Inspired by progressive educators like John Dewey and A.S. Neill (Summerhill, 1960) and trained by developmental and humanistic psychologists Bruno Bettelheim and Carl Rogers, Elinor Griffin decided to have a school that tended to children's emotional and social well-being.
She opened one of the first play-based schools in the area for preschool children, convinced that this age group was especially suited for self-directed exploration and for benefitting from a natural group therapy that could help ameliorate frozen stages of development that might be impeding individual children's growth.In 1982 Dr. Griffin published Island of Childhood, a study of the preschool years based on records from the school.
She opened one of the first play-based schools in the area for preschool children, convinced that this age group was especially suited for self-directed exploration and for benefitting from a natural group therapy that could help ameliorate frozen stages of development that might be impeding individual children's growth.In 1982 Dr. Griffin published Island of Childhood, a study of the preschool years based on records from the school.
Services
The tides of education have flowed for centuries between imposed structure and internal structure; teacher-directedness and child-directedness; Froebels Conservatism and Dewey Progressivism; Back-to-Basics and Open Classrooms back and forth, mixing, creating derivatives.
A marked characteristic of Griffin Nursery School is the strength of its commitment to John Dewey's progressive model of education as a student-driven affair, in which children learn most effectively through the demands of their social context.
A marked characteristic of Griffin Nursery School is the strength of its commitment to John Dewey's progressive model of education as a student-driven affair, in which children learn most effectively through the demands of their social context.
We have a Morning Preschool class of eighteen children approximately 2.6 through 3.11 and an Afternoon PreKindergarten for 4- and 5-year-olds. Several four-year-olds whose families need extended care can attend mornings. By the same token, a number of two- and three-year-olds can attend afternoons for full days.
One issue underlies all our limit-setting and conflict resolution: SAFETY, physical and emotional. Identification, empathy, and respect flourish among children in a safe, secure climate. The staff does as much preventive work as possible. We keep play areas from becoming confusingly messy or overcrowded, and we supply enough materials to minimize competition and boredom.
Attendees mostly live in Berkeley and Oakland; but families from Albany, Alameda, Orinda, and Richmond have also joined our community. Incoming children need to be around two-and-a-half, though 2.9 to 3 is the best starting age range for many preschoolers. We ask families to start toilet training before beginning school; but we'll understand if children are not fully toilet trained when they begin.
The idea that the physical environment and the children's unique proclivities and learning styles combine to determine what is learned in a nursery school is lately called "emergent curriculum." Griffin Nursery School was one of the first preschools in the Bay Area to dedicate itself to this child-led, adult-assisted approach to learning.
Reviews (1)
Elizabeth Valley
Jan 26, 2021
Report
Griffin is a wonderful preschool where the director and teachers are so talented at their craft. It's hard to write a short recommendation about Griffin while also feeling it is comprehensive, so I'll summarize into the key reasons it's been such a wonderful experience for us: (1) Betsy the director really understands children and knew how to make our sensitive and shy son feel welcome and quickly confident about school, (2) the teachers are equally as wonderful with the children and have long tenures with Griffin, (3) the space is just right - free flowing indoor/outdoor and covered outdoor area
