​Our Program
 

     3-5 Preschool's approach to teaching is not limited to one curriculum. We use a Montessori style set-up and add other approaches based on the very best research in early childhood learning and development. In addition to the Montessori approach, 3-5 Preschool also uses areas of the Zoo-phonics Curriculum and the Creative Curriculum. The combination of curriculums encourages meaningful interactions, and self-directed learning. This approach promotes self-confidence, independent thought, action, and critical thinking, while fostering social-emotional and intellectual growth.

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1. Montessori 

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    This teaching approach uses specially designed learning materials that are displayed on open shelves easily accessible by children during uninterrupted work cycle (1.5 to 2 hrs) which allows children to work at their own pace and fully immerse themselves in an activity without interruption. Your child's work cycle involves selecting an activity, performing it for as long as it remains interesting, cleaning up the activity, returning it to the shelf, and making another work choice. This cycle respects individual variation of the learning process, facilitates the development of coordination, concentration, independence, and a sense of order while facilitating your child's assimilation of information. Classrooms also include low sinks accessible to the children, child-size furniture, cozy spaces for quiet reading, reachable shelves with work available for free choice, and child-sized kitchen utensils so the students can prepare, eat, and clean up their own snack. Teachers gently guide students to help maintain the organization and cleanliness of this environment to keep it orderly and attractive, and to help your child understand how to care for materials and clean up after themselves...skills you will be happy to observe carrying over to your home. 

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2. Zoo-phonics 

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     Learning the sounds of the alphabet is essential for beginning readers. Zoo-phonics teaches the sounds of the letters through animal names ("a" as in alligator, etc.) and there is a body movement to match. Research shows that when the body moves, the brain remembers. The zoo-phonics body signals allow children to put their natural "wiggles" to good use and act as a cue for memory. We statistically know that anytime we physically perform, memory is enhanced. The alphabet is taught sequentially, and as a whole entity, "a-z." The alphabet is not fragmented. 

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3. The Creative Curriculum

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   The creative curriculum is based on 38 objectives for development and learning that focus on all the areas that are most important for school success: social-emotional, cognitive math, literacy, physical, language, social studies, science and technology, and the arts. These objectives are built into every activity that happens in the classroom, which means that all day long the teacher is helping your child build skills and knowledge in these important areas! 

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