Gentle Teaching
Submitted by Taleasa S. Brindle
It is with great pleasure that I write this letter about LifeSpan Circle School. It is my son’s development daycare located in Greensboro, North Carolina. This daycare came about two years ago when the county decided to terminate their after-school program at a county-owned center.
But, thanks to the quickness and ingenuity of five of the parents who had children in the program, they were able to find a not-for-profit organization, LifeSpan Ventures with an interest in special needs children to take over the program. With only $75,000 from the county and a handful of staff and children, the program started in May 1999. Now it is a remarkably successful and thriving program.
Children are truly blessed to have this program, and now with more than 50 children ranging in ages from 3 to 18 years, it is becoming a program that expands and teaches throughout life. These children are not only educated by graduate and undergraduate students, but they are well-loved and cared for by the staff and administration. A big part of LifeSpan’s philosophy is “gentle teaching,” which basically means only positive reinforcements are used with the children. Any negative behaviors or actions are always met with positive redirection and retraining to help children develop into positive and productive members of society. This program also goes so far as to not only help teach and train children, but their families as well with workshops, newsletters, and various family and staff activities and fundraisers.
LifeSpan Circle School is truly an incredible program with a remarkable group of staff, administrators, and children. The county, the children, and the parents are very grateful for the program and for all the great work it has done and will continue to do for many years to come.
