Disclosure: St. Mary Preschool receives curriculum from Experience Early Learning each month in exchange for blogging about our honest and unique experiences using these materials. Predictable Schedule and Routines When our students arrive to school, they find the clothespin with their name and clip it to a job. Once their job is chosen, the three year-old children are able to choose from the many investigation stations that are set up around the room. The children who are four years-old meet me at the writing center to do a morning project. The project is designed to help prepare them for kindergarten. It is brief in nature at the beginning of the school year and always relates specifically to each child. For example, we begin by tracing our names on the name cards that are included in our Mother Goose Time curriculum (Check out this company here: www.mothergoosetime.com), then progress to longer, more difficult projects as the year goes on. As soon as the child is done with their project, they too may choose to work at one of the various investigation stations. Uninterrupted work time At St. Mary Preschool, we respect the child's play as their "work." We provide at least 50 minutes to an hour of uninterrupted play time, twice a day. This allows children time to choose where they want to work, make a plan and carry it out. Another reason we plan for uninterrupted work time is because of the complex social situations that arise when you place a group of preschoolers together in one room. It is not natural for preschool children to share toys, materials and ideas. Language, large and small muscles and impulse control are still developing, so patient and caring adults are needed to help them navigate the situations that arise. The following can be happening simultaneously: A block structure is suddenly knocked-down by someone passing through the block area, two children want the same toy, paint is dripping from the easel and a child in the bathroom is calling for help. Expecting children to carry out ideas in 30 minutes is not realistic or respectful in our opinion. Visual Schedule Hanging a visual schedule at child level can be helpful for those kiddos who are anxious and want to know what is happening next. You can move a clip from activity to activity, showing children the order of the day, which is actually setting the stage for math concepts such as seriation. You can see a glimpse of the schedule cards (that our curriculum company provides at no extra cost) behind the birthday girl below. We learned the hard way, that it would be best to hang the schedule just a bit higher and in a different location because our students like to rearrange the cards. I will provide our daily schedule at the bottom of this post as the one in the photo does not adequately reflect our day. Investigation Stations At the end of each school day, we set up the classroom for the next day. It is a wonderful feeling as a teacher to walk in to a classroom that is ready and organized. A few tasks such as filling water bottles with fresh water or setting out paint, must be done in the morning; however everything else is all set to go. Children arrive to many different choices instead of a harried teacher, trying to find materials. Here are a few examples of investigation stations that have been set up in our room in the past: Cohesive Curriculum
Our curriculum comes with a teacher guide for each week and includes lesson plans for circle time, a community challenge, a STEAM station idea for each day (one of which includes an outdoor activity), 2 table top learning activities, a creative art or make and play activity and a closing circle time. Each week 2 books are suggested along with activities that increase print awareness and critical thinking skills. Skill Time The table top learning activities from the teacher's guide quite often become a skill time activity. The preschool children (three year-olds) work with the same teacher each day during skill time. The pre-k children (four year-olds) work with their teacher in a different part of the room. The teachers record observations from these activities using the Child Folio app. Parents are able to view their child's secure page on the app and learning is visible and documented throughout the year. I hope you have enjoyed a glance into our day at St. Mary Preschool. Wishing you the best, Sheila Resources: Our daily schedule (without actual times) Arrival: Children choose job Investigation stations open. Preschool children choose an investigation station to work at. Pre-K children do morning work at table, then choose an investigation station to work at. Open snack (children serve themselves snack as they are hungry). Circle Time Skill Time groups meet (Preschool children in one group with their teacher and Pre-K in another group with their teacher) Playground Lunch Jesus Time Rest Time Open Snack (children serve themselves snack as they are hungry) Open investigation stations Skill Time Playground End of day Preschool Curriculum:www.mothergoosetime.com Observation and Assessment App: childfolio.com
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AuthorSheila Anderson has over 25 years experience in the Early Childhood Field and still loves going to "school" everyday. Archives
January 2022
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