curiosity cottage:
aN AT-HOME ToDDLER SChOOL

curiosity cottage: aN AT-HOME ToDDLER SChOOL curiosity cottage: aN AT-HOME ToDDLER SChOOL curiosity cottage: aN AT-HOME ToDDLER SChOOL
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curiosity cottage:
aN AT-HOME ToDDLER SChOOL

curiosity cottage: aN AT-HOME ToDDLER SChOOL curiosity cottage: aN AT-HOME ToDDLER SChOOL curiosity cottage: aN AT-HOME ToDDLER SChOOL

WELCOME

Hello! I'm Christina Harrington, a passionate educator with 7+ years of teaching experience. I began my career in education as a Kindergarten teacher at Crossroads Academy, an independent school located close to Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. Thereafter, I went on to open Grow & Balance, my own successful in-home toddler program located in Richmond, Virginia. After taking time away to raise my son, I am truly looking forward to re-opening my doors as an in-home toddler school. 


Christina Harrington

Director & Educator, Curiosity Cottage

K-6 Elementary Education Certification; 24 Master credits 

For more details on Christina's background, along with reviews from parents, click below.

More about christina

benefits of aN in-home school

Low student:teacher ratio

Personalized learning experience

Personalized learning experience

Curiosity Cottage limits enrollment to four children. This allows greater focus on each child, and builds stronger bonds across the class. 

Personalized learning experience

Personalized learning experience

Personalized learning experience

In a small-group setting, I am able to understand your child's learning style and emotional needs very well, and can cater activities around this.

Greater flexibility

Strong parent teacher relationships

Strong parent teacher relationships

Although our days are based on a structured schedule. If we have a really beautiful day we may extend our outside time or decide to bring our paints or building blocks outside!

Strong parent teacher relationships

Strong parent teacher relationships

Strong parent teacher relationships

  As a  small in-home school I am able to really get to know my students as well as the parents I serve. 

Approach

Child-centric approach

Child-centric approach

Child-centric approach

The child remains at the heart of my teaching philosophy. I believe teaching begins with creating a connected environment, an environment where each child holds a unique relationship to me as their teacher as well as to one other. 


Respect for each child

Child-centric approach

Child-centric approach

Respect starts with taking the time to build a strong relationship with each student. I believe the art of relationship-building involves fostering a genuine interest in discovering, respecting, and nurturing each child’s innate talents and interests.

Thoughtful observation

Child-centric approach

Thoughtful observation

Observation is key to creating a child-specific learning plan. When observing children, I am always noting the child’s process during play, what materials and activities spark joy in each child, and how each child engages in play. 


Schedule

9:30 AM - Morning exploration and play

10:00 AM - Playful morning meeting

10:30 AM - Option of an art project or construction/building time 

11:00 AM - Outdoor time

11:45 PM -  Lunch time accompanied by a story

(12:30PM - Half-day students depart)

1:00 PM - Open play time

1:30 PM - Music and Movement

2:30 PM - Goodbye meeting

TUITION

Curiosity Cottage opens its doors on September 8, 2020 and operates Monday to Friday. We offer families two formats:

Half-day pod

$50/ day / child

9:30 am - 12:30pm

Full-day pod

$83/ day / child

9:30am - 2:30pm

Curriculum vitae: Christina Harrington

Professional Experience


Summer 2020- , Founder & Director 

Curiosity Cottage, Scituate, MA

2016-2020, At-home mom

Scituate, MA

  • I took time off to raise my son, Myles, at home, while continuing to hone my skills as an educator through 1-on-1 lessons with him and through ongoing readings and seminars.


2013-2016, Founder & Director

Grow and Balances School, Richmond, VA 

  • Role: Sole curriculum designer and educator of a boutique in-home school.
  • Class size and ages: 4 children aged 0-3 years. 
  • Approach: The child was the heart and center of the Grow and Balance approach, which focused on holding a deep interest in discovering, respecting, and nurturing the child’s innate talents and interests.
  • Curriculum: Individualized and driven by the interests of the child, and developmental needs. 
  • Relevant ideologies: Montessori 
  • Link (deprecated): https://mcmanuschristina.wixsite.com/growbalance


2011-2012, Kindergarten Teacher

Crossroads Academy, Lyme, NH

  • Role: Sole part-time Kindergarten teacher
  • Class size and ages: 1:12 student ratio ages ranging from 5 to 6 years. 
  • Approach: Day school committed to academic excellence and moral integrity.
  • Curriculum: E.D. Hirsch Core Knowledge 
  • Relevant ideologies: E.D. Hirsch Core Knowledge and Mary Beth Klee “Core Virtues”
  • Link: https://www.crossroadsacademy.org/ 


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Relevant Credentials


2012-2013, Student

Upper Valley Educators Institute, Lebanon, NH

  • Elementary Education Certificate 
  • 24 credits toward Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)
  • Extensively researched collaborative exploration of the Reggio Emilia approach and Dr. Montesorri's theories, among others. 

2009-2010, Student

Boston Language Institute, Boston, MA

  • TEFL Certification
  • Taught English to Kindergarten students abroad in Sanxia, Taiwan for one year.

What people are saying about Christina

“I knew right away when I met Christina that she was a caring, loving soul; but what I couldn’t foresee was the laughter and joy she would infuse into my daughters’ lives. Not only are the days at her house filled with fun endeavors, but Christina facilitates each activity with a sincere enthusiasm, that is reflected in my girl’s life at home.”


 - Ladak family, Grow & Balance family, 2016

“As a first-time mother of premature twins, I was very particular about who my children were in the care of. Christina immediately put my mind at ease and opened her heart to them. She was patient and understanding of each of their needs and created an environment that was safe to explore. I am grateful for my children’s time with her.”  


- Ninan family,  Grow & Balance family, 2016

"Christina is a natural teacher. Her gentle spirit and intelligence are a large part of her work. She has thoughtful responses to challenging student situations, is dedicated to her students, and is a reflective aware educator. One of Christina’s many strengths lie in her strong connection to her students. She holds a caring nurturing attitude towards all of her students. "


- L. Downs, Upper Valley Educators Institute, 2013 

Contact Us

Get in Touch!

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To learn more about enrollment for Fall 2020, please reach out using the Contact Us form.

Curiosity Cottage

251 Stockbridge Road, Scituate, Massachusetts 02066, United States

Hours

Monday - Friday: 9:30am - 2:30pm

Saturday - Sunday: Closed

Copyright © 2021 Curiosity Cottage - All Rights Reserved.

Made with love in Hingham, MA

enrollment on hold

Thank you to everyone for their interest in our learning pod. We are temporarily halting enrollment so that we can work through current inquiries.

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