| Classrooms
 Preschool classrooms
For more than 25 years, each of our preschool classrooms has had a multi-age group of children age three to five that is balanced in regard to age and gender. In multi-age classrooms, younger children learn from older children and the older children have opportunities to develop leadership skills, self-esteem, and other pro-social behaviors such as appreciation of individual differences, patience, caring, and helping others. In multi-age groupings of children, all of us—parents, teachers, and children—are more likely to think of each child as an individual, to avoid comparisons, and to plan activities based on individual needs.
In addition to making a large selection of developmentally appropriate activities always available to the children, the teachers plan special daily and individualized activities based on children's needs and interests. The program is supplemented by field trips and in the summer by fun in the water at neighboring swim clubs.
Musical instruments from around the world provide the opportunity to experiment with different instruments individually or with a small group. Water tables encourage children to experiment and to understand many math concepts in addition to being fun and relaxing. A large variety of art materials, baskets of "beautiful junk" for imaginative collage creations, and natural objects such as shells and rocks are available to enhance children's interests and to encourage the development of self-expression.
Large wooden floor blocks, wooden blocks in a variety of sizes and shapes, large wooden riding tractors, trucks and airplanes, dramatic play corners with cooking utensils, multi-ethnic dolls, and dress-up clothes promote and encourage cooperative dramatic play, trying on new roles and working with emotions. We emphasize creativity, language, and vocabulary advancement and concrete experiences with math concepts. Peg boards, giant attribute blocks, puzzles, magnets, balance scales, dressing frames, and a rich assortment of inviting and challenging materials encourage cognitive development and a natural interest in the environment in addition to promoting sensorial and visual discrimination. Teachers also plan special activities to extend children's learning and encourage thinking and problem solving.
Each classroom has a listening center with story tapes, computers, puppets, and materials such as stencils, a stapler, rubber stamps, concrete wooden shapes to create letters, markers, and a hole punch encourage pre-reading and writing skills and the development and expression of thoughts in both oral and written forms. Literacy activities and writing are activities all over the rooms. Reading corners are cozy an inviting, giving children a quiet place to retreat and read.
Outside, climbers and beams challenge motor skills. A water table and construction toys encourage creativity and problem solving. The sand area and trike area promote group play, language interaction, and team work. Tandem trikes and road signs are popular and promote physical and social development. Picnic tables are used for puzzles, art projects, language arts activities, and small block construction. A separate play area is available for our youngest children with climbing equipment, a sand table, and areas to play safely and independently.
Two- and young three-year-old classrooms
One room is open to two-year-old children and another for the older twos and young threes. These rooms have all of the same opportunities available that the older preschoolers have but in more appropriate sizes. The curriculum in these rooms focuses on learning to play with friends and in a small group and following directions. Becoming independent and self-confident is a large part of the work for these children but there is always a gentle and loving teacher around when being big gets to be too hard.
|
7230 Idylwood Road