Learning
At The Children’s Community School, we engage preschool children’s bodies and minds through manipulative play, imaginative play, exploration, quiet time, movement, experiences in the natural world and reflection. Children learn in collaborative groups to facilitate social, emotional, analytic and language development. Children develop an inner awareness and a connectedness to others and the world through play, yoga, mindfulness and explorations in nature. Our program is designed to support children as active learners, explorers, experimenters, communicators, stewards and artists.
Respect
Our teachers support students as they meet new challenges and act as respectful, caring friends of the school community and the world beyond. The teachers create a safe environment that nourishes and attends to the needs of the whole child. Students form strong and affirming friendships that include the values of empathy, collaboration, community and appreciation for differences. We encourage and model language-based approaches and the skills of noticing and listening to resolve conflicts respectfully.
The Community
Our students become active and responsible citizens by caring for the classroom, the classroom community, and the larger West Philadelphia community. Through partnerships with West Philadelphia organizations students to develop a sense of themselves as community and environmental stewards.
School Goals
Our school will grow to include pre-kindergarden class for the 2011-2012 school year. We hope to make the school financially accessible to all students. We believe financial diversity is equally as important as racial or cultural diversity.
A Typical Day
8:30-9:00- Arrival
Students arrive with their parents. Parents may want to play with students or read them a story to help them settle into the classroom environment.
9:00-9:10- Morning Meeting
The teacher guides the students in reading the morning message, taking attendance, singing, and sharing work from previous day. The teacher may also model the special project or activity of the day at this time. This is an opportunity for students to hone their noticing and listening skills, as well as to express themselves.
9:15-9:50- Work Time (Play and exploration is the work of this age group)
Students will choose to work in the block area, dress up, manipulatives, writing/drawing, water/sand table, or on a special project. Students will clean up or choose to save work. In their work they will be developing math, literacy, and academic skills and concepts.
9:55-10:15- Snack
Students, as members of our learning community, will help set up and clean up a healthy snack.
10:20-11:00 Special (Music or Movement)
In music, students are given the opportunity to play with, create and experience music with an emphasis on rhythm, rhyme, imagination and play. In movement, they will participate in structured play as they do stretching, yoga, dance and creative imitation of the world around them to promote and support motor development, listening skills, self-esteem and imagination. The integration of both quiet and active movement supports the child’s innate capacity to utilize his/her body to understand the world around them. Our movement program encourages students to have a healthy relationship with their bodies, to move creatively, to reflect and to be present.
11:05-11:45 Outside play and exploration
Part of this time may be spent with free-play outside or on the playground. Some of this time may also be spent exploring the natural world or tending to a garden.
12:00-12:20 Lunch
12:20-12:30 Story and Good-bye circle
The purpose of this gathering is to notice, listen, share, take turns, express understanding, develop vocabulary, and enjoy the shared process of learning and discovering.
12:30 Dismissal