Linda Ensko Founder and Executive Director
I provide a thoughtful, nurturing learning environment for young children, their families and teachers. We strive to create an atmosphere where children never lose their thirst for learning.
All of the teachers and staff at Buckle My Shoe participate in regular continuing education and ongoing staff development. We are fortunate to have long-standing relationships with Dr. George Forman and Sonya Shoptaugh, representatives of the Reggio Emilia approach in the United States, as well as Jean Schreiber, a renowned authority on the importance of block building in education. They along with other education consultants take part in live meetings and web conferences, and are available to communicate with our teachers whenever a specific question arises.
“A good teacher can enter into a young child’s world and see things through a child’s eyes”
“Since 2004 I have had the good fortune to work with an exceptional group of teachers at Buckle My Shoe. I have witnessed their intelligent adaptation of Reggio inspired education to fit the New York context of linguistic and cultural diversity. By focusing on the talents, idioms, and interests that each child brings to the mix, the teachers at Buckle My Shoe demonstrate a deep understanding of how children think and how to help children reflect on their assumptions to repeat their theories rather than learn pat facts. These teachers have developed an observational and interpretive prowess that allows them to effectively support the deeper ideas and concepts underlying the ordinary moments in a child’s day. This high level of professionalism requires as much time for the children as with the children. I offer my compliments to Buckle My Shoe for supporting the ongoing professional development of the teaching staff. ”
“A program has intellectual vitality if the teacher’s individual and group interactions are mainly about what the children are learning, planning, and thinking about, plus their interest in each other, and only minimally about the rules and routines.”
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