Welcome to preschool!
This will be an exciting time for you and your child. The month of October we will be concentrating on the Three R’s of Preschool. (I just made that up! It is nice to have a brain that is moving out of the brain fog it has been in for the past 6 weeks!) The 3 R’s of Preschool are – Routine, Rhythm, Relationships.
Our preschool R’s will be the foundation for the elementary school R’s – Reading, wRiting, and aRithmetic. As your child develops strong relationships with the people in their world and build upon their successes at school, and at home, they will be creating a lifelong love for learning. Your child is learning all day long – how much water will fit inside the cup and what happens when the water doesn’t go in the cup, how loud is this sound, where does this animal live? All of this exploration is foundation for later learning – physics, music, biology.
As we explore the preschool my goal for your child is to have a safe and challenging year. I want the physical site to be safe, the relational interactions to be positive and the classroom activities a chance to explore something new and challenging while allowing the child to interact in the environment at their own pace. It is always a challenge to meet these goals when it involves 20 little (moving) people! As we go through the year I hope you will feel comfortable to bring your ideas, comments or concerns to me, the Parent Educator and/or your Board Members.
The month of September was a change, for most of you, from the random summer activities to a new routine. You need to be out of bed, dressed, fed and out the door at a specific time. Class starts at one time and ends at another. For some of you the day is more ordered than the summer months. As the children, and you, get into the routine of the preschool day they will develop a rhythm of their own. The preschool day is supposed to go this way and if it doesn’t then there may be some tears, confusion and possibly anger. That is why we try to keep preschool as much the same as possible. This will be especially true during the holiday months. We will be truly boring compared to the stores and ads on TV. To you what is boring is comfortable and predictable to your child. It is a routine and rhythm they understand.
We will also be developing new relationships. This may be a challenge for those that are quiet – big people as well as little people. It is important to develop trusting relationships to grow. An adult that a child trusts can lift them up to make basket in the hoop outside, find a toy they are looking for or help them hold on tight when they do not have the words to say “I am still playing with that toy.” You may make a new friend who will understand what you are saying when you describe your last 24 hours – with only 4 of them involving sleep – or laugh at the cute story you have to tell about your precious child. We will all be developing connections with people, big and little, that may change our views of the world.
We will be having Pumpkin Night this month. It is a time for the people who do not come to preschool to come and see where the child in their life goes to school. They can then visualize the site when they hear about the riding horses, play-dough or circle time. It is another way for us to build community and relationships as we start the year.
I will send out a monthly overview letter and calendar, weekly information about what we are doing in the classroom and how you can build on that at home. This information will help you understand what we are doing at school and what your child is learning when they are just playing.
The classroom is set up for play because this is how children learn best but each play activity has a learning component that will be building the base for lifelong learning.
This month we will be involved in activities that encourage: Science, Language Skills, Reading and Writing Skills, Math Skills, and Social/Relationships.
Science
- Cooking apples to make applesauce (measurement, size, color, texture)
- Using magnifying glasses to look at different leaves (size, texture, categorization)
- Talking about colors (of apples, leaves, pumpkins) and size (big and little)
- Looking for spider webs outside
- Watching as nature changes (especially the trees)
- Weather changes (rain, wind, sun, and cold)
- Learning new skills
- How much water fits in my cup at snack?
- Using a broom to clean up at the sensory table
- And building a tower are a few examples.
Language Skills
- Learning names for people
- Descriptions of the things inside the classroom and outside
- New songs and rhymes
Reading and Writing Skills
- Playing with play-dough encourages small motor skills needed for writing, language
- Awareness at the library, having stories read to them, repetition and rhyme during Circle Time
Math Skills
- Counting (stairs, cars, play-dough balls)
- Size (big and small)
Social/Relationships
- This is my picture and I belong here
- This is a picture of my friend and they belong here
- This is MY school
- This is MY Mom/Dad/Grandma/Grandpa
- I am sad when my world is not ordered the way I think it should be ordered
- I can calm myself (with the help of others) and bring order to my world
As we start school this year, it is a time to feel challenged and calm, a time to realize everyone is different yet the same. It is a time for opportunities for growth for you and your child. I am excited for all that will happen in the next few months. You will be surprised to see how much your child has grown by the end of this year.
Teacher Janice