Head Start
COLVILLE TRIBES HEAD START PHILOSOPHY
The educational philosophy of the Colville Confederated Tribes Head Start Program honors and nurtures the natural growth processes and development of our children and adults. This philosophy challenges current assumptions and proposes a comprehensive approach to transformative learning. What we are presenting is based on the most current early childhood educational research. We have identified practices that really work, and all we propose to do is put them together in a way that brings forth the essential elements of quality learning experiences, and makes them available to every child. Our philosophy maintains an uncompromising reverence for life, and a respect for the individual. It is our belief that all children are gifted, and that the child has full potentialities to love life. These children already possess qualities of human excellence, such as insight, wisdom, justice, resourcefulness, courage, and originality. Therefore, we believe that the role of education is to honor these qualities in a respectful way. That it is the responsibility of educators to remove obstacles that prevent the expression of inherent genius. We must assist young people to respond to life not just with one's intellect, but also with one's whole personality. As practitioners of Tribal traditional knowledge, we uphold and adhere to the original instructions of our cultures, which clearly outline our responsibility for maintaining and reestablishing the integrity of our life-ways and for reversing the destruction of the planet and our human universe.
Objective:
To develop and implement a shared vision of integrated comprehensive delivery system to families and children.
To increase parent training in parenting skills.
To continue to review program activities and conduct planning activities addressing priorities identified through the 2002 community assessment:
Alcohol and Substance abuse
Housing
Cultural and Traditional Curriculum
All children will enjoy nutritious diets that support the development of healthy bodies and minds.
All children will develop positive self-concepts and a sense of self-worth that provides the confidence, energy, and optimism enabling them to live and learn to their full potential.
All children will acquire communication skills, including language skills, through a variety of rich, multi-sensory experiences that foster learning and thinking.
Children will grow up in stable nurturing families that are strengthened through supportive communities.
Families will possess the parenting skills and knowledge of resources they need to ensure the well-being of their children.
