Pre-Kindergarten Philosophy

Our goal is to create a safe, caring, and challenging learning environment that promotes investigation, decision-making, cooperation, persistence, and problem solving. Students will achieve this goal through play, active exploration, and hands-on activities using materials that are appropriate for their age and development. Teachers will help students build and construct new knowledge through whole and small group activities that are planned with a clear understanding of each student's current abilities and interests. Students will have multiple opportunities each day to make choices fostering independent thinking, initiative, creativity, and language development. Through these acts each child will be prepared for entrance into elementary school.

Curriculum

The Pre-K program uses components of Creative Curriculum, High/Scope, and common themes to create engaging learning experiences for all students. Activities are age appropriate and generated from the ongoing observation and assessment of student's abilities and interests.

Free Choice Play & Plan-Do-Review

Constructive, exploratory, and dramatic play is the foundation of early childhood education. Pre-K students have a 60 minute period of time for uninterrupted free-choice play each day. This time is extremely important for young children because research shows that children learn about their wold by constructing knowledge from experience. Physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development is increased when children are engaged in high-quality play experiences. To help facilitate the process, teachers are involved in students play ina variety of ways. Before play begins, students meet with teachers in small groups to "plan" what they will do. The "do" is the time when children are playing and carrying out their plans. Teachers interact with students during this time and act as partneres in their play. Students "review" their plans ina variety of ways to summarize what they did during their play time. Reflection is a key component in helping children to process their learning . Making plans, carrying out plans and self reflection are life skills that are important for our Pre-K students to become successful later in life.

Pre-K Rules/Expectations

Pre-K students are taught to follow three simple classroom rules at the beginning of the school year:

• Listen and follow directions
• Keep your body to yourself
• Use your words (to communicate)

Much time is spent in the first two weeks teaching and practicing these rules and the expected behaviors that go along with these rules. When students have behaved in a way that is contrary to the rules, teachers solve problems in the following ways:

• Re-teach the expected behavior and/or use of materials. Young children misbehave most often because they either have forgotten the rule or don't understand the rule. If a student misbehaves a first time, th teachers will tell the student what they were supposed to do and give the student a chance to practice it the correct way.

• Redirect student to another activity. Sometimes the best way to solve a problem is to walk away before the problem escalates. If a student continues to have trouble following a rule after it has been re-taught, a teacher will help the student to make a new choice.

• High/Scope (Plan-Do-Review). Problems that occur during students free-choice play (called Plan-Do-Review) are handled first by asking the student the following three questions:

1. What was/is your plan?
2. Does this (behavior) match your plan?
3. What do you need to do to get back on your plan?

• High/Scope (6 Step Process). For problems that students are unable to solve on their own, teachers use the following steps to help facilitate the process:

1. Approach calmly. Stop any hurtful actions.
2. Acknowledge child's feelings.
3. Gather information from all children involved.
4. Restate the problem.
5. Ask children for solutions and encourage them to choose one together (teacher may have to supply ideas).
6. Be prepared to give follow-up support when children act on their decisions.

Evaluation System

Pre-K students are evaluated using an ongoing, observation based assessment called Creative Curriculum.net that is valid, reliable and assesses the whole child. The Creative Curriculum Developmental Continuum is made up of 10 goals and 50 objectives. Each objective is broken down into 3 steps. Teachers collect anecdotal notes and student work samples on a daily basis to analyze a student's development. Using the observations and the developmental continuum, teachers place students on the appropriate step. Teachers then use the curriculum planning tools to create integrated lesson plans that will assist students in reaching their next step of development. Parent reports are created and shared 3 times per year.

Home Visits

Home visits are a special requirement of the PreK program. Twice each year, once in the fall and once in the spring, teachers and classroom aides meet with students and families in their homes. The fall home visit allows the teacher to meet the student and his/her family before school starts and make the student feel more comfortable about attending the first day. Teachers will bring an activity for the student to complete, take a picture of the student with his/her family, visit with families and answer any questions they may have about school. The spring home visit happens sometime after spring break and will also include a conversation about the student's academic progress, registering for Kindergarten, and Pre-K recognition.

Pre-K Recognition

Pre-K concludes the school year with a program that showcases some of the songs, rhymes, and stories students have learned throughout the year. Students dress in caps and gowns and receive diplomas as a way of recognizing their accomplishments. Students and their families have cake and punch following the ceremony.