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Small Steps Nurturing Center operates two preschools for economically at-risk children living in the Fifth Ward and surrounding areas of inner-city Houston, Texas.
We provide a high-quality education, social and emotional support, a nurturing Christian environment, transportation, and nutritious meals to children ages two through six living in poverty.
Small Steps operates five days a week, nine months each year (plus one month of summer enrichment), at no financial cost to the families we serve. Small Steps uses proven interventions to help narrow the knowledge gap and create a community of support for our students and families.
Early intervention through early childhood education programs
is a cost-effective way to invest in children and prepare them to
learn the academic and life skills they need to become contributing
members of society. Ninety percent of brain development occurs by
age five, thus making the first five years of life a critical
window for learning. The need for early intervention in these early
years is especially great for children living in poverty. These
children often experience high levels of stress, which affect their
brains and can interfere with their ability to learn.
Small Steps has implemented an approach to early childhood
education called SET (Social Emotional Tools) for Life, created by
Michelle M. Forrester, PhD, which emphasizes a relationship- and
language-based format to address the social and emotional needs of
children. Small Steps employs four SET for Life team members: the
Director of Student and Family Support and two SET Therapists-all
with graduate-level degrees in fields related to mental health
(requiring advanced licensure)-and a SET Interventionist.
Additionally, Small Steps will partner with outside providers to
offer student and/or family support, including mental health
services, occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy,
early childhood intervention, and other community resources.
Small Steps provides a secure, welcoming environment with
predictable routines so children can worry less about unexpected
challenges, allowing them to focus on playing and learning. Most of
our families experience food insecurity, and Small Steps aims to
fulfill the majority of each student`s daily nutritional needs
during the school day. The neighborhoods in which our families live
have almost no safe green space for children to run and play; Small
Steps provides space for children to develop their motor skills and
social skills as well as to connect with nature. For low-income
families, getting their children to an early childhood education
program every day can be difficult due to work schedules or lack of
transportation. Small Steps provides daily transportation for those
children who otherwise could not get to school.
Small Steps is accredited by AdvancED- Southern Association of
Colleges and Schools, the leading accrediting organization for
schools across the educational spectrum. The accreditation process
ensures that we are held to the highest standards as well as
continuously improving our program. The school maintains a low
teacher to child ratio of approximately one to eight and utilizes
the project approach to learning, which allows for the integration
of each piece of our curricula. At Small Steps, language
development is at the core of all learning activities. Our teachers
also promote science, math concepts, and critical thinking skills
through problem solving, observations, sorting activities, and
investigations.
Small Steps was founded on the belief that we serve children in
need as an expression of God`s love and treat each person as a
unique creation. We demonstrate love to students through close
relationships with teachers and through compassion shown by
volunteers who support our program. Our program includes weekly
chapel, prayer before meals, and daily staff devotionals.
Small Steps intentionally creates opportunities to strengthen
relationships and foster a community of sharing, learning, and
growing with our students` families. To complete a minimum of 10
tuition hours (15 if more than one student) each school year,
parents can attend parent education events, volunteer, or
participate in other parent engagement opportunities. Teachers also
conduct home visits with our families at the beginning of the
school year to better understand family dynamics, observe the home
environment, and identify family needs.
In this article we explore three popular approaches to early childhood education: Montessori, Reggio Emilia, and Waldorf. It provides parents of toddlers with essential information about each method, helping them make informed decisions about their child's early education.
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The average private school tuition in Houston, TX is $15,838 for elementary schools and $19,054 for high schools (read more about average private school tuition across the country).
