Our Preschool/Kindergarten Program
Our preschool-kindergarten program provides a carefully prepared environment where children grow at their own pace, transitioning naturally from hands-on, concrete learning to abstract thinking as their cognitive abilities develop. The curriculum includes sensorial exploration, mathematics, language, cultural studies, natural and physical sciences, and everyday practical life activities. It also integrates art, music, social skills, and outdoor play to nurture the whole child.
Beyond the classroom, children participate weekly in our Outdoor Classroom and Movement Program. The Outdoor Classroom offers rich opportunities to connect with nature through interactive activities such as gardening, composting, and scientific exploration, all thoughtfully designed to inspire curiosity and foster a sense of environmental responsibility.
The Movement Program focuses on age-appropriate activities that enhance coordination, strength, motor planning, and overall physical fitness, supporting the holistic development of each child.
The Absorbent Mind Phase
Dr. Maria Montessori described children between the ages of three and six as having an “absorbent mind,” capable of intense mental activity. This stage is characterized by a natural eagerness to learn and absorb information from their environment. Our preschool classroom builds on the foundation laid in the toddler years, providing a space where children engage in purposeful work that fosters essential cognitive, social, and emotional development.
Students move freely throughout the classroom, selecting activities based on their individual readiness while receiving the perfect balance of structure, freedom, and guidance. This environment supports their ability to excel at their own cognitive pace, effectively preparing them for future academic challenges.
Key Skills for Pre-K and Kindergarten Students
In the Pre-K and Kindergarten class, students focus on mastering the following essential skills:
- - Understanding, comprehending, and following classroom rules and directions (both verbal and non-verbal).
- - Respecting classroom materials, the environment, and fellow students.
- - Properly obtaining and returning materials to the shelf.
- - Quietly raising their hand to be recognized by the teacher without interrupting.
- - Functioning independently and confidently within the classroom setting.
- - Developing strong listening skills, comprehension, and the ability to follow multi-step directions.
- - Clearly expressing needs and emotions in an understandable manner.
- - Can work and share in a group or team consistently
- - Working collaboratively and sharing effectively within a group or team.
- - Focusing on and completing activities with minimal adult supervision.
- - Writing and spelling their first and last name clearly and accurately.
- - Memorizing and recounting detailed stories, songs, or sequences.
Subject Areas
Practical Life Activities
– Spooning objects (small and large): Enhances fine motor skills and precision.
– Sweeping objects (small): Encourages coordination and responsibility for tidiness.
– Pouring objects (wet and dry): Develops hand-eye coordination and control.
– Squeezing objects (small and large): Strengthens hand muscles for future writing tasks.
– Care of self:
Brushing hair
Folding/rolling napkins
Folding a sweater
Dressing oneself (buttoning, zippering, Velcro, tying, lacing, etc.)
– Polishing items: Teaches care for belongings and attention to detail (e.g., shoes, silver).
– Transferring objects: Using the whole hand tweezing and tongs
– Water activities:
Washing a baby doll
Basting water
Scrubbing a table
Making bubbles with a whisk
– Understanding opposites: Learning concepts like on/off and up/down through practical exploration.
Sensorial
-Use of metal insets to promote hand strength and fine motor skills for writing
-Naming each metal inset shape, using metal insets with activity variations and extensions
-Differentiating between and matching patterned objects
-Refining of the senses through various activities (hole punching, cutting paper, etc.)
-Grading and matching objects: Sorting by color, size, or shape to build visual discrimination.
Languages Arts
– Knows letters and sounds (beginning and ending)
– Knows consonants, vowels, beginning blends and digraphs
– Holds a pencil properly with a strong 3-finger grasp
– Has proper formation of writing numbers and letters
– Use the movable alphabet to build 4 and 5-letter words and sentences
– Learning the proper structure of a sentence
– Beginning grammar (article, adjective, pronoun, verb, etc.)
– Basic sight words (articles)
Mathematics
-Skip counting by (1’s, 2’s, 3’s, etc> up to 10’s)
-Knows numbers (1-100 with number symbols), counting to 100
-Basic arithmetic operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
-More advanced arithmetic operations with two number problems
-Mastering the idea of carrying over
-Learning the visual algebraic concept of Pythagorean theorem with the bi-nomial cube
-Learning the visual algebraic concept of with the tri-nomial cube
-Geometric triangle boxes: Ability to create different shapes, such as diamonds, parallelograms, etc., with various triangle shapes.
Cultural Subjects
Botany:Parts of plants, how plants grow, taking care of plants. Study of roots, stems, leaves, flowers and seeds.
Zoology: The study of various animal species, including amphibians, reptiles, fish, mammals, birds, and invertebrates. It also explores their habitats and provides insights into animal care and well-being.
Science: Simple experiments to develop an understanding of physical science and how it relates to planet Earth.
Geography and Culture: Earth’s landforms and continents, recognizing and naming continents, native plants and animals from each continent, different cultures and traditions from each continent, flags associated with different countries.
