Curriculum

We believe that Play is the WORK of the child!

We honor that work each day by providing children with thematic hands on experiences that encourage discovery learning.

 Each classroom is designed to encourage learning through centers, which include, dramatic play, art, blocks, sensory learning, literacy and music and movement to name a few.  Our comprehensive, socially and academically age appropriate program is designed to promote each child's intellectual, social, physical and emotional growth. All lessons, games and activities are age-appropriate and goal oriented, so that the children grow and learn with everything that they do.

The curriculum at our school is based on age-appropriate traditional and some Montessori concepts. The classroom set up is comprised of a circle time area, learning centers which include blocks, art, dramatic play, books, manipulative and scientific discovery. These centers allow the children to have choices and to actively explore. In addition to learning through teacher-guided lessons they also learn by interacting with their peers, teachers and the varying things in their environment. 

The daily schedule is planned to include active and quiet times, gross and fine motor activities and child-initiated as well as staff-initiated activities. Our preschoolers will begin to experience the joy of self-expression in the areas of music, arts & crafts, movement, story hour, and games in our supervised play areas. Dramatic play, blocks and science are a big part of their day. Teachers will support preschoolers’ learning with exciting activities to best meet their cognitive, physical and social-emotional development

 We structure our curriculum around seven key elements of development to ensure the growth of the whole child. They are:

Intellectual:
We encourage the children to develop self-motivation, active investigational skills through questioning, exploring and observing, and the thinking and problem solving abilities needed to thrive in a world of challenge and competition. Children are surrounded with books, literacy experiences and exposure to the alphabet to prepare them for pre-reading/reading and literacy.

 Physical: Children are provided constant opportunities to develop their gross and fine motor skills, to develop finger strength and dexterity, and arm-eye and body coordination. We focus on the physical health and well-being of your child so he grows up safe and strong. Motor-skill development, coordination, mobility, and exercise all help ensure your growing child has a healthy body for a lifetime

Social:
We encourage each child to work and play with others, to develop language and critical thinking skills through communication and problem solving, to respect the rights and privacy of their peers and most of all to develop feelings of kindness, courtesy, helpfulness and acceptance.

Your child will communicate with others verbally and nonverbally to engage the world around them. You child will make new friends and gain the confidence, self-esteem, and negotiating skills necessary for a lifetime of healthy relationships.

 Emotional:
Children are encouraged to develop a positive self-concept, to understand the difference between right and wrong and to develop responsibility.  They are encouraged to recognize that people are different and to be accepting of others and we help them learn and practice appropriate ways to respond to others and to express their feelings constructively.

Science
Children will begin to understand the relationship between growth and change, observe and make discoveries using all their senses, classify similarities and differences, make predication and explore animals, insect and climates.

Using a calendar is a wonderful entry into the world of science.  Learning about the month invites conversation about the seasons and what different seasons feel, look and even smell like. This often transitions into topics of plants and animal development.  Expect your child to learn about the importance of protecting the environment while exploring the world around him and far beyond into space. This curriculum helps in developing curiosity about things around us by observing, comparing, classifying, measuring and experimenting.

Social Studies

Children develop their community awareness, appreciation of cultural diversity, identify roles people play in society and identify celebrations and holidays.  Basic citizenship is explored as they study the flags, coins , national songs  , National animals, national games , identifying Major cities, knowledge about rivers ,oceans  and learn about the President of our country.  Students plot his travels on maps, share the contents of the journal and learn about different places and cultures.  Often, Flat Stanley returns with a pin or postcard, pictures, souvenirs, and stories as reminders of the visit.

MathematicsThe mathematics curriculum is a interactive program designed to capitalize on daily discussions and to foster children’s mathematical confidence and competence while appealing to the natural way children learn.

•	Children need to learn mathematics incrementally, giving them the opportunity to develop understandings over time.
•	Models help children visualize and verbalize number and geometric relationships.
•	Hands-on experiences are incorporated into lessons that teach concepts of Arithmetic, Geometry, Money, Value and Time.
•	Over time, children can learn to think algebraically. Early exposure to this type of thinking will lead them to a successful future in mathematics.