Curriculum

The Saint Stephen's Preschool program provides a stimulating environment in which a child can maximize his or her potential. Our goal as educators is to teach children how to become life-long learners. We want them to become independent, confident learners by teaching them HOW to learn. This skill will not only help them in school, but throughout their lives. We want the children to be enthusiastic about learning therefore we provide an environment full of purposeful and productive play experiences. Our classrooms foster exploration and discovery that encourages growth in all areas.

Our curriculum identifies goals in four areas of development:

Social/emotional: to help children develop independence, self-confidence, and self-control, follow rules and routines, make friends, and learn what it means to be part of a group.
Physical: to increase children’s large muscle skills – balancing, running, jumping, throwing, and catching – and use the small muscles in their hands to do tasks like buttoning, stringing beads, cutting, drawing, and writing.
Cognitive: to acquire thinking skills such as the ability to solve problems, to ask questions, and to think logically – sorting, classifying, comparing, counting, and making patterns – and to use materials and their imagination to show what they have learned.
Language: to use words to communicate with others, listen to and participate in conversations with others, understand the purpose of print, recognize letters and words, and begin writing for a purpose.

Through the activities we plan and the way we organize the classroom, select toys and materials, plan the daily schedule, and talk with children, we seek to accomplish the goals of our curriculum and give your child a successful start in school.

“A Parent’s Guide to Preschool”

Teaching Strategies

The curriculum provides students with opportunities for:

Constructive play
Positive social/emotional interaction
Development of communication skills between children
Physical development
Creative expression
Practice of reason and logical thinking
Decision making and safe risk taking
Development of responsibility
Increased independence

Goals for specific ages:

Babies/Creepers

Use a variety of toys to develop fine/gross motor skills (stacking blocks, musical instruments, classroom toys, etc)
Experience various textures and sounds using classroom toys
Listen to stories, songs, and nursery rhymes
Experience stimulation through teacher/child conversations, outdoor strolls, verbal games, classroom mirrors, and peers
Begin to self-feed using finger foods
Begin to repeat sounds and say recognizable words
Begin crawling/walking/pulling up to standing position
Play simple games and imitate simple movements
Recognize his/her own name

Some weekly/monthly themes may include:

Holidays | Seasonal Themes

Toddlers

Practice self-help skills (eating, washing hands, etc)
Follow simple one and two step directions
Make appropriate choices
Listen tentatively to short stories
Recognize songs, nursery rhymes, etc.
Develop independent behaviors
Appropriately express both positive and negative feelings
Participate alone and with a group in a variety of experiences
Develop respect for one’s own property and that of others
Recognize and respect the feelings and needs of others
Develop basic fine motor skills (finger paint, painting, coloring, using markers, clay, sand, etc.)
Develop basic gross motor skills (climbing, swinging, stacking blocks, etc)

Some weekly/monthly themes MAY include:

Holidays | Seasonal Themes

2’s

Eat and drink with limited spilling
Sit at table for entire meal
Practice self-help skills (dressing, eating, packing backpack, washing hands, picking up toys, etc)
Follow simple one and two step directions
Listen attentively to short stories
Make appropriate choices
Work in small groups
Recite nursery rhymes, finger plays, songs, etc.
Name and match colors, sizes, shapes, and body parts
Recognize basic shapes such as a circle, square and some letters
Use conflict resolution strategies (sharing, taking turns, etc.)
Jump, balance on one foot, catch and throw a ball etc.
Use fine motor skills such as stringing beads, using play dough, etc.
Develops fine motor skills through the use of crayons, paints, markers, paste, and puzzles
Recognize opposites
Recognize and sort familiar objects with the same color, size, or shape
Name members and relationship of family
Use language to express wants and ideas
Counting
Recognize letters and numbers
Recognize printed name

3’s

Practice taking turns
Learn to play simple games
Nursery rhymes, finger plays, songs, etc.
Directional words (under, beside, etc.)
Run, Walk, jump, and hop on one and two feet
Throw and catch a large ball
Correctly hold a crayon or a marker
Begin cutting with scissors
Sort objects based on shape or color
Name and match the primary colors
Begin to write his/her own name
Recognize letters and numbers
Write letters and numbers
Working with patterns, sequencing, graphing, similarities and differences, etc.
Recognize letters and the sounds they make

4’s

Point and name familiar body parts and objects
Recognize basic shapes and primary colors
Follow simple one and two step directions
Recognize numbers and letters
Recognize sounds of letter
Classify common objects according to common attributes
Compare and Contrast objects according to a predetermined criteria
Develop observations skills using the 5 senses
Make predictions
Recognize simple patterns
Develop basic concepts of space, time, and numbers
Develop problem-solving skills
Recall and describe events
Develop vocabulary
Relate experiences
Repeat familiar nursery rhymes, songs, and jokes
Retell stories in own words
Participate in writing activities
Express ideas, feelings, and experiences through stories and drawings
Exhibit age-appropriate balance and coordination skills
Safely use outdoor equipment for climbing, riding, swinging, etc.
Develop self-help skills (hand washing, dressing, etc.)
Develop cooperative behaviors for interactions with others

5K

Know first/last name
Know parents first/last names
Know full address
Know city, state, country,
Know age and birthdate
Know telephone number of one parent
Recognize upper and lower case letters
Blend sounds into words
Write letters and numbers
Read 10 color words
Read 10+ sight words
Read and write simple sentences
Recognize rhyming words
Identify syllables in words
Understand numerical order
Recognize numbers to 100
Count by 1’s, 5’s, 10’s
Understand beginning addition and subtraction
Tell time to the hour
Work well independently and in small groups
Keep classroom and supplies tidy
Complete work promptly
Participate in circle time
Listen and keep attention for linger times
Seek help when needed
Learn days of the week, months of the year
Safely use outdoor equipment for climbing, riding, swinging, etc
Create and plan building structures
Complete process art projects using varied mediums

Some weekly/monthly themes MAY include:

Curriculum

“A Parent’s Guide to Preschool”

Goals for specific ages:

Babies/Creepers

Toddlers

2’s

3’s

4’s

5K

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