We begin the year in Pre-K with one priority that stands above all else, which is to build relationships with the children.
With strong relationships providing a solid foundation, we can develop a warm, collaborative, and dynamic classroom community, where each child’s passions will be nurtured, and their love of learning will grow. Children are seen as individuals and are given opportunities to follow their instincts and direct their learning. At the same time, we provide the teacher guidance, structure, and challenges that children need to thrive and grow as learners.
Throughout the year, children engage in inquiry-based learning activities and thematic investigations that are sparked through authentic experiences, both in our classroom and across our 23-acre campus. Inspired by the GUS place-based approach, the Pre-K curriculum weaves GUS K-8 themes into our studies over the course of the year.
Throughout the year, we will explore the following themes: the world around us, who am I?, where do I live?, the sea, the land, and the people.
We will also work with the children to let their particular interests, passions, and questions lead the way for thematic investigations of their own design, developed collaboratively between the children and the teachers.
The development of social-emotional, physical, artistic, scientific, language, and mathematical skills and concepts are integrated into the thematic curriculum. Children also have opportunities to develop these skills and concepts through independent work with hands-on classroom materials and through small-group teacher-led activities. Our skilled teachers lead morning and afternoon activities that include whole and small-group meetings and thematic investigations, and facilitate classroom work times, and outdoor play and exploration, that allow for both independent and teacher-led learning opportunities.