Preschool Program

Energetic and inventive, preschoolers use play as an opportunity to develop initiative. Building on the discoveries of the toddler years, preschool children are increasingly able to make their own plans, engage in collaborative play, and solve their own problems. The preschool programs at Child Care Partners offer ample opportunities for children to set meaningful goals, learn important skills and concepts through play, and become socially and emotionally competent.

 Our preschool daily routines take on more structure, but remain flexible and appropriate for the wide range of abilities and interests of this diverse group. Important components of the day include High/Scope's "plan-do-review" sequence. Teachers help each child make increasingly detailed plans regarding their play activities, observe and assist children as they work with materials of their choice, and encourage children to recall their activities in small groups. This unique process helps children connect their choices to outcomes, facilitates initiative and self-confidence, and promotes intellectual development.

Child Care Partners also offers daily small group experiences for preschool children in which teachers assist them in the acquisition of basic pre-academic concepts in a playful, creative context. Teachers plan small group activities around children's interests, and incorporate literacy concepts 2 or 3 times per week. Ample opportunities to explore books and writing materials, as well as conduct simple experiments, make predictions, and learn about basic math concepts are an integral part of each day in our preschool rooms.

 
Rather than provide a watered down kindergarten or first grade curriculum, our teachers recognize that preschool children learn best through active exploration of materials and ideas. Every attempt is made to promote school readiness while respecting the exuberant and egocentric nature of the preschool child. Helping children develop critical thinking skills as they follow their own interests ensures a positive attitude toward learning and problem-solving. Social skills and emotional awareness are promoted by patient adults who walk children through the process of negotiation until they are able to resolve many of their own conflicts. In addition to promoting your child's initiative and thinking skills, our Teachers will:

• Provide daily opportunities for art, water or sand play, outdoor play, science and math learning, literacy development, block play, dramatic play, and working with puzzles and other fine-motor toys
• Actively promote conflict resolution skills
  
• Encourage children to think, reason, and make decisions
• Facilitate creativity through music and movement activities
  
• Help your child learn self-regulation skills by setting common-sense limits, explaining rules and the reasons for them, and discussing appropriate alternatives to unsafe behaviors
  
• Promote language and literacy development by providing a print-rich environment, reading stories, using rhymes and alliteration, and encouraging each child to use writing materials daily
  
• Build your child's confidence by continuing to promote self-help skills
  
• Facilitate your child's social and emotional competence so he or she will be ready for the challenges of kindergarten and beyond. 

 Weekly lesson plans help Teachers attend to crucial areas of preschool development. High/Scope Key Developmental Indicators serve as a guide for Teachers as they develop responsive curriculum that promotes learning in the following content areas:

• Approaches to Learning
  
• Language, Literacy, and Communication
  
• Social and Emotional Development
  
• Physical Development, Health, and Well-being
  
• Math Science and Technology Social Studies Art
  

 
For more information about the High/Scope approach, please visit their website at www.highscope.org