Parents and Teacher as Partners in the Children’s Educational Experiences
Parents, under the guidance of a trained teacher, share their talents and skills in the classroom with the children, resulting in a reassuring and warm, enjoyable learning environment—hence offering parents the opportunity to directly be involved in their child’s early education.
Quality Adult-Child Interactions
Adults and children are active partners in the learning process. Activities are provided that encourage learning in the content areas while children are supported with strategies for helping them deal with conflict and emotions.
Learning Environment
Classroom arrangement: materials and equipment are arranged to promote active learning. The room is divided into interest areas organized around specific kinds of play. There is a book area, a science table, a block area, a dramatic play area, a music center manipulatives area, a writing center, a sensory table and an art area.
Daily Schedule
Children are given a sense of control over their environment with a consistent daily routine that enables the children to anticipate what will happen next. Elements of the routine include greeting time, large group activities, work/play time, snack and outside time and story time. The Pre-K class also experiences small group activity times.
Example of daily schedule for the Intermediate class:
- 9:00-9:15 CHILDREN ARRIVE – Free choice of activities. This is a time for us to greet the children and for them to greet their friends. Free choice will include different combinations of these activities: books, puzzles, drawing, manipulatives, and investigating the science table. These are low-keyed activities, which tend to encourage the children to socialize as they play.
- 9:15-9:30 CIRCLE, PLANNING TIME – During this time we will socialize and come together as a group. Songs and finger plays will be done to develop memory and motor skills or perhaps another type of activity will be planned. The children will hear their choices of center time activities. This provides the children with instructions and a chance to plan how they will spend their time.
- 9:30-10:25 CENTERS – This is a time when art projects, scissors skills, tactile activities, dramatic play activities, cooking projects, etc. will be done. This is a busy time, and children will not be at the same tables at the same time. While some children receive individual help, others will be playing in different areas in the room.
- 10:25-10:35 CLEAN-UP AND BATHROOM TIME – Children will be encouraged to clean-up after play, and then will be encouraged to use the bathroom. Hand washing will be required and the reasons why we wash our hands after using the bathroom and before eating will be emphasized.
- 10-35-10:55 SNACK – Snack is one of our group activities. Socialization and polite table manners are taught. Also, eye-hand coordination is practiced as children pour their own drinks and pass the serving plate.
- 10:55-11:20 LARGE MOTOR TIME – We will usually go outside. In case of extreme weather, we will do a large motor activity indoors.
- 11:20-11:30 LARGE GROUP TIME, STORY – A story will be chosen to complement the theme or to extend learning.
Planned Curriculum
The curriculum is built around activities that enhance growth in six main areas:
- Language and Literacy
- Knowledge Acquisition and Cognitive Skills Development
- Emotional Development and Social Competency
- Physical Well-Being and Motor Development
- Music and Movement
- Creativity
The curriculum is planned to help children build a solid foundation for future learning. Each child’s current level of competencies is noted and activities are provided that closely match his or her current level of understanding while providing stepping stones to higher levels of knowledge and skills.