Early Childhood

The Catherine Cook School Early Childhood Program is for children from Preschool (age three) through the Senior Kindergarten year (ages five/six). Our philosophy is constructivist/progressive; in other words, we believe that children construct their own learning with expert guidance from knowledgeable, well-prepared teachers. This is a nurturing, joyful, learning community where children are encouraged to explore and to express their ideas and curiosity. As learning happens in the context of relationships, we strive to make genuine connections between teachers and their students, parents and caregivers, colleagues, and the wider community. Bright, stimulating classrooms are print-rich environments with abundant opportunities for fine and gross motor activities, as well as visual arts and music activities. The student/teacher ratio is ideal. Play is an important part of the curriculum, as children consolidate new vocabulary, gain essential social skills, and practice new academic skills through play. Each year, the children are exposed to more academic skills and content knowledge in early literacy, mathematics, science, and social studies and are challenged to unfold their individual potential and to build on their strengths.

Jean Robbins has been the Head of the Early Childhood Division for the past two years and has established best classroom practices, curriculum, and supervision measures to make The Catherine Cook a leader in high quality early childhood programming. Currently, a doctoral candidate at Erikson Institute, she holds an M.B.A. from Columbia University in New York and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Smith College. Before coming to CCS, she worked as a researcher on a variety of studies, including a national home visiting program, an early childhood teacher preparation and diversity study in the U.S., and an early literacy and play study for Yale University. Jean was Director of the Parents as Teachers First Program at Chicago Public Schools, which was a citywide early childhood home visiting program. She was teaching young children, adolescents, and adults in schools and social service agencies as an independent artist when she discovered her love of child development.