The Pre-K Child
Pre-K children are independent, energetic, confident, talkative, silly, and in general, fun to be around.  Physically, they are finding that they have more control over their physical coordination and sense of balance.  They practice running, jumping, climbing, etc. until the motion becomes a free flowing, coordinated movement.  Kicking, throwing, and catching a bounced ball are skills easily mastered.  With these newfound skills come confidence and the ability to take risks to try new things.

In the social/emotional realm, the Pre-K student thrives on developing friendships and learns the rules of play.  They enjoy greeting each other, and discussing what’s new in their lives.  Play time is a chance to let their imaginations run wild where they can pretend to be super heroes or princesses.  Creativity abounds as the children talk out their play scenarios and sing their own songs.  Language skills are blossoming as they carry on conversations, learn new words, and laugh at each other as they make up nonsense words or use “toilet talk” (much to the chagrin of adults).  During the course of play, disputes may arise, but the Pre-K child is learning to handle it for him/her self and is willing to share possessions.  They are beginning to cooperate with each other.  Sometimes their moods can swing and they find themselves losing control.  The guidance of an adult and the consistency of set limits can help the child feel secure in his/her environment again.  And sometimes the child just needs a simple explanation for why we do things certain ways.  At this stage, reasoning skills are beginning to develop.

Cognitively, the Pre-K student is discovering that learning is fun and exciting.  They want to learn all they can, especially from their older siblings.  Their brains act as a sponge, soaking up the new information and assimilating it to the old.  They learn by interacting with their environment, using all the senses, and engaging in hands-on experiences.  They begin to ask more complex questions and want to know how? and why?  Expressive and receptive language continues to grow and develop.  The Pre-K child can follow 3 step directions and is increasing his/her attention span.  They love to listen to stories, predict outcomes and retell a favorite story in their own words.  They also enjoy playing simple games.  Visual memory and repetition help them to recognize numbers and letters.  Problem solving skills come into play as the child learns to complete a puzzle, copy designs, and play with blocks.  Learning is a continuous process.

Fine motor skills are a work in progress.  The Pre-K student can button, unbutton, zipper and snap their clothes.  They are working on developing more independence in selecting and dressing themselves.  They can hold a pencil with or without the proper grasp and will attempt to write their name.  Abilities in drawing may range from drawing a circle and square to drawing a triangle, and from drawing a person with a head and a few appendages to drawing a complete person.  They can also cut along a line and cut out shapes.

It must be noted here that every child is a unique individual and will progress through these milestones at their own pace.  Some children may have strengths in one area and weakness in the others.  We work on developing the whole child, so they can feel secure and confident in each of the developmental areas discussed above.

The goals of the Pre-Kindergarten Program at Chapin are: 

1.  To establish a supportive environment designed to foster social-emotional development through friendship, fairness, and cooperation.

2. To inspire the development of good character through models, discussions, stories, games, and examples in our classroom.  We will concentrate on the following five virtues:  respect, responsibility, honesty, kindness and perseverance.

3. To enhance cognitive abilities at an age appropriate level in a program designed to be content rich with opportunities for math, science, social studies, and literacy across the curriculum.

4. To foster attitudes of inquiry, curiosity, and critical thinking in an atmosphere which invites hands-on discovery, questions, problem solving, and discussions.

5. To encourage language learning and interest in a literate, print rich environment.

6. To provide opportunities for gross and fine motor development on an ongoing basis.

7. To maintain a positive home-school connection by including parents as partners in the learning process.

Classroom Organization and Curriculum Design
The Pre-Kindergarten house is organized into learning centers:  blocks, dramatic play, library and writing center, art, mathematics, manipulatives, science and computers.  Special centers are integrated, depending on the unit or theme under study.  Materials in the centers are rotated according to the children’s needs, their interests, and the current theme.

The curriculum is designed using an interdisciplinary approach.  A central idea serves as the catalyst for developing relevant learning and literacy activities which cross traditional content areas.  This provides teachers with a starting point for each theme.  The children’s ongoing ideas and questions extend the base of meaning for each unit.

In planning for the entire school year, there exists a systematic progression of skills (see skills page) and topics built into the themes, to ensure continuity and completeness in programming.

Planning is flexible and adapted to the specific needs and interests of a class in any given year.  Ample time is available for programming and projects to accommodate topics of special interest to individuals and small groups.

The class is divided into three groups of five for small group learning activities.  This allows each student the benefit of more individual attention.  The three Pre-Kindergarten teachers share in the roles of planning, preparing, and teaching.

Discipline
The students are expected to share in each part of the scheduled Pre-Kindergarten day.  This includes working and playing in small and large groups, pairs, and individually.  The teacher will immediately address any classroom situation, based on the nature of the incident.  Redirection, role modeling, and discussions will be primary forms of discipline.  “Time-outs” will be given if appropriate and needed by the child to calm down.  If a behavior seems to be repetitive and is disrupting the class or infringing on a student’s learning, parents will be notified.  In addition, students will be praised for model behavior and parents may be notified at this time also.

Home-School Connection
There is an ongoing open dialogue strengthening the home-school connection.  Pre-Kindergarten parents are invited to participate in whole campus activities.  Parent volunteers in the classroom are encouraged throughout the year.  Class parents are in charge of organizing participation for class parties and events.

Bimonthly newsletters from the classroom provide relevant information on a regular basis for Pre-Kindergarten families.  These will include information such as daily activities, special recipes, songs, and activities to share at home.  Our goal is to provide opportunities for each family to participate in their child’s school year and to keep families fully informed about their child’s school activities.

Concepts and Skills in the Curriculum

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