Beachwood Preschool

Half-Day Pre-K Education for 4-year olds

 

This half-day Beachwood preschool program helps four-year olds master new skills, develop greater self-confidence & form meaningful relationships

AGES: Pre-K - Child must turn 4 by Sept. 30

DAYS: Monday-Friday 9:00-12:30

Socialization

When it comes to learning, four-year olds are developing greater self-control and ingenuity. Their pretend play is more complex and imaginative and can be sustained for longer periods. Four-year olds enjoy new experiences, they make plans, complete tasks, are more self-reliant and are beginning to make independent decisions.
  • Our fully-equipped dramatic play and block areas enable Pre-K children to structure their activities and invent ways to recreate and assimilate their understanding of the world.
  • Children begin to coordinate multiple roles and negotiate play scenarios which help them take on other people’s perspectives.
  • Group meeting is a time when children listen to classmates and also get heard. This cultivates a deeper awareness both about self and others.
  • Children acknowledge classmates who are not at school. All absent children receive a call from their teachers and classmates wishing them well.

    Classroom Celebrations
    Pre-K classes come together as a community to celebrate the following holidays    :

    • Thanksgiving – classes prepare a meal with traditional fixings and enjoy “breaking bread” together.
    • TuB’shevat – Jewish Arbor Day – children participate in a Seder where they explore the seasonal changes and sample a variety of fruits.
    • Children honor and recognize classmates when they celebrate birthdays. The birthday child decorates a wish box and his/ her classmates write special wishes that are placed inside. Parents are encouraged and welcome to participate in this special celebration.

Investigation
Four-year olds approach the world with great curiosity. They are able to participate in simple scientific investigations that increase their ability to make observations, gather information, compare data, identify patterns, and describe and discuss observations.

  • The room is arranged in complex learning centers that allow small groups of children to work together.
  • Classroom learning centers remain the same, while the materials within each center are always changing. This supports both a teacher directed and emergent Pre-K curriculum.
  • Several mornings each week the children are assigned a task to do at a specific center. Each child must check their task sheet to see where to go, complete the specified task, show a teacher and mark their sheet to indicate completion!

Four-year olds have an increased capacity for mathematical concepts. They use logical reasoning to solve everyday problems and can effectively use language to compare and describe objects and shapes. Four-year olds can count ordinal numbers, recognize written numerals and do simple addition and subtraction problems. Many four-year olds know the days of the week, months and seasons.

  • Children review the monthly calendar.
  • Children numerically record the first 100 days of school by bundling days into groups of ten.
  • Children begin to anticipate that 10 bundles of sticks are needed to reach the 100th day of school which culminates in a special Pre-K celebration.
  • Independent snack is part of the Pre-K morning routine. Children are responsible for going to the snack table, counting out their snack and throwing their trash away when they are done.
Coordination
Four-year olds can engage in long periods of active play and exercise. They are skillful at walking, climbing, marching and galloping. They are better able to throw, catch, kick and bounce balls.
  • Pre-K students have instructional P.E. in our full-size gym.
  • Pre-K students participate in a Red Cross certified instructional swim program once a week for six consecutive weeks.
  • Pre-K students participate in weekly yoga.
Communication
Four-year olds are building their knowledge of written language. They want to know words in their environment and can recognize and reproduce many letters. Improved finger dexterity enables four-year olds to work functionally with writing tools. They are able to form legible letters and know that writing goes from left to right and from top to bottom. By the end of this year, many four-year olds understand that letters represent the sounds in spoken words and can begin to associate some letters with their sounds.
  • Each Pre-K student creates an original alphabet book that reflects the classroom curriculum.
  • Journal writing is a routine part of the Pre-K classroom. Children are encouraged to include the day, month and year each time they write a journal entry. A Word Box, which includes pictures and corresponding labels, assists children when writing words on their own.
  • Children sign their name daily on an attendance sheet to indicate they are at school.
  • Literacy is everywhere! Carefully-placed signs, charts, clipboards and writing materials foster print and word recognition and encourage children to write for themselves.

Self-Regulation
Four-year olds are better able to manage a range of feelings and are becoming aware that other people may react differently to the same situation. They begin using coping strategies such as breathing, talking or drawing pictures to help them handle their intense emotions. Four-year olds are learning to develop empathy and express regard for others.

  • Children choose the classroom “safe/quiet” space when they need time away from the group. This cozy and inviting space is equipped with books, photos and assorted props that help children relax and self-regulate so they can successfully reenter the group.
  • The Pre-K children explore Jewish ethics and values using the exclusive Ethical Start program which is based on the classic Jewish text Pirkei Avot, Ethics of our Fathers.
Exploration & Special Trips
Three times a year Pre-K students take special field trips that coincide with specific areas of study.
  • Eddy’s Fruit Farm - Early in the school year the children visit a working farm as they explore apples and the fall harvest.
  • Schwebel’s Bakery - Before Passover the children take an in-depth look at bread and yeast. At the bakery the children are able to follow the production of hot-dog buns from dough to packaged buns.
  • Heinen’s - Food is an essential and important part of everyone’s life. During our field trip to Heinen’s, children experience a behind the scenes look at how a grocery store works and they in turn gain a better understanding about the food we purchase.
    Want more information? Contact Joan Morgenstern, Early Childhood Director, at jmorgenstern@mandeljcc.org or (216) 593-6262

 

 

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