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St. Mary's Creative Playschool provides a preschool environment designed to help children build self-confidence and a positive self-image, develop social skills, develop fine and gross motor skills, gain an understanding of the teacher-pupil relationship, and become comfortable in a classroom setting away from home. These goals are accomplished by providing programs that are developmentally appropriate, a curriculum that focuses on play, and the opportunity for parents to play a significant role within the classroom and playschool as a whole.
What is developmentally appropriate practice?
This term means that teachers first think about what children are like and then develop an environment that provides "hands-on" learning opportunities. Our classrooms are designed to encourage children to explore what interests them, touch what intrigues them, talk, listen, run, help out, and play through a combination of self-directed time and more structured activities. Teachers and parents act as guides in this developmental process, but also follow the children's leads.
What is a play-based curriculum?
As the name "Creative Playschool" implies, we believe children learn best during the preschool years through self-directed play. Through play, children learn concepts behind reading, math, science, music, culture and the world around them. Children are encouraged to explore and discover, without the risk associated with having to provide a correct answer. Play provides children with the opportunity to attempt a new skill, fail in the attempt, and not view themselves as a failure. Play also provides endless opportunities for children to celebrate successes (emotional development), learn problem solving and concepts such as cause and effect (cognitive development), exercise fine and gross motor skills (physical development), and practice communication skills and interaction (social development).
Why is parent involvement important?
Volunteering in the classroom as teacher's aides provides parents with opportunities to become familiar with, and help guide, the learning process. Parents are able to see first-hand what interests their children, how they interact with peers and the teacher, and which activities come naturally and which are more challenging. Parents get to know the children and appreciate them as individuals. Parental involvement can also provide reassurance for children who are not used to being away from home and it gives the children an enormous sense of pride. By having parents volunteer in the classrooms, as members of the Administrative Council or other committees, and as volunteers at school-sponsored events, St. Mary's hopes to begin a pattern of parental involvement that will last throughout our children's academic careers.