How Two Stay Engaged

The Toddler classroom and Pre-Primary classroom are extremely similar when it comes to curriculum but they are different in one big way, potty training. Your student will begin potty training in our Pre-Primary classroom, as we ask all students to be potty trained before joining the Primary classrooms. There are many different approaches to potty training and the staff will follow the path best suited for the child. This will be a partnership between staff and parents. Once the student has demonstrated they are ready to begin their potty training journey, staff will take the next steps in initiating this conversation. The Pre-Primary classroom fosters a nurturing environment that’s curated to support the Pre-Primary students' need for exploration and encourages independence within the student. Letters and numbers are exposed in a variety of ways like song, books, sensory bins, and the work on the shelfs but also being introduced to students are sensorial skills. Talking about textures like what’s soft or rough, associating colors with objects, and placing things in size order are all examples of sensorial work that can be found in the classroom. Practical Life plays a large part in the daily operations of the classroom, as the teachers try to incorporate the students into tasks as much as possible. Things like starting, switching, and folding laundry as well as dressing and cleaning oneself and their environment are all tasks the teachers encourage students to participate in. Lots of art projects are done in this room that focus on a variety of topics the curriculum is focusing on that month. From cutting with scissors to gluing and painting these kiddos aren’t afraid to get messy. 

The parent is the child’s first and lasting teacher and the consistency between home and school is crucial during this developmental stage. Security and nurturing in this early stage when it is most appropriate will make the leap to independence at the next stage easier for both the children and the adults. Furthermore, acceptance of the classroom goals and values, coupled with their promotion at home, facilitate and even speeds a child’s adjustment and success in the classroom. 

"All that we ourselves are has been made by the child, by the child we were in the first two years of our lives."

- Maria Montessori

Day in the Life...

The Pre-Primary student starts their day by saying their goodbyes at the classroom door then carrying their belongings to their hook and taking off their shoes and coat. After putting their belongings away students start the day with free choice in the Toddler classroom from 7:00am-8:00am. Free choice looks like many different things from books, coloring, puzzles, blocks, and more. At 8:00am the Pre-Primary split to their classroom where students will sign in on name tags to help practice handwriting and name recognition. Depending on the day, the Pre-Primary friends might spend some time outdoors before or after their work cycle. The work cycle includes materials that practice different skills they will utilize throughout their educational careers, as well as spark interest in nature and how to care for it. The Pre-Primary students have a pet bunny named Penelope that they help care for by feeding and playing with. During this work cycle the classroom will sit for a group circle time. The circle time starts with welcoming all our friends, then having them welcome each other, through song and a handshake or hug. Things like the season, date, weather, and special events are discussed, and depending on students' interest a possible story time and more songs. At 9:00am the first snack of the day is served, with help from the Pre-Primary friends who gather their lunch boxes, open them, and pick out their snacks. Pushing their chairs to the table, wiping their hands and face after eating, and putting away water bottles are just some of the ways the teachers have incorporated the students into helping during snack and lunch. Lunch starts at 12:00am and the classroom does have access to a microwave. Students will eat food on plates with cutlery that they later help clean and put away. Following lunch, the Toddler friends begin their transition to nap and are laid down by 1:00pm. The Pre-Primary students sleep on cots in their classroom with music playing and lights projected. Students are up from their nap by 3:00pm then they sit for their afternoon snack, after which they prepare to either go outside or play with free choice until pick up.