need, and the remainder are reserved for children who are typically developing.
Children are encouraged to work together and to understand that everyone has different needs. In fact, collaboration is a concept that is emphasized through the long-term projects in which the children engage. Play is the work of the young child, and children are given time and space to engage in child-chosen activities. Teachers keenly observe children in an effort to tailor their plans to the group’s interests, strengths and needs. A project may last anywhere from one week to one month to one whole year, depending on the scope of the topic and the continued interest. All children participate and everyone benefits when we learn together.
