My work draws from both California early childhood frameworks and French educational traditions, creating a bilingual and bicultural lens that is especially supportive of young children and their families.

Rather than following a rigid model, I bring a mix of:

• the California Preschool Curriculum Framework, with its emphasis on developmentally appropriate practice and observation-based learning.

• the French École Maternelle approach, which values autonomy, collective life, and early intellectual curiosity.

This hybrid perspective informs curriculum design, family engagement, and reflective practice across contexts.

The following educational thinkers and frameworks shape my approach to early childhood education:

• Célestin et Élise Freinet: Emphasizing autonomy, cooperation, and experiential learning rooted in children’s real lives.

• The Teaching Pyramid: A relationship-based framework centered on social-emotional development and positive guidance, widely used in California early childhood settings.

• Play-Based Learning: An approach grounded in early childhood research and developmental psychology, recognizing play as the primary context through which young children construct knowledge, develop social competence, and make sense of the world.

• Friedrich Fröbel: whose vision connects learning with nature, play, and the child’s inner life.

Together, these approaches support children not only as learners, but as active participants in their communities.

At the heart of this philosophy is a holistic understanding of development. Children’s physical, emotional, social, and intellectual needs are interconnected and must be supported together.

In practice, this means prioritizing:

• Intentional learning environments: Spaces are thoughtfully designed as a “third teacher,” encouraging independence, curiosity, and exploration.

• Respectful guidance and emotional awareness: Discipline is approached as a learning process that supports self-regulation, empathy, and emotional literacy.

• Care as pedagogy: Daily routines: meals, rest, transitions, are treated as meaningful moments for connection and learning.

• Real-world experiences: Activities such as gardening, cooking, and collaborative projects connect learning to everyday life and foster a sense of belonging.

In a world where children are increasingly surrounded by speed, screens, and external expectations, practicing being human becomes essential work.

This philosophy supports:

• Children developing confidence and agency.

• Families building trusting relationships around learning.

• Educators designing curriculum that is responsive rather than prescriptive.

Le Marmouset exists as a space for reflection, practice, and collaboration, a place to think carefully about how we support young children as whole people.