Pre-K Progam Fun and Challenging
Children in our Pre-K room continue to explore as an important way of learning. They want to try new experiences, desire to be more self-reliant and find additional areas to make independent choices.
- They like to make plans and complete tasks
- Able to better focus attention ignoring more distractions and interruptions
- Seeks help from both adults and peers and is able to specify the kind of help that may be needed
- Does basic investigations to help answer questions about how and why
- Continues using “trial and error” and will also involve peers as way of problem solving
- Makes great advancement in math, language, writing, and literacy
- Resolves conflict with peers more independently
- Understands 2500 to 3000 words and acquires an average of 2000 additional words during this year
Pre-K teachers create lessons plans based on the different developmental abilities of the children in the room and on kindergarten preparedness. They execute exciting theme based activities to support lesson plans, and each one is designed to be engaging, interesting and fun, while keeping the exploring Pre-K student active in the learning process. These activities are more involved as their attention span and abilities grow. Having age appropriate activities to solve problems, and think independently and abstractly builds their confidence and gives awareness to themselves as learners as they develop strategies for expressing their ideas.
The Pre-K room has defined areas of learning centers for math, science, block play, fine motor manipulative play, computers, language arts, imaginary play, music, creative art and sensory play to provide both shared and independent learning opportunities. There is a loft that gives a quiet area for exploring books by themselves or with a friend, and underneath a great place for an exciting learning center. These fun and engaging centers are great for cooperative and collaborative play, are conducive for scientific type experiments and discovery, and allow time to explore their feelings and stimulate their imaginations.
Pre-K Program Focusing on Kindergarten Preparedness
As part of our kindergarten preparedness we have weekly small group interaction and individual one-on-one time with the teacher. The purpose of small group is to work on writing and fine motor readiness, practicing and assessing math skills, and social awareness. The small groups are formed with developmentally similar children so activities can be geared for similar skill sets.
- Have weekly scheduled time for small group interaction, one on one with the teacher
- Have access to computers to allow them to become familiar and comfortable using them as a learning tool
- Have opportunities to socialize with their friends, learning to share and play cooperatively
- Teachers train and support children to work out their individual conflicts discovering together, a better way to make positive choices
- Have choice board for selecting learning center of their choice for play and discover, supporting their independence and decision-making processes
Our Pre-K class is curriculum intensive but complemented by scheduled blocks of time for independent play choices. We focus on kindergarten preparedness in skill areas of cognitive and language, math, motor development, social and emotional needs, as well as spiritual growth. Children that complete the In The Beginning Pre-K class are more than ready for starting Kindergarten. Your child’s progress is documented weekly in their development binder as part of their weekly small group and one on one time with their teacher. This binder is accessible to parents at any time. Teachers keep parents informed about your child’s progress on an ongoing basis. Twice a year teacher conferences are held to discuss your child’s progress and accomplishments. We are always available to discuss any area of your child’s development with you.
Two circle times a day provide group learning and social interaction. Biblical circle time is devoted to the Christian story or theme while secular circle time is a reinforcement of academic mastery. This provides an opportunity for your child to learn many concepts and principles which are age appropriate and dynamic, getting all students involved in fun and interactive ways.
Because of our strong commitment to child development, we strive to know each child and personally make a significant difference in their individual lives. We love each child unconditional and understand the responsibility and impact we have in their lives. Investing in the early spiritual development of your child builds excellent coping skills and establishes self-esteem, self-awareness and a sense of faith. These principles form the foundation for the skills they form to manage life’s challenges as they grow and mature.
Math and Science Concepts
Math and science concepts are explored through play and by discovering physical properties in their environment. Hands on experiments with different materials increase their abilities to make observations, gather information, and talk about results. Circle time and small group also introduce and build on these concepts. In the Pre-K room many math and science skills are honed.
- Learns concept of estimating by examining piles of like items of various sizes
- Names basic geometric shapes like circle, square, triangle, and rectangle
- Can do increasingly more complex puzzles
- Learns simple pattern recognition and extends it
- Use items for counting and adding and subtracting
- Count to thirty and practicing up to 100 and recognize written numerals “0” to “9”
- Learn days of week, seasons, and months of the year
- Learning concepts of time by consistent schedules and introduction to the analog clock
Language and Writing
At In The Beginning teachers incorporate language development activities in the curriculum using language stimulation techniques with music, reading, singing, conversations, and picture materials. In addition, they also name objects in their environment, in pictures, and in books. Exposure to nursery rhymes, rhyming poems and songs brings an awareness of sounds. This is further enhanced by labeling the classroom furniture, toy bins, and objects for students to begin recognizing letters that build words and names. We fill the classroom with print, one example is real restaurant menus in the dramatic play center.
Improved finger dexterity allows children of this age to start holding their pencil with fingers in a tripod grip. The Pre-K teachers work on writing in small group learning the letter of the week in upper and lower case and writing their name along with other writing exercises. They learn to write left-to-right and top to bottom and are taught to put space in between words if they write a sentence or a phrase, but many children run one word into the next. Most learn this year that numbers are not letters, and they practice writing numbers also.
Emotionally, four-year-olds continue to learn what causes certain feelings and realize that others may react to the same situation differently. They also show further progress in their social interactions with peers, such as smoothly joining in a group play situation, being sympathetic to others, or suggesting ways to resolve conflicts.
At In The Beginning peer level conflict resolution is encouraged and supported. Teachers encourage them to respect others and their feelings and understand their actions have consequences. They are taught to emulate a Christ like positive behavior that is acceptable to their friends. Loving, sharing, and unselfish actions such as putting others first, are not easy values for a Pre-K student to embrace. Talking out their differences and often seeking guidance from their teachers provides independent thinking on negative issues. The ability to understand consequences and to make wise choices is emphasized.