Classroom "Peeks"
A Nurturing and Enriched Environment
Children thrive in an environment where there are caring and responsive adults. We celebrate the joyful moments in each child’s day as well as their accomplishments. Our teachers provide the emotional support and trust that each child needs in order to be successful in school.
One of the many wonderful things about being part of the Lerner School is the unique opportunity it affords our young students to engage in activities designed for them by our Elementary School Specialists. In addition to all they do in their classrooms, our preschoolers regularly spend time in P.E., Music, and the Library.
- PE Program: Our P.E. specialist has developed a physical education program that best fits the needs of and is developmentally appropriate for our Preschool students. Each activity is designed to improve a child’s hand/eye coordination, muscle control, speed, agility, and balance.
- Music: In the music room, our music specialist engages our students in the basics of rhythm and beat, singing and movement, styles of music and musical instruments. This is enhanced through the use of many props such as puppets, bean bags, and scarves.
- Library: Our school librarian is eager to share her enthusiasm for books and reading. While in the library, we have an opportunity to explore the wide-range of books that are available for us to read and check-out. The librarian also helps us find subject specific books that we might need for a topic we are studying in our classroom.
Three Year Old Program
Three year olds are energetic and curious. They are keen observers of all that is going on around them. They are intent on perfecting their gross motor skills. Three year olds are comfortable being with other children, yet prefer to play alone and are still learning how to cooperate, take turns, express their feelings and learn impulse control. Three year olds are learning how to be independent, to take the initiative, and to trust the adults in their lives.
The curriculum and daily schedule in a typical three year old class is designed to foster independence, strengthen peer relationships, communicate effectively with teachers and peers, adjust to a new environment, separate from mom and dad, learn impulse control, and be active, curious, and enthusiastic learners.
Four Year Old Program: Getting Kindergarten Ready
Four year olds continue to be just as energetic and curious as they were when they were three years old. They desire to feel important, competent and confident. At this age, they actively seek out friends and enjoy cooperative play with a group of children. Their ability to cooperate, problem-solve, and exert self-control is due in great part to their increased language skills. Four year olds love imaginative, pretend play. Through imaginative play, children will increase their language and communication skills, as well as learn how to think conceptually. With greater small motor control, four year olds are ready to engage in a variety of fine motor activities, including writing, drawing, and painting.
Four year olds continue to perfect those skills they learned as three year olds, with continued emphasis on exposing them to skills and activities that are necessary for Kindergarten readiness. These readiness skills include: 1) Enthusiastic and curious learners; 2) Strong oral language skills; 3) The ability to listen (appropriate attention span); 4) A sense of independence; 5) The ability to play/cooperate with others; 6) Strong fine motor skills; 7) Basic letter and number recognition; 8) Counting and sorting skills.
By focusing on rhyming, beginning sounds and letter recognition our Emergent Literacy Program prepares preschoolers for reading and writing. Creating stories based on thematic group projects is also an integral part of getting children ready for our broader Language Arts program. Hands-on activities such as cooking, planting, three dimensional shape learning, and nature study excite and inspire interest in math and sciences. Underlying all these activities is an emphasis on fine motor skills, critical thinking/problem solving, social skills, basic concepts, and sequencing.