Metro
Photos by Jerry Zolynsky
AROUND THE CORNER / ON THE COVER
Jewish rock musician D
Nichols leads a medley
of Shabbat songs at the
Learning Center preschool.
Learning
Shir shalompreschool aims for a strong sense of self.
Judith Doner Berne
Special to the Jewish News
ulie Hirschman finds Temple
Shir Shalom's fledgling preschool
"much more relaxed and laid
back" than the one her children previously
attended.
"It's so much fun': she said, as she
dropped off Bode, 4, and Bryce, 3 on a
gray winter's morning at the Learning
Center, on Walnut Lake Road, west of
Inkster in West Bloomfield. "My kids have
never been more excited to go to school''
Hirschman signed on 11/2 years ago
when Temple Shir Shalom, the West
Bloomfield Reform congregation to which
she and her family belong, opened the pre-
school in the community-oriented building
known as the Corners (see related story).
"I wanted to support the temple':
Hirschman, a West Bloomfield resident,
says. "I thought even if it's a horrible pro-
j
gram, it's only preschool. It turns out that
it's awesome."
"It was a scary proposition to open
when the economy was crashing and other
schools were closing," acknowledges Shir
Shalom Rabbi Michael Moskowitz. But for
12 years we had talked about starting "our
own intimate program."
The school, which began with eight chil-
dren, has grown to 27.
Laying Foundations
"A child's preschool experience lays the
foundation for future learning': says
Learning Center director Marsha Mitnick.
"Academic skills are important, but not
nearly as important as the attitude and
love the child acquires towards learning
and exploring the world around him:' she
says.
Instead, Mitnick, a licensed psycholo-
gist, utilizes the MasterMind approach to
learning. It focuses on a child's tempera-
ment, emotional behaviors and what she
likes to call "pre-executive skills:'
By that, she means "the negotiation and
confidence-building techniques that help
preschoolers manage their emotions and
feelings."
As a result, considerable attention is
devoted to helping children advocate for
themselves, rather than have a teacher or
parent intervene.
"These kids, they're angelic': says
Mitnick, who lives in West Bloomfield.
"We say to them that it's okay to say, 'No, I
don't want to share' We help them get the
words for that. We teach the other child to
ask when they might have a turn. You can't
share until you have a strong sense of self."
"This is totally different': says teacher
Donna Jeross, who taught previously at
another preschool. "The children learn to
cope with their own conflicts.
"I felt I was very process-oriented at my
other school;' the Farmington Hills resi-
dent says. "But now I see that I was teach-
er-directed rather than child-directed"
Aiming For Independence
A good example is what happens when
the children get dressed to go outside,
says Jeross, who teaches the 3-year-olds.
Posters with pictures and prose remind
them how to put on their outdoor clothing
themselves, rather than having a teacher
direct or help them. "They become so
independent': she says. "They become so
proud of themselves."
"Part of what we are doing here is
teaching our parents what their child's
individual learning style is," Mitnick says.
"That's critical for them so they know how
their kids learn and think when they move
onto the next level, whether that is public
or private school."
When 3-year-old Kendell Schulz
answered 'Miss Donna's question correctly,
she became very excited. "I was right. I
was right': she said. "I'm going to be a
teacher when I grow up:'
Mom Rachel Schulz, who has a master's
Learning The Ropes on page 12
February 10 2011 11