The kindergarten program provides a balance of academics, intellectual challenge, and play. Children are exposed to rich content and intellectual stimulation, while having opportunities to learn as young children learn best, through play and exploration. Using a constructivist approach, teachers provide opportunities for children to discover their own answers about the world rather than simply giving the answers. Skills are taught in a meaningful, integrated manner.
- Academics
- Writer's Workshop empowers children to see themselves as writers through a developmental, individualized approach, emphasizing phonetic spelling. Being a writer means using the process of writing to record ideas and information, beginning to value writing as a new form of self-expression, and considering one's audience. Kindergartners experiment with different kinds of writing as they work and play (e.g., lists, letters, signs, plans, notes, journal entries, and stories). Illustrations are of equal importance to young writers.
Reader's Workshop enables children to see themselves as readers through a developmental, individualized approach, emphasizing "just-right" books and interactive experiences. Letters, sounds, and symbols are the building blocks of language. Children view themselves as readers through meaningful reading experiences and developmental instruction. They learn to think about the content of literature, as well as its components.
Mathematics teaches kindergartners that math is all around us. Math begins with redefining mathematics from a computational model to one of "Math is everywhere." Children use manipulatives, pictures, charts, etc., to solve real-life problems and learn new concepts. Homeroom math takes place in both small developmental groups and large groups. Activities integrate with thematic units, while challenging minds and reinforcing basic skills. Students understand math concepts through constructive, hands-on lessons requiring high-level thinking and real problem solving.
- Mystery
- "Mystery," kindergarten's umbrella theme, is studied through the eyes of student detectives. The study's main objective is to foster development of critical thinking and to build community among students. By assuming the role of detectives, children learn to observe, look for clues, record findings, gather evidence, follow leads, develop and test theories, interview suspects and witnesses, deliberate, reassess, revise, and conclude. These high-level thinking skills form the foundation for lifelong learning and fulfill gifted children's intellectual needs.
- Play
- As play is child's work, our kindergarten students have daily time for indoor and outdoor play. Through playing, students develop social skills such as collaboration, cooperation, empathy, and self-regulation. Child-initiated play allows gifted students to pursue individual interests and passions in the company of peers. It also provides opportunities for creative thinking, problem solving, creation, and application of prior learning. Play also provides a context for children to apply newly acquired skills, such as writing and mathematical concepts. Kindergartners are active constructors of knowledge, and unstructured play not only offers a platform for such construction but also provides teachers great insight into student growth and development.
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