Infant | Toddler | Preschool | School Age | Summer Camp
Curriculum
"A warm and
nurturing environment...."
Infants
Our infant curriculum happens naturally and perhaps a little differently each day. Each child has different needs and develops at an individual pace therefore staff provides one on one quality attention to basic needs and beyond.
Whist trying to keep as much as possible to the ‘safety and comfort’ of a routine our infants are encouraged to explore their world in a trusted appropriate environment. Talking, singing, playing and reading create rich learning opportunities for our infants.
Our mobile infants generally spend only nap time in their cribs, there is a lot of floor play, crawling, pulling up, soft block building, rolling over. We therefore have a ‘no shoes’ policy in order to keep that environment as clean as possible.
All developmental milestones are checked at the appropriate stages and helping ‘goals’ may be set.
The children experience the great outdoors during buggy rides, weather permitting.
Toddlers
Our toddler curriculum, much like the infants’ is not really a ‘curriculum’ in the strictest sense of the word. Structured lessons, work sheets and rigid schedules are not what a toddler needs in order to learn.
Toddlers need movement, noises and discovery. We use music and rhymes for almost all of the routines in our toddlers’ day.
We give our toddlers plenty of time to move, inside and out. Circle time songs and stories are interactive giving lots of wiggle room and improving social skills within the safety of a nurturing environment.
Creativity is a sensory experience, an exploration of paints, shaving foam, play dough, crayons. Play with just about any medium is an art in itself.
Science may be using a leaf as a paintbrush or collecting leaves and acorns to decorate the classroom shelves. Nature is a part of spontaneous play.
NAEYC states that a high-quality curriculum for infants and toddlers “lays the foundation” for future academic achievement “without emphasizing disconnected learning experiences or formal lessons.”
Preschool
The Creative Curriculum for Preschool balances both teacher-directed and child-initiated learning, with an emphasis on responding to children's learning styles and building on their strengths and interest.
In addition we adapt this curriculum to meet the needs of children entering Academy of Learning by the use of a Work Sampling System which involves observation and documentation to track your child’s skills.
Social/Emotional Development
Sense of Self
Shows ability to adjust to new situations.
Demonstrates appropriate trust in adults.
Recognizes own feelings and manages them appropriately.
Stands up for rights.
Responsibility for Self and Others
Demonstrates self-direction and independence.
Takes responsibility for own well-being.
Respects and cares for classroom environment and materials.
Follows classroom routines.
Follows classroom rules.
Prosocial Behavior
Plays well with other children.
Recognizes the feelings of others and responds appropriately.
Shares and respects the rights of others.
Uses thinking skills to resolve conflicts.
Physical Development
Gross Motor
Demonstrates basic loco motor skills.(running, jumping, hopping, galloping)
Shows balance while moving.
Climbs up and down.
Pedals and steers a tricycle or other wheeled vehicle.
Demonstrates throwing, kicking and catching skills.
Fine Motor
Controls small muscles in hand.
Coordinates eye-hand movement.
Uses tools for writing and drawing.
Language Development
Listening and speaking
Hears and discriminates the sounds of language.
Expresses self using words and expanded sentences.
Understands and follows oral directions.
Answers questions.
Asks questions.
Actively participates in conversations.
Reading and Writing
Enjoys and values reading.
Demonstrates understanding of print concepts.
Demonstrates knowledge of the alphabet.
Uses emerging reading skills to make meaning from print.
Comprehends and interprets meaning from books and other texts.
Understands the purpose of writing.
Writes letters and words.
Cognitive Development
Learning and Problem Solving
Observes objects and events with curiosity.
Approaches problems flexibly.
Shoes persistence in approaching tasks.
Explores cause and effect.
Applies knowledge or experience to a new context.
Logical Thinking
Classifies object.
Compares/Measures
Arranges objects in a series.
Recognizes patterns and can repeat them.
Shows awareness of time concepts and sequence.
Shows awareness of position in space.
Uses one to one correspondence.
Uses numbers and counting.
Representation and Symbolic Thinking
Takes on pretend roles and situations.
Makes believe with objects.
Makes and interprets representations.