Vision & Values
Program Vision and Philosophy
The Mariposas Preschool vision is to offer all preschool-aged learners regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning experiences in a natural environment.
Our educational philosophy embraces a holistic approach to learning. We focus on nurturing the whole child—mind, body, and spirit—while fostering a love for learning, developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and promoting social and emotional growth.
We strive to create a learning environment that celebrates diversity, encourages creativity, and values each child's unique strengths and abilities.
Our holistic approach incorporates activities that support physical health, emotional well-being, and cognitive development. By offering opportunities for exploration, creation, and collaboration, we prepare children to become active and engaged global citizens.
Nature Based Approach
Our school program is nature-based and immersive, with nature at the heart of our curriculum.
We provide children with abundant opportunities for outdoor learning, exploration, and direct contact with the natural world. They get their hands in the soil, explore plants, and observe living organisms, deepening their understanding of the natural cycles and rhythms that define life. Observing changes in their environment throughout the year fosters a sense of belonging and responsibility for the well-being of our planet.
They are creating a sense of belonging with their surroundings and developing a sense of care for the natural parts of our planet.
Kids interact in nature through play, a nature play that is fun, open-ended, self-directed, and freely chosen.
Emergent Curriculum
Our school curriculum is emergent and flexible, driven by children's questions and ideas, which serve as the foundation for their learning journey. We promote experiential, child-initiated learning through play-based experiences in the natural world, fostering individualized growth. By balancing child- and teacher-directed activities, we provide extended periods of uninterrupted play and numerous hands-on experiences that nurture creativity and curiosity.
Following the natural rhythm of the seasons, our holistic curriculum guides children in exploring themselves and the world around them. Topics are integrated across reading, mathematics, science, social studies, fine arts, and movement, with a focus on eco-literacy and mindfulness. This approach helps children develop critical thinking skills, solve real-world problems, and gain confidence in their identity, purpose, and place in the world.
This type of learning is important because it allows children to develop cooperative work skills, such as communication, leadership and problem solving, promotes innovation and creativity, self-determination and self-regulation, and tolerance for ambiguity; concepts that are fundamental in the education of the 21st century, in a globalized and changing world.
Meet The Teacher
My story begins in a rural village in Buenos Aires province, Argentina, where I was born to a school teacher mother and a veterinarian/farmer father. Surrounded by family, nature, and art, I later embarked on a journey that took me to beautiful places and communities around the world. Each experience broadened my perspective as I learned from and was inspired by diverse cultures.
In Buenos Aires, I spent years offering art therapy programs for at-risk children in marginalized neighborhoods. Through this work, I discovered that teaching is as much about learning—about ourselves, each other, and the world—as it is about imparting knowledge.
In 2018, while traveling in Australia, I met my husband, and we married that same year. After relocating to the USA and becoming a mother, I completed a specialization in teaching Spanish as a foreign language at the University Miguel de Cervantes in Madrid. This transition deepened my passion for learning, teaching, and inspiring others.
After four enriching years in Brookings, I decided to pursue my dream of opening Mariposas Preschool, a nurturing space for my children and the community. In 2024, I furthered my commitment to holistic education by earning my certification as a Forest School Teacher.
