Curriculum

 I absolutely love preschool age kids and their enthusiasm for life and curiosity in the simple everyday things. My goal as a teacher, is to help your child build confidence in themselves by developing skills towards independence and encourage a love for learning that will continue the rest of their lives . My curriculum is based on the Utah's Early Childhood Core Standards, NAEYC as well as additional resources to focus on the individual needs and interests of my students.

 Center Time: Blocks, Dramatic Play, Science, Math, Writing, Sensory, Art
(Each center has different themes each week.)

Reading/Writing: My curriculum includes all 5 foundations for reading; phonics, phonemic awareness, spelling, vocabulary and comprehension. Beginning reading skills are taught. Each letter focus has an action we do a story read and handwriting sheet that helps the child broaden their vocabulary and also helps them recognize the sounds in words they know. They will also write their name daily.

Math: We learn to write numbers one through 10, count as high as 50, sequencing, shapes, patterns, and beginning addition.

Science: Units on Seasons, Solar System, Magnets, Plants, Bugs, etc.

Art: Scissor safety, glue handling and basic drawing. Holiday and seasonal crafts. Art is a great outlet for expressing emotions, creativity and practice focus.

Music: Singing helps us to remember the days of the week, months of the year and other information we learn. It also encourages listening skills as they follow the songs in movement and dancing. We also have musical instruments through the year.

Physical Education: While our mind is busy at work learning about all sorts of topics we are still 3-5 year old's and need some energy releasing fun so we will be doing short indoor and outdoor activities that will help build coordination, focus, let our wiggles out and strengthen large motor muscles.

Friendships/Communication: While academic skills are important, I feel that learning how to communicate and socialize with other children and adults is very important in preparation of further education and interactions with their family and community. I believe that cultivating friendships and learning how to work as a team and get along with others will help build balance in a child's development not to mention confidence.

Activities: We will have an activity each month. The activities consist of adventures to local places, special visitors, and class parties. The adventures will help the kids learn more about their community as well as explore hands on. There will be special visitors that will come and demonstrate how things work or introduce animals for specific themes. Past adventures have been touring a school bus (community helpers), Hee Haw Farms, BYU's Bean Science Museum, as well as a doctor visiting the preschool.

Snack time: This is a great time where we can discuss what we learned about that day and allow for the children to talk about what is important to them. Manners are reinforced, they take turns being snack helpers and everyone cleans up after themselves.

Show and tell: I have one person do show and tell each class. This provides your child the opportunities to improve their confidence speaking  in front of a small and comfortable group and answer questions their friends may have about their object.