THE SHERMAN SCHOOL KINDERGARTEN
LEARNING
CENTERS
| SPECIAL
AREA CLASSES
| HELPFUL
INFORMATION
| A
CLOSING NOTE
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The Sherman School Kindergarten Program was created with an understanding of how children learn and grow. We strive to make our program developmentally appropriate by providing a nurturing environment where the child has access to multi-level experiences and activities of varying degrees of complexity. Play activity is respected for its value as an appropriate means of learning. |
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Five year olds are happy, curious and eager to learn. In contrast to the active four year old, five year olds are usually calmer, are more anxious to please and are usually able to tend to task for longer periods of time. It is an ideal age to begin the transition from home to school. |
Full Day The
kindergarten school day, runs from 8:20 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. This differs from a standard half-day
program, allowing more time to develop our activities
as well as helping the child adjust to a longer school
day.
The
Sherman School provides a very unique kindergarten day
with what we call Extended Day and Enrichment. It is a
model program of which we are very proud.
Throughout
the day, children are exposed to large group, small
group and independent instruction. Large group
instruction fosters good listening and speaking skills
as well as providing a format for introducing new
concepts and giving directions for smaller group
activities. In small group settings, children receive
more personalized instruction from their teacher or
parent volunteer. The child learns to cooperate and
has the chance to be both leader and follower. Each
child has opportunities that encourage discovery,
manipulation, exploration and investigation in a
child-centered environment.
The
Sherman Kindergarten Program incorporates curriculum
objectives by using an integrated approach to
learning. This approach is based on an understanding
of what children need to learn and how they learn. The
kindergartner primarily learns through hands-on
experience and play. Themes for our kindergarten units
revolve around our science, social studies and math
topics and our literature-based language arts
program.
Language
Arts Although
language arts activities are ongoing throughout the
day utilizing stories, poems, songs and finger plays,
the language arts centers provide reinforcement for
our beginning reading and writing
program.. Writing Creative
writing will be encouraged from the very beginning. By
using what we call kindergarten spelling (a phonetic
approach), children are able to label their own
drawings, write individual stories or journals and
contribute to class books, stories and
poems. Math In
the math center, our children are exposed to a variety
of hands-on manipulatives that provide the opportunity
for personal discovery of math concepts. The materials
can be used to sort, order, classify, graph, estimate,
measure, count and compute. The children will gain an
understanding of what numbers are for, why they are
needed and how they are applied to everyday
life. Science The
children participate in a wide variety of activities
using their five senses. They will observe, classify,
measure, predict and explore nature. These activities
encourage curiosity, exploration and problem solving
in order to gain an understanding of the world around
them. Social
Studies Activities
provided help the children gain an understanding of
themselves, others and the world in which they live.
In addition, holidays and current events provide an
exciting source for social studies
learning. Art The
art center makes an important contribution to the
child's total development. The child will use basic
art skills such as drawing, painting, cutting and
pasting, constructing and modeling. These activities
reinforce concepts introduced in other areas of our
program. Let's
Be Our
"Let's Be" center provides the opportunity for the
children to engage freely in dramatic play. Dramatic
play helps to develop oral vocabulary, expressive
language and provides an ideal setting to interact
with others. The center changes occasionally to allow
for our current theme. Construction Construction
play uses building materials, such as blocks and Legos
that can be assembled in an infinite variety of ways.
This center is a favorite of many children. It
involves the child's fine motor skills and creativity
while fostering cognitive growth and social
interaction. Sand
and Water (or Tactile) This
center offers opportunities to mix, stir, pour,
squish, mold, drip, etc., using materials rich in
potential for sensory experience. The tactile center
enables us to integrate our curriculum in a variety of
ways.
Activity-oriented
centers are provided in order to enhance the learning
process. These centers incorporate play and address
the various aspects of the curriculum. Through a
multi-sensory approach, the children are exposed to
the following centers.
Art,
music and physical activities are an integral part of
our daily program. In addition, the children
participate in the following specials: Art
-- (need a smock!) Physical
Education -- (need sneakers!) Music Computers
-- (once a month) Library Services
for students with special needs are also available.
These include: School
Psychologist Guidance
Counselor Speech
and Language Therapist Special
Education Remedial
Reading and Math Occupational
Therapy
Parents
in Relation to the Student: Use
kindergarten newsletters to keep abreast of what your
child is doing in school. Be
enthusiastic and supportive of your child's
accomplishments. A word of praise or a question about
the day can mean so much. Read
to your child daily - now is the time to establish
daily "study" responsibilities which will continue and
increase through the grade levels. Work
with your child on self-help skills, personal safety
and hygiene. Practice tying, buttoning, zippering,
phone number and address. Label
all children's belongings - lunch box, backpack,
clothing, etc. Inform
your child if he/she is buying milk or lunch. Send
money in a sealed envelope or purse. You may pre-pay
for lunches. Provide
your child with a small nutritious snack and drink for
daily snack time. Make
a habit of going through your child's backpack daily;
return school items (notices, books, "homework", etc.)
on time. Establish
good bedtime routines, nutritious eating habits;
emphasize the importance of physical exercise and
monitor and limit TV viewing. Encourage
courtesy and sensitivity toward others. Parents
in Relation to School: Kindergarten
registration and classroom visitation take place in
the spring prior to school entrance. Kindergarten
registration process includes teacher observation and
parent and nursery school teacher questionnaire forms,
which need to be returned promptly. If you have
concerns about your child's development or readiness,
please contact the Sherman School Early Childhood
Team. Kindergarten
Parent Orientation is held in the
spring. Sherman
School Open House is scheduled for an evening in early
fall. Parent-Teacher
conferences are scheduled in November and in the
spring, but ongoing parent-teacher communication is
encouraged. Kindergarten
report cards are distributed in January and
June. Involve
yourself in school activities: -
join and become active in the SPTO -
volunteer in your child's classroom or help organize
special activities Check
newspapers in August for bus schedules (neighbors can
also be helpful). Send
a note if your child is absent or to indicate any
changes in your child's schedule. Inform
the teacher of any medical or physical condition which
may affect the child's work; or of any major changes
in the child's home life that you feel may effect
performance in school.
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We
feel very fortunate to be working with your child
during this very exciting and special time. We
understand the responsibility we have to generate the
enthusiasm that will hopefully continue throughout
your child's schooling. Our goal is that learning will
become a lifelong enjoyment for your child.
