Click to visit our Classrooms:
Seedlings
3 mo - 12 mo
Acorns
1 yr - 2 yrs
Oak Leaves
2 yrs - 3 yrs
Maples
3 yrs - 4 yrs
Evergreens
4 yrs - 5 yrs
Cedars
Dev. Private Kindergarten
Redwoods
School Age
Welcome to the Maples!
develop an awareness of self and a love of life. While we strive to
fully prepare each child for their future educational journey, it is
not our goal to only teach the children a certain number of letter
sounds, definitions or facts. This is because it is not about what
the children learn, but an attitude toward learning that we are
striving to nurture.
The Work Cycle
In the Maples class children engage in a prepared activity only
after the teacher or another student has purposefully
demonstrated its proper use. This is because
each "work" activity is carefully chosen and
prepared for the children and has a direct
aim. This aim is modeled for the
children so they can see the intended
use of the materials. From there, they may
explore the materials in their own ways,
limited only by individual imagination or safety
restrictions.
When a child is actively engaged in learning a new skill or concept he is
acquiring a foundation for later concepts. Like building blocks, each activity we
offer the children builds upon previous knowledge and leads directly to a
new concept or level of learning. Additionally, we consider the repetition
of activities to be an integral part of the learning process so children are
allowed to repeat activities as often as they wish until they show signs of readiness
for the next level of learning.
For young children, knowledge proceeds from the hand to the brain.
Because of this we provide hands-on materials that promote the acquisition
of concrete concepts. When the children are introduced to sounds and
letters, we provide sandpaper letters for the children to manipulate. For
example, we might show the child the sandpaper "K" and say "kuh." The
child is encouraged to trace the letter as he or she says the sound aloud.
Once the first letter is mastered, the child will be introduced to another,
Order
We believe that children are able beings. They are capable of making
decisions; they are capable of cooperation. Each of them exhibits a full
range of emotions, ambitions and attempts to comprehend and respond
to the world around them. But one of their most important qualities is that
they are rapidly changing. They are living, breathing balls of potential!
Because children are in a constant state of growth, everyday activities can
be overwhelming. They are continually determining how to best make
sense of the information they are taking in.
(read more ...)
Class Favorites
by Maya Angelou
by Margret Rey
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus
by Mo Willems
by Ludwig Bemelmans
by Laura Numerolf
Teacher Suggestions
by Aline Wolf
by Shel Silverstein
by Ludwig Bemelmans
Children's Yoga cards or books
Sign Language books or DVD's
Maples Class Schedule
6:15
6:30 - 8:00
8:15
8:20 - 8:35
8:35 - 9:30
9:30 - 10:00
10:00 - 10:20
10:20 - 10:40
10:40 - 11:30
11:30 - 11:50
11:50 - 12:00
12:00 - 12:35
12:45 - 2:45
3:00 - 3:15
3:15 - 3:30
3:30 - 4:30
4:30 - 5:30
5:30 - 5:45
5:45 - 6:15
6:15
Day School Opens
Breakfast
Transition to Maples Classroom
Circle Time
Work and Project Time
Outdoor Play
Morning Snack
Circle Time
Work and Project Time
Circle Time
Restroom Break & Lunch prep
Lunch
Rest Time
Story Time
Afternoon Snack
Outdoor Play
Join Oak Leaves class
for indoor play
Clean up and story time
Prepare to go home
Day School Closes
Fall News
There are so many new and fun things we will be learning about this year in the Maple's Class.
We have exciting themes for each month, starting with "I am special" for September. All of our themes integrate other areas of our curriculum, such as math, science, social studies, and art for our language art curriculum.
We will also be focusing on a different letter of the alphabet each week. At the end of the year each child should be able to recognize every letter, know its sound.
We love music in the Maple's class and have a daily music time. There are so many more exciting things we have planned. We can't wait to see you in our class!
Thank you!
Miss Nicole and Miss Melissa
Class Reminders!
Clothing: We routinely give the children opportunities for creative art and sensory exploration that includes finger painting and tactile materials. Sometimes these messy activities can be the most fun! Please remember to dress your child in "play clothes" that you would not mind them exploring in. Plus, sometimes accidents happen, so please remember to send a change of clothing for your child.
Hand Washing: Through our daily routine we will learn the best ways to protect ourselves from spreading germs. We ask you to encourage your child to wash his or her hands upon arrival in our classroom in order to promote hygiene and a healthy environment.
Parent Participation: Please know that you are free to spend time in our classroom and to come and go as you please in order to help both you and your child feel more comfortable with your child's transition to our classroom. Parent volunteers are always welcome! All children love to have their parents participating in classroom activities.
Sharing Day: Fridays will be our sharing days. Children can take this opportunity to share one or two items with the class. If possible, help your child select items to make our sharing time more educational (special books, games, puzzles, pictures, items from nature etc.). If your child chooses not to bring an item from sharing, they may share some good news instead! This provides the children with an exciting first step toward learning how to speak in front of a group.
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It is with this natural occurrence in mind that we have created our classroom environment. We offer an orderly environment that nurtures each child's task of absorbing and assimilating to the world he or she is expected to join. We provide information to stimulate interest and from there the children are set free to explore.
Concentration
When you observe our classroom you may notice (and even be surprised) that the children are able to concentrate and remain fully engaged and focused on a task in the midst of other classroom activity. Concentration occurs naturally and frequently in our carefully prepared environment. The materials in our classroom are purposeful and call the children to explore and to develop concentration. The children select activities based on their own interest or need and therefore a connection is made between the child and the material that leads to repetition and focus. We give respect to the child's inner guide who knows best what he or she should concentrate on and for how long.
Independence
The development of independence is a crucial stepping stone in each child's growth. It lays a foundation for further cognitive, social and emotional development. We believe that our role as teachers is to support each child's struggle for independence by remembering not to act on a child's behalf unnecessarily and to organize the environment so that the children may act for themselves.
Within the community of our classroom the children are able to learn to become independent, to articulate their
needs and to assist their friends when help is required. They are reminded of their responsibility to others and begin to understand how to use their own independence while respecting the rights and dignity of others.