Expectations of Children
Routine
Curriculum
Families
Class Size and Ratio
Our Staff
Expanded and Enhanced Teacher Education Facility
The Physical Environment
The Connecticut State Department of Education
Preschool Curriculum Framework
Philosophy
The School for Young Children provides two years of high quality preschool experience for young children prior to their age of Kindergarten eligibility as defined by the State of Connecticut.
The School maintains a set of core values about how young children learn and how they deserve to be treated. We understand that children view the world very differently from adults. Our staff and teachers embrace and nurture the unique perspectives of young minds.
Children are treated with respect and the understanding that they are
capable decision-makers. Their ideas are taken seriously, and teachers
give children the opportunity to work through problems, projects, and
conflicts independently. Teachers are available to support and facilitate
children's activities and communication with peers.
Expectations of Children
Teachers help children learn responsibility, self-control and independence in the classroom. As a school that respects children and responds to their needs, we also have clear expectations of them. Foremost among these expectations is that children respect the rights and feelings of others. They are taught to respect teachers and to value materials; good manners are also emphasized in the classroom.
Teachers are mediators, helping children settle conflicts, while allowing youngsters to independently practice conflict resolution. When conflicts arise, teachers help children generate alternatives to inappropriate behavior.
If a child is having persistent behavior challenges, our staff work closely with the family to create Behavior Intervention and Support Plans for the child. When necessary, referrals are made for outside support.
Routine
The classroom routine is built around a predictable schedule that provides security and stability for the children. Routine is critical for preschoolers' feelings of security.
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Curriculum:
At The School for Young Children, we view the process of learning as the
key to a child's progress in school. Having time to try ideas, talk about
experiences, and make choices is a fundamental part of the learning. Teachers
develop activities from careful observations. They watch children play
and engage in conversations with them about ideas and interests that build
curriculum. Process-oriented experiences allow children to use materials
given creatively, in a self-directed fashion.
Teachers plan curriculum with goals for learning. We use the State of Connecticut Benchmarks for Preschool as a guide for planning. These Benchmarks are designed to assure that children develop the skills needed for a successful transition to Kindergarten. We assess children two times a year using the Benchmarks. These observations are utilized to plan activities for the class and for individual children.
Through a carefully planned classroom setup, children explore, experiment, and learn valuable decision-making skills. Teachers move through the classroom watching children play, asking questions, and offering instruction. We value the need for children to take their own risks and make mistakes. Making mistakes is a way that people of all ages learn.
A good example of our hands-on approach to learning is how we teach literacy
skills. Instead of flashcards or specific lessons to "teach"
letters, we integrate words (written and spoken) into the daily classroom
activities. Books can be found throughout the classroom and reading is
emphasized every day. We play games and sing songs at circle designed
to build phonemic awareness. Children sign in and out each day with pictures,
printed nametags, or by marking or writing - depending on their level.
Each cubby is labeled with the child's name and picture. Children learn
to identify their own nametags and those of their classmates. Children
ask teachers things like "What letter is this?" or "How
do you spell that?"
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Families
At The School for Young Children, we understand that families are different from each other in many ways and we honor and respect those differences. Not all families are from the same culture, not all families speak the same language, and not all families make the same personal or professional choices.
We recognize the importance of communication with families. We have multiple modes of formal and informal communication including: in person, phone, e-mail, journals, photos, conferences, and a parent questionnaire.
The School fosters an understanding of early education with families through conversations with teachers, school events, workshops, documentation panels and sharing of articles. Bi-annual parent-teacher conferences are held to discuss children's learning styles and progress. We also make use of technology with our updated web page containing child development information.
There are numerous ways for parents to participate in their child's classroom
and to have a voice in the overall direction of the School.
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Class Size and Ratios
Each classroom varies in size from 14-17 children. Every classroom has
a lead teacher and an assisting teacher. Class placement is based on many
factors: age, gender, special education, teacher match, and the number
of days that the child attends school.
Our Staff
At The School for Young Children, each classroom has a highly trained
teaching staff. The head teacher holds a Bachelor and/or Master's degree
in Education and manages the individual program supervision of the classroom.
Teaching Assistants also have CDA, AA and BA degrees. The program receives
additional staffing support from work-study students and student teachers.
Our staff attends professional development seminars during the year on
topics related to their interests in ECE. Many teachers present at conferences
in Connecticut and beyond.
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Expanded and Enhanced Teacher Education Facility
Annually
over 1800 college students and practicing teachers participated in student
teaching and other programs at The School for Young Children designed
to further their continuing education.
The spacious building, with its wide hallways and large classrooms, is ideal for teacher education opportunities that involve observation. Each classroom has windows into the hallway. Microphones bring audio from the classrooms to a speaker/headphone set outside these windows. Observations can occur without intruding on the children's classroom.
Through funding from the State Department of Education, we are set up to be model quality preschool programming for other centers to learn from.
The School has a large Resource Room for parents, students and teachers.
This room houses books, journals, magazines, documentation panels and
articles. The building has a conference room and an all purpose room that
can be used as a large meeting space. A college classroom on site is used
for early education and child development classes for Saint Joseph College
students and continuing education students from other programs.
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The Physical Environment
The School is situated on a five-acre nature preserve. The pastoral surroundings frame the foundation of our educational values and curriculum. As a teacher-training site, The School for Young Children takes advantage of its surrounding acres of woodlands and fields. The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) was consulted as part of the planning of the trails. The DEP identified nine indigenous trees and many animals including: owls, hawks, cardinals, woodpeckers, squirrels, and chipmunks on the five acres. The trails are an integral part of the preschoolers' outdoor learning experience. Teachers and children take advantage of the "Nature's Classroom" throughout the year.
A main feature of our one-story school building is the large 6 window
complex to the outside that invites sunlight into each classroom. The
large
windows allow teachers to foster a connection with the outdoors. Windows
of various size, shape and height line the main corridor of the School,
giving children, parents and visitors the opportunity to peek in and out
of rooms creating a sense of community. There are also windows between
classrooms. Each of our classrooms is named for a tree indigenous to the
nature trail. Classrooms have floors, cabinets, and trim made from the
wood that bears their name.
Hardwood floors, area rugs, and couches in the classrooms are designed
to give children the warmth and comfort of home. The rooms are large,
providing plenty of room to move about and play. The walls are painted
with warm, neutral colors that promote a sense of calm and allow children's
work to stand out on the shelves and walls.
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