Four Goals For Children

From the Director(s): TCS Four Goals for Children

By Sarah O’Dell and Nicole Shadduck

Competence, social relationships, individuality and creativity… a lot of words and a lot of syllables…but what does it really mean?

Competence—having skills and being able to use them effectively

Individuality—the active declaration of self

Social Relationships/Interpersonal Relatedness—adapting oneself to group life

Creativity/Integration—synthesizing a wide range of experience and expression, reasoned as well as intuitive

In April 1980, founding director, Mary Clagett Smith, wrote, “I want to build an educational program which is founded on those human values which will best shape people who can thrive in our democratic society on a shrinking planet. I want to develop goals and aims for children to fit those values….” These goals were developed and continue be emphasized daily. Along the halls of TCS for the next few weeks, we have displayed our well-loved documentation boards that will give you a glimpse into our history. You will see alumni children engaged in the same tasks your children experience today. OUR goal is to continue to provide a program where childhood is valued, these goals are supported and our students grow into contributors to our democratic society.