Pre IV
Thank you for your inquiry into our Pre-School/ Pre IV Program. The Pre IV Program educates children 4 – 5 years of age. We are a small school, and offer a more intimate setting. This allows for the child’s growth and development, in a more relaxed environment.
In the Program, we have only 16 to 18 children enrolled, and two co-teachers. The core curriculum is based several avenues similes to those of NAEYC, QRS, and High Scope. Our staff of well qualified teachers enhances their fundamental education, with many different avenues, allowing for them to reach all types of learners.
Ms. Ruthie has been teaching at our center since 1993, she has earned a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education, and several certificates of recognition from various groups for her years of dedicated service in the industry of Early Childhood Education. Ms. Ruthie has a Montessori base, although we are not a Montessori school, she has developed a unique tender way of persuading the children to enjoy school.
Please feel free to visit our classroom at any time!
Come join the fun!
The components that make up all good classrooms are age appropriate goals in the area of Curriculum, Teaching Strategies, Guidance of Social-Emotional Development, Language Development & Literacy, Cognitive Development, Physical Development, Aesthetic Development, Motivation, Parent/Teacher Relations, the Assessment of Children, Teacher Qualifications, and Proper Staffing.
How Young Children Learn. Young children learn by doing! Learning is a complex process that results from the interaction of children’s own thinking and their experiences in the external world. Maturation is an important contributor to learning because it provides a framework from which children’s learning proceeds. As children get older, they acquire new skills and experiences that facilitate the learning process. For example, as children grow physically, they are more able to manipulate and explore their own environment. Also, as children mature, they are more able to understand the point of view of other people.
How young children learn should determine how teachers of young children teach. The word teach tends to imply telling or giving information. But the correct way to teach young children is not to lecture or verbally instruct them. Teachers of young children are more like guides or facilitators. They prepare the environment so that it provide stimulating, challenging materials and activities for children. Then, teachers closely observe to see what children understand and pose additional challenges to push their thinking further.
Developmentally appropriate teaching strategies are based on knowledge of how young children learn. Curriculum derives from many sources such as the knowledge base of various disciplines, society, culture, and parents’ desires. The degree to which both teaching strategies and curriculum are developmentally appropriate is a major determinant of program quality. Developmentally appropriate programs are both age appropriate and individually appropriate: that is, the program is designed for the age group served and implemented with attention to the needs and differences of the individual children enrolled.
Because people develop concepts from both positive and negative examples, the components of a good Pre School Program are described here both in terms of what is appropriate and what is not appropriate practice. These components overlap considerably and have been identified here for purposes of clarity only.
Within the curriculum goals, teachers’ view each child as a unique person with an individual pattern and timing of growth and development. The curriculum and adults’ interaction are responsive to individual differences in ability and interests. Different levels of ability, development, and accepted, and used to design appropriate activities. Interactions and activities are designed to develop children’s self-esteem and positive feelings toward learning,
Teachers prepare the environment for children to learn through active exploration and interaction and interaction with adults, other children and materials, including technological materials Children are expected to be physically and mentally active. Children choose from among activities the teacher has set up or the children spontaneously initiate. Children are provided concrete learning activities with materials and people relevant to their own life experiences. Teachers move among groups and individuals to facilitate children’s involvement with materials and activities by asking questions, offering suggestions, or adding more complex materials or ideas to a situation.
Guidance of social-emotional development is achieved by using positive guidance techniques such as modeling and encouraging expected behavior, redirecting children to a more acceptable activity, and setting clear limits. Teachers’ expectations match and respect children’s developing capabilities. Children are provided many opportunities to develop social skills such as cooperating, helping, negotiating, and talking with the person involved to solve interpersonal problems. Teachers facilitate the development of these positive social skills at all times.
Language development and literacy skills are accomplished when children are provided many opportunities to see how reading and writing are useful before they are instructed in letter names, sounds, and word identification. Basic skills develop when they are meaningful to children. An abundance of these types of activities is provided to develop language and literacy through meaningful experience: listening to and reading stories and poems; taking field trips; dictating stories; seeing classroom charts and other print in use; participating in dramatic play and other experiences requiring communication; taking informally with other children and adults; and experimenting with inventing their own spelling.
During Cognitive Development children develop understanding of concepts about themselves, others, and the world around them through observation, interacting with people and seeking solutions to concrete problems. Learning about math, science, health, and other content areas are all integrated through meaningful activities such as those when children build with blocks; measure sand, water, or ingredients for cooking; observe changes in the environment; work with wood and tools; sort objects for a purpose; explore animals, plants water, wheels and gears; sing and listen to music from various cultures; and draw, paint and work with clay. Routines are followed that help children keep themselves healthy and safe.
Physical Development is achieved when children are given daily opportunities to use a combination of large muscles, and small muscles. Large muscle development includes running, jumping, and balancing. Outdoor activity is planned daily so children can develop large muscle skills, learn about outdoor environments, and express themselves freely, and loudly. Small muscle opportunities occur when children have time to develop skills through play activities such as pegboards, puzzles, painting, cutting, legos, and other similar activities.
Children have daily opportunities for Aesthetic expression and appreciation through art and music. Children experiment and enjoy various forms of music. A variety of art media are available for creative expression, such as easel and finger painting and clay use.
Along with the right environment, and qualified teachers, a child’s natural curiosity and desire to make sense of their world will be used to motivate them to become involved in learning activities. The group size and ratio of teachers to children is limited to enable individualized and age-appropriate programming. The PreIV group is of no more than 16children with 1 teacher, and 1 teacher’s assistant.
At our facility we strive to meet the expectations of each family, and pride ourselves in our ability to find the right combination of tools to assist the student in the ever growing process of learning. Please always feel welcome to “sit in” on your child’s class, or ask for an appointment with the class teacher at any time.
