Basic Learning Goals

Basic Learning Goals

1.  SELF-ESTEEM & INDEPENDENCE ~ encouraging each child's pride in individual families characteristics, experiences, accomplishments, and each child's responsibility to personal care, actions, and words.

2.  INTERACTION & COOPERATION ~ promoting children's social skills for diverse adult and peer relations, including listening, turn taking, following directions, rules and routines, group participation, care for shared materials, and conflict resolution.

One of our primary goals is for Social Development.  Children who have a positive self-esteem, can function independently, and can interact cooperatively with peers and adults have a firm foundation for success in school.

3.  COMMUNICATION ~ facilitating comprehension and expression skills beginning with oral and progressing to written language.

We encourage children's interest in written communication by providing exposure to reading and writing in inviting contexts.  Letters will be talked about, the way they look, sound, and the places we see them in our environment.  Recognition of name in print, letters, rhyming words, letter formation, story listening, and many other activities to promote comprehension and expression so the children become effective communicators are part of our programs.

4.  DISCOVERY & EXPLORATION SKILLS ~ fostering a positive attitude toward learning through questioning, observing, and experimenting with varied materials related to diverse themes.

Our inviting exploration opportunities catch the children's interest and motivate them to observe, describe, ask questions, offer explanations, make predictions, and seek answers.  Acquiring knowledge, skills, and attitudes for effective discovery and exploration will prepare children well for the formal math and science that they will study in elementary school.

5.  PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES ~ giving children opportunities to use their growing bodies to develop small and large motor skills and coordination.

The "gym" portion of our program is coordinated for the children to have fun and at the same time work on basic movement skills and patterns.  Children will use their growing bodies to develop small and large skills that help develop fitness habits for a lifetime.  Included >> body awareness, large motor skills, manipulative, sports and special skills incorporated through music, games and equipment such as ~ balance beam, mats, scooters, balls, parachute, bean bags, lumi sticks, hula hoops, and much more.  All of this adds up to a lot of FUN!

6.  ARTISTIC EXPRESSION & APPRECIATION ~ encourage and support each child's ability to express ideas and emotions through art, music, movement, and drama.

Children are invited to explore a wide variety of media with a range of age-appropriate tools.  This exploration provides opportunities for experiencing and discussing colors, sizes, textures, and composition of materials, many of which is recycled by the teachers and parents.  The celebration of the children's visual art is our annual Art Show, in which our room is transformed into a very unique setting.  Music, creative movement, and drama will be introduced.  The children will present various seasonal programs for the parents throughout the school year.  Dramatic play, block area, discovery table, grocery store, fine motor skills at the post office, and many other opportunities for the children to explore and for the teachers to reinforce social, cognitive, and physical development are part of the program.