OUR CURRICULUM

Math: “Math Their Way” Curriculum
Math Their Way is an activity-centered, child-friendly manipulative math program. Math Their Way is designed to help children develop an understanding of and insight into the patterns of mathematics.

This program introduces mathematical concepts to children through a hands-on approach. Everyday materials such as shells, blocks and bottle caps are used in a myriad of ways to make mathematical concepts come alive. Children love to help by collecting these items for patterning, sorting and classifying. Children also learn math skills by working with more complex items such as unifix cubes, linking chains, pattern blocks, attribute tiles and portion cups with their daily math activities.

Free exploration, patterning, sorting, classifying, counting, comparing and graphing are part of our early years math program. Each month, children will engage in thoughtfully planned activities designed to strengthen their problem-solving and reasoning skills. These early experiences will give children confidence in their ability to use mathematics. By freely exploring the math stations, children will develop an understanding and ownership of the math they are doing.

Reading, Writing, Penmanship: Riggs Curriculum
The Writing & Spelling Road to Reading and Thinking, developed by Myrna McCullough. This is a highly effective phonics based system developed with 120 collective years of research and experience. Their motto is “An Equal & Optimal Learning Opportunity Through Multi-Sensory Language Arts”.

Emergent Curriculum & Project Based Learning
The project approach, modeled after the municipal preschools of Reggio Emilia, Italy, is a renowned educational approach based on children’s learning through play, art, music, technology, parent participation and modern day documentation and research.   It is through play that young children construct their early knowledge and develop the critical thinking skills that enable them to become independent, socially responsible and intellectually competent individuals.   Using an emergent curriculum that builds upon the the interests of children, teachers facilitate children’s learning, encouraging them to take an active part in constructing their ideas and knowledge.   It is our philosophy that the critical thinking skills gained through play, constructing, imagining, experimenting and dialoguing with others prepare children for a life long love of learning.

Our focus is on the following skills when we are planning, interacting and guiding young children…

- Language Arts: Reading Readiness: matching and differentiating, sequence of events, phonetics, picture clues, comprehension and word families.  Writing: recording individual story dictation, printing when a child is ready.  Talking: vocabulary, telling a story.  Listening: sound discrimination, comprehension

- Mathematics: Comparing, grouping, counting, recognizing sets and value quantities, measuring, sorting, classifying, shapes, graphs.

- Science: Experimenting and observing, plant care, interacting with nature.   Encouraging observational studies with love for questions.

- Current Events: Daily calendar, daily news, where appropriate

- Music and Dance: Creative movement, instruments and an onsite Music Therapist

- Physical Activity: Climbing, swinging, balancing, throwing and catching ball, jumping, riding, running, sliding, skipping, riding bikes, pedaling and navigating our large playground.

- Block Building: Imaginative creations, concepts of balance and size, organization of design.

- Dramatic Play: Role playing, interacting with Housekeeping materials.

- Self Help: Hand washing, toileting skills, dressing self, safety procedures, healthy eating, manners, clean-up & responsibility for classroom.

- Sensorial Play: Playing with Play dough, Clay, Floam, Water, Riverbed Loam, pebbles, sand and other materials is a important aspect of learning at this age.

- Social Skills: Recognizing and verbalizing feelings, conflict resolution skills, problem solving, empathy, cause and effect.

Infant/Toddler Program
We use the RIE(tm) approach by Magda Gerber in our Infant/Toddler program.  Based upon respect, the RIE approach helps raise authentic infants/toddlers who are competent, confident, curious, attentive, exploring, cooperative, secure, peaceful, focused, self-initiating, resourceful, involved, inner-directed, aware and interested.

Our goal is to help each child to develop their critical thinking skills, while becoming as independent and successful.