Friday, July 13, 2012

What is The Wonder Studio?


Enrolling Now for Classes beginning September 10!!
Email:  tot.wonder.arts@gmail.com


The Wonder Studio, an Arts and Science based Toddler Program, is a place where the children are NOT getting ready for school!  The teachers and parents who participate are NOT teaching their children colors, shapes, and ABC’s.  There are no themes… Dinosaurs this week… Sea life next week.  You will not see the children sitting in chairs making recognizable Monkeys with google eyes.  Even Sharing is discouraged here!?!?
So what are the children doing?  What are they learning?


Shannon Lipan, owner and teacher at The Wonder Studio believes that young children and their caregivers need a place where the children are the Protagonists in their learning experiences.  


A place where squeezing an entire bottle of Elmer’s Glue onto paper is not only OK with the teacher it is strongly encouraged! 


A place where playing in a baby pool with 50lbs of flour is just one of many choices.


Shannon, an experienced Early Childhood teacher with a Master’s in Education from the University of Florida, sets up experiences for children that provide opportunities for Creative play.

She explains that, “A studio environment instead of a classroom, indicates to the child (and caregivers) that this is a place that can get Messy…there are no recipes to follow, no goals to be met.  Being creative means inventing NEW ideas, not simply repeating what others have done in the past.”


The studio offers many different collections of “loose parts.”   Art materials like a 25lb block of Clay that children can actually climb, take apart, stick beer caps and popsicle sticks into.  A block of clay that will never see the fire in a Kiln!  As a matter of fact, the parents are strongly dissuaded against showing children the idea of sculpture…Instead the children are invited to come up with their own way of manipulating this Art medium.

“We are not teaching children Facts or doing flashcards…Actually, we are taking children and parents away from the idea of simply Knowing information but instead the value is placed on the Journey to Understanding.”


Shannon spends hours preparing the environment making sure the experiences offered are truly creative and allow for many different possibilities.  “As I get to know the children, I am able to change or tweak the experiences, always making sure I am not only meeting the needs of the Group but the individual as well.” 


The Wonder Studio, named from Rachel Carson’s book, The Sense of Wonder, strives to be a place where children and their caregivers Senses can be “aroused”.  A place where a child can have questions without answers, A place where caregivers can learn about children, and above all a Place where children’s ideas are respected and listened to.


Come and See!
Fall Classes begin September 10th.
Mondays:  Wonder Arts 9am - 10am or 10:30am - 11:30am
Tuesdays:  Wonder Science 9am - 10am or 10:30am - 11:30am
email:  tot.wonder.arts@gmail.com

Monday, July 2, 2012

Sign Up for Fall Classes!!!




The Wonder Studio
Hosted and Located at Shorecrest Preparatory School
Led by Shannon Lipan (M.Ed.)

Wonder Arts for Tots + Parent (ages 18 mos. – 4yrs.)
Young explorers and a participating caregiver will experience various types of “arts” media including: clay, paint, color mixing, collage, construction, light/shadow, etc…  This class emphasizes art that is child led and child produced. Using a multi-sensory, messy, process oriented, inquiry based learning model, children are given repeated experiences with materials. Learning experiences will be documented and reflected upon through a blog.  Appropriate for those who participated in previous sessions but also for new “Wonder Studio” students!
Mondays: 9 am or 10:30 am  Cost: $250 for 12 weeks
Classes begin:  September 10th      
Please email:  tot.wonder.arts@gmail.com


Wonder Science for Tots + Parent (ages 18 mos. – 3 yrs)
Live worms, planting seeds, Moon Sand, cooking and exploring the sense of taste, and so much more!  Young scientists and a caregiver will learn how to appreciate and explore the natural world as well as thinking about questions like:  “How Can I Make it Move?  How Can I Make it Change?  And How Does it Fit, or how do I Fit?”  Experiences include:  animal/insect observations and interactions, in-depth water discovery, exploring movement through pendulums, ramps, balls, etc…, as well as many other multi-sensory, “messy”, open-ended projects. Appropriate for old and new “Wonder Studio” students!
Tuesdays: 9 am or 10:30 am  Cost:  $250 for 12 weeks
Classes begin:  September 11th
Please email:  tot.wonder.arts@gmail.com

What is the Wonder Studio?
The wonder studio is a play place for the youngest learners.  Children (ages 18 mos. and up) will participate in a broad range of developmentally appropriate experiences.  These experiences include a loving parent or caregiver who is dedicated to joining his/her child in discovery and exploration.
The Wonder Studio classes provide children with experiences that are:  multi-sensory, messy, process oriented, open-ended, and based on an inquiry based learning model.
All classes include songs, finger plays, stories, and puppetry.



Shannon Lipan has a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Florida.  She taught at Shorecrest Preparatory School for 6 years and has been the Owner and teacher at The Wonder Studio for 3 years.  Inspired by the schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy, Shannon believes that children learn best through meaningful, hands-on experiences.  She will provide an environment that allows children to have opportunities for repeated problem-solving experimentation.


To Register for Classes: please email:  tot.wonder.arts@gmail.com
We’re on Facebook!!!
Phone #:  727-667-4090