Linguistic Development: To foster a love for reading and writing and ignite growth in linguistics children experience a wide range of childrens literature, journaling, language experience and word play. Children have easy access to a wide variety of writing materials including large paper, letter, word & picture cards, board books, a children's picture dictionary, markers, colored pencils, gel pens etc... Children share their own stories and are encouraged to talk and converse. Interactive language immersion is fundamental. Language development is both authentic and meaningful.
Brain Fact: Linguistic development begins in the left temporal and frontal lobes during infancy and continues to develop until late in life.
Literacy Fact: "The single most important factor influencing children's literacy is how much children are read to." Raising Readers Helping your Child to Literacy - Bialostok
Logical/Mathematical Development: Early number development focuses on strategies like counting or tagging and counting on; and big mathematical ideas like one-to one correspondence, cardinality (the idea that a number corresponds to an amount), hierarchical inclusion (the idea that numbers build exactly one at a time and nest within each others by this amount) , compensation and whole vs. part. To develop this area contexts are chosen to allow for individual differences. Collaborative games, routines and planned investigations are utilized. Card games, dice, manipulatives, open-ended scenarios, problems and role-plays (such as a play grocery store) all are designed to challenge the mathematical brain.
Brain Fact: Mathematical development begins in the left frontal and right parietal lobes during infancy, crests during adolescents and begins to degenerate after age forty.
Math Fact: A simple way to improve your child’s mathematical understanding is to play board games.
Magic Trees of the Mind: how to nurture your child’s intelligence, creativity, and healthy motions from birth through adolescence– Diamond
Kinesthetic Development: Early childhood physical education includes movement through play, dance, athletic activities, drama, and building (Catches and throws balls, skips, rides bike, jumps, runs, balance beam, flexibility etc…). Lessons focus on two components: Health Related Fitness (Cardiovascular stamina, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility and body composition) and Skill Related Fitness (Coordination, Balance, Dexterity, Power, Speed and Response time).
Brain Fact: Physical development requires the activation from several areas in the brain including the cerebellum, basal ganglia, motor cortex and parietal lobes. These innate systems develop at an early level for survival.
Physical Development Fact: “97 % of all learning takes place from the neck down. The brain is activated when the whole body moves.” Play... the foundation that supports the house of higher learning-Murphy
Health Fact: According to the CDC approximately 1/3 of children in the US are considered overweight or obese. Between 1980 and 2008 obesity rates in children aged of 6-11 rose from 6.5% to 19.6 %. Obesity rates in children 2-5 increased from 5% to 12.4% between 1980 and 2006. Obese children are at increased risk for asthma, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, orthopedic problems, sleep problems and psychological problems. Inactive preschoolers are at greater risk of entering first grade with increased body fat, which tends to continue through adulthood. A 2005 reports found the cost to our health care system due to childhood obesity increased from $34 million in 1979 to over $127 million in 2000 (latest report noted). Center for Disease Control
Scientific Exploration: Space, Dinosaurs, Insects, Human Body, Senses, Experiments (Air, Atoms, Buoyancy, Atmosphere, Chemical reactions etc...)
Brain Fact: Naturalistic development emerges from the parietal lobe in the brain.
Naturalistic Development Fact: This area of development allows us to distinguish between living and non-living things. Children are natural scientists and early childhood is a perfect time to encourage their imagination, creativity and inquisitiveness.
Visual/Spatial Development: Artistic Mediums and Expressions (Paint, Chalk, Drawing, Sculpting, Drama etc...)
Brain Fact: Visual/Spatial Development starts in the posterior region of the right hemisphere. Children in early begin to distinguish objects and their relationships. By the time children are 10 development in this area has become multi dimensional. The artistic eye remains vigorous until old age.
Visual/Spatial Development Fact: To truly foster creativity and exploration of the arts children need space and a wide range of materials. Open-ended expression is ideal. “When children are ‘made’ to do art the intrinsic value is lost” and the artistic process is lost stifling development. Play… the foundation that supports the house of higher learning-Murphy
Musical Development: Musikgarten curriculum is utilized; however, additional music education is incorporated into music education. Students explore pitch, rhythm patterns, performance, composition , tonal patterns, instruments etc...
Brain Fact: Music development begins in the right temporal lobe of the brain. “Musical intelligence begins while still in utero as baby is exposed to the mother’s heartbeat and it is the last ’smart’ we loose before we die. Play… the foundation that supports the house of higher learning-Murphy
Musical Development Fact: Research shows when music, movement and language are integrated, the benefits are incalculable both intellectually and psychologically. Music, not only has a link to future mathematic and language development , but also enhances creativity, gross motor and social interactions.
Musikgarten– God’s Children Sign– Heyge
“Music Appreciation: A universal language for all”
- National Association for the Education of the Young
- Intrapersonal Development: Relationship with Self; Emotional development (child feels valued & secure, develop self esteem,
sense of purpose, positive future, self starter, self-directed)
- Interpersonal Development: Relationships with God and People; Team building, Leadership development; and peer
relationships
- An Ecumenical Community: Weekly chapel lessons center around God’s love for us, bible stories and songs, prayer and care
for one another. Celebrating the seasons of the church, especially Christmas and Easter are especially special. We believe
each child is a gift from God and beloved by God; All are welcome!
Brain Fact: Development in the crucial area begins in the right frontal lobes, the limbic system, temporal lobes and parietal lobes. Formation of this area of development is critical during the first three years of life.
Emotional Intelligence Fact: “As children grow ever smarter in IQ, their emotional intelligence is on the decline. The most telling signs of this are seen in the rising rates among young people of problems such as despair, alienation, drug abuse, crime and violence, depression etc…” Declining emotional intelligence is not only affecting our children, it permeates the work place. Emotional intelligence accounts foe between 75% and 90% of success in the work place. While cognitive skills get a person in the door; emotional intelligence predicts success. Only 7% of problems in the work place are due to cognitive performance issues. We must teach our children how to play well with others. Working With Emotional Intelligence— Goleman
**Please Note: The template for our curriculum strands is adapted from Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences and Daniel Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence.
Emotional and Spiritual Development:
Children will explore a variety of centers during the course of their day. Teachers design centers intentionally to focus in a
developmental skill. While a child plays and explores their world, the branching in the brain bursts. During centers, classroom
teachers work with small groups of children and work one-on-one with children. Centers provide individualized instruction as
well as student choice.
