Preschool
Preschool I, II – Overview of Program
The Preschool experience (3 to 4 years of age) is the time when the child moves away from the world of their homes to the outside world. An awareness of the environment and socialization are major growth areas. The social skills of the classroom and working with others are significant aspects in our program. The younger children learn several skills from the older ones and the older ones will have the opportunity to exercise important attitudes such as love, respect and courtesy with their friends.
During the morning period, there is a mixed-age group of twenty-two students working in the Early Childhood Centers in the areas of Practical Life, Art, Fine Motor Skills, Sensorial, Reading, Language, Math, Social Studies, Science and Religion. There is one classroom teacher and one assistant for every Preschool Class.
The early childhood years are critical to literacy development, and our Preschool students are encouraged to use the English language expressively and purposefully in a variety of social situations. The program adopted by Chapel School for all the Preschool I and II students is called “Building Language for Literacy”. This program from Scholastic gives children the opportunity to increase vocabulary as well as develop an awareness of patterns and sounds.
Daily Routine – Preschool I, II
A typical day in Preschool I, II is one that combines learning, fun, enthusiasm and rhythm.
All students initiate their day by exploring the Early Childhood Centers. This routine is the same every day, and is followed by a close moment with the teacher – “Circle time” – in which the teachers will say the morning prayer, sing the morning song and explain the daily procedures.
During a pre-established time in the weekly schedule, all Preschool classes attend Physical Education, Music, Art, Library and Religion classes.
A healthy snack is usually served around 9:30 a.m. and usually consists of fruit, juice and a small cheese/butter sandwich or simple cake.
Outdoor activities take place in the E.C.E.C. playground after snack, and at this time classroom assistants are the main supervisors.
Before lunch, students usually settle down by listening to a nice story. Lunch is served from 11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m., depending on the class. A menu with the description of the daily lunch is sent home monthly and also posted on Edline.
The typical Preschool I day ends at 12:00 p.m. After their departure, the Preschool II students enjoy a calm and relaxing time for 45 minutes. In the afternoon, after rest, our Preschool II students are exposed to a variety of activities related to phonological awareness, increasing their vocabulary through rhymes, poetry and chants, focusing on language and literacy skills.
The typical Preschool II day ends at 3:15 p.m.