Curriculum
Literacy
We teach the children to begin to make connections between written and spoken-word in ways that are relatable and meaningful to them.
We teach reading and writing through story dictation, story play, letter writing and other ways that children can see their thoughts and words being put into written language. In addition, we cultivate phonemic awareness in playful ways through rhyming, songs, and story plays.
Key Words – supports meaning making and name recognition.
Story Play – Children’s stories are elevated and made visible to their peers through story dictation to their teachers and then acting their stories out with peers.
Math
Children in this age group are developing concepts around counting, one-to-one correspondence, spatial relationships, and whole to part relationships. We support these understanding through open-ended play with blocks and manipulatives, intentional challenges and through asking questions and activities like counting which friends are at school today and how many have on blue shirts.
Children have many open ended ways to explore whole to part relationships and gain physical knowledge through work with unit blocks. Through use of the correct names for each block, such as unit, half unit and double unit, children learn through experimentation and reflection basic geometry, addition, and fractions.
Our two year olds are offered real life materials through play to scoop, measure, sort, and organize and more!
Social and Emotional Skills
While at Little People Preschool, children are learn how to be in a group play setting. One of their first tasks is to build trust in their teachers.
The children are working on basic peer communication and social skills, asking friends for materials, waiting their turn, communicating their needs, and empathizing with other classmates.
The following skills are taught during circle time, group activities, nap time and outside play time:
- Identifying emotions in themself and others.
- Self regulation
- Learning to express ideas and emotions to peers and adults
- Identifying and respecting differences in each other.