Curriculum
We believe it is essential to present developmentally appropriate reading and mathematics concepts at this young age to prepare our students for kindergarten and beyond. In addition to specially designed reading, writing, and mathematics programs, we also tailor our core curriculum to these young, imaginative minds by presenting language and math concepts in fun, hands-on ways, such as dramatic play, story time, cooking, and science.
Reading
"Happily Ever After" literacy program utilizes children's literature as the foundation for reading skills. By hearing and discussing stories together, dictating stories, and watching teachers create written words, children begin to understand the correlation between spoken and written words and that they can symbolize their thoughts.
Writing
“Handwriting without Tears" uses developmentally appropriate and multisensory methods to tackle handwriting. The program groups letters together in terms of difficulty level and types of strokes necessary so that children master "easy" letters first, gaining confidence, and then moving onto letters that are more challenging. Children use workbooks to practice their skills, but much of the lessons take place through playing, singing, and building, helping them develop their fine motor skills and letter recognition abilities.
Mathematics
Math concepts are taught using the "Math Their Way" curriculum and integrated into other daily activities. From the shapes we introduce during art time to the ingredients we measure during a cooking activity, we utilize every opportunity to help children understand the foundations of thinking mathematically. We also formally introduce numbers and counting processes and reinforce these concepts throughout the day, such as counting objects we find in the play yard or patterning objects the children gravitate towards.
Social Emotional Learning
In our early learning classrooms, children develop invaluable social-emotional skills that help them navigate through school and their community. Through evidence-based games, activities, stories, songs, and discussions, children are engaged and learning to listen, pay attention, self-regulate, and get along with others. These skills will set children on a path to lifelong success in school, home, and the world.