Welcome to the website of the School for Young Children in Columbus, Ohio. Our program was founded in 1969 as a part-time preschool program. Our philosophy has remained consistent through the years; that children be allowed to develop at their own pace in an atmosphere of free play enriched with a variety of creative materials and the support of teachers who respect them as individuals.
No AM Classes on Friday, January 24
SYC morning classes are cancelled today because there is no water in the building. We’ll let afternoon parents know as soon as we know whether water service will be restored by class start time.
No School on Tuesday, January 7
Once again, due to the extremely cold temperatures and in accordance with our policy to close when Columbus Public Schools are closed, there will be no SYC classes on Tuesday, January 7.
No School Monday, January 6
Due to predicted weather conditions and according to our policy to close when Columbus Public Schools are closed, there will be no SYC classes on Monday, January 6.
Conflict at SYC
Until I was in my 30’s, I had never had a real conflict with a friend and worked it through to the end. Jan Waters and I had been great friends for years but then one day we had a disagreement that hurt feelings. Before working at SYC, I would typically just avoid bumping into that person again rather than talk through the conflict. But being a teacher at SYC had taught me to help kids work through conflicts with friends. Being in the SYC atmosphere gave me the courage to try it in my own relationships. So Jan and I talked, hugged cried and remained friends.
Why hadn’t I learned to do this as a child? It felt so wonderful to keep my important relationship even though it was hard to hear about mistakes I’d made or amends I needed to make. As early childhood educators, we know that the best time to learn skills to work through conflicts is early childhood! It’s great to know that our SYC students will be more prepared than I was as they move on in the world.
Here at SYC, we embrace conflict as a learning opportunity. Children feel more powerful and confident when they are actively engaged in solving their own problems. If the issue goes unaddressed, it will surely pop up at another time. Getting them together at some point to problem-solve the dispute is crucial.
Children need lots of practice to learn these problem solving skills; but having a few strategies to draw on has many rewards. Taking time to teach negotiation skills promotes new cognitive development and sets up thought processes that can progress to more analytical problem solving in grade school. It also gives kids options other than violence to turn to, as they begin to face lunchroom, playground and other elementary school problems. Being around young children gives us all a second chance to accept and learn how to work with our uncomfortable feelings. What a gift!
…Stephanie Rottmayer, Director
Since 1985, NAEYC's national, voluntary accreditation system has set professional standards for early childhood education programs, and helped families identify high-quality programs for their young children.
