Program Goals

Our Program goals are based upon a philosophy of developmentally appropriate curriculum interfaced with the Connecticut Pre-School Framework and current suggested State Benchmarks for Learning.

Emotional:

1. creating a nurturing environment of love and respect
2. recognizing and appreciating individual and group needs, prior experiences, and different approaches to learning
3. providing appropriate role models and encouraging positive self esteem

Social:
Creating a program that will develop socially responsible individuals who are capable of:

1. successfully and comfortably separating from parents and caregivers
2. integrating into a group and developing positive relationships with teachers and new friends
3. successfully insinuating oneself into a play scenario and initiating conversation
4. transitioning successfully within the classroom (centers) and throughout the program space
5. responding to age appropriate behavioral expectations
6. practicing self-help skills, making good decisions, and developing a sense of independence

Language and Literacy:

1. reinforcing receptive language skills and encouraging use of appropriate expressive language
2. developing an appreciation for the written word
3. encouraging imagination, open-ended thinking and problem solving skill building

Gross and Fine Motor Skills Development:
Providing a program that will encourage and develop

1. Gross motor skills: running, jumping, climbing, negotiating stairs, up and down
2. Fine motor skills: block building, tearing and scissor skills, puzzles, use of glue/paint paintbrushes

Cognitive Skills:
Providing a core curriculum that will encourage positive skills development:

• Readiness Skills:
  • auditory discrimination
    repetition and rhyming
    recognizing familiar sounds
    introduction to initial consonant and vowel sounds
  • visual discrimination
    recognition of shapes and size comparison
    grouping by characteristic
  • simple mathematical concepts
    counting, 1:1 correspondence
    number and numeral recognition
  • simple science concepts
    creating awareness of the world around us
    simple experiments: cooking, etc.