Our Curriculum
Here at Avondale Preschool Academy we believe in developing the “whole child.” You will see that our curriculum helps children of all learning styles. We offer a wide variety of activities to capture and engage each child in our school.
We highly recommend beginning your preschooler in our three-going-on-four-year-old program. In the three-going-on-four-year-old program your preschooler will be introduced to all the letters and sounds. Letter and sound recognition are KEY to the four-year-old program. Four-year-olds that come into our program having been a part of our three-year-old program are ready for our reading program and the structure of our four-year-old program.
Below you will be able to read a little bit about several of the subjects that are incorporated into our daily routine.
Phonemic Awareness
Each week within the preschool year a new letter and its sound are introduced in class. For instance, the letter M may be introduced during Circle Time by singing the Marvin the Monkey song. Children sing about the particular character and letter along with oversized books that contain brightly colored pictures. These books are filled with words and pictures that begin with the letter M. This helps the children hear and sing many words that start with the sound of M. Science, art, and story time are also tied into the Letter of the Week through alliteration.
Balanced Literacy Approach to Reading
The Avondale Preschool reading program uses a balanced literacy approach to teaching students to read. Phonics is a very powerful early learning technique, but not all words can be pronounced or spelled phonetically. Whole language supplements the phonics program by focusing on high frequency sight words that make the majority of what we actually see when reading.
For example, “the” is a high frequency sight word that cannot be pronounced phonetically. Using both whole language and phonics provides a strong foundation for preschoolers and their reading and academic career. Knowing how to properly integrate these two techniques and learning styles is the key to the Avondale Preschool curriculum.
Take Home Reading Library
Our three-year-old curriculum is preparatory to the four-year-old class where preschoolers with a background of letters and sounds can begin the reading program. In the four-year-old classes, preschoolers begin the take home reading program.
Each book in our “whole language” program teaches two new sight words at a time. These sight words are featured on each page of the book. At the end of the book, a grid aids in distinguishing the differences between the two new words being taught. Each time the take-home book is passed off, the next level will be sent home to practice. This continues through the school year.
Once several of the sight words are learned, another set of books are sent home to supplement both phonics and sight word reading skills. Parents need to take the time each day to sit down and allow for reading time with their preschooler. As they read to their parents, they may need some help. Parents should give their preschooler a chance to sound it out or even guess the words before told what it says. Parents need to be patient and give lots of praise.
Hand Writing
Children learn to recognize and write their own name, letters of the alphabet, and numbers. Teachers work one-on-one with this skill to teach name recognition and ensure correct technique: Top-to-bottom and left-to-right. Our papers are designed with a blue line at the top, the dashed middle line is red and the bottom border is green. We teach the preschoolers to start at the “blue sky”, go down through the “red picket fence” and touch the “green grass”. Tapping into the physical world around our children helps them visually form letters correctly and develop proper handwriting technique.
Music
Music can be one of the most effective techniques in teaching young children. Students are engaged by singing along with our “Character Songs” such as “Marvin the Monkey” and “Cindy Circle” while learning new actions that keep them moving and dancing. Students will learn how to spell their colors and numbers in the songs we sing. Circle Time enhances opportunities of Language Development by expanding vocabulary, developing listening skills and conversation skills, and recognizing language through printed text.
Art & Creative Thinking
Avondale Preschool Academy’s Art curriculum has been carefully designed to use a variety of mediums and techniques. Parents are amazed at how quickly their child’s art work improves and that a little artist emerges! Students will also learn how to follow directed art. They will demonstrate the ability to use imagination on undirected art projects. They will be able to explore, express, create, analyze and observe a variety of art forms. Students will learn how art can be used to express self.
Math & Cognitive Reasoning
Avondale Preschool Academy’s academic math centers are designed to help students grasp basic math concepts such as patterning, numbers, counting, grouping, sorting, measuring, geometry, spatial reasoning and problem solving. Our skills sheets will also provide opportunities for the students to practice math skills.
Exploring the World Around You (Science)
Science is fascinating to children and feeds their curiosity as they learn to explore the world around them. Children will be involved in hands-on activities as part of the lessons. For example, in the spring preschoolers will participate in our butterfly unit where they will care for their very own caterpillar. They will watch in amazement as their caterpillar spins its cocoon and eventually changes into a butterfly. Other science activities include “sink and float,” “will it roll?” and “does it move?” activities. Science and Social Studies activities offer many ways to broaden our preschoolers world around them. Students learn about many different subjects that are covered under our “themes” such as Nature & Animals and Creative Expression. Students will learn how to make observations, predictions, ask questions, and gain skills to further explore their surroundings. Students will also learn the Pledge of Allegiance. They will gain an understanding of a variety of roles and responsibilities that people play in the community. Our students can’t wait for science each day!
Learning Large Motor Skills (Gym)
Avondale Preschool “Gym Time” activities aids students in the development of large motor skills, balance, hand-eye and hand-foot coordination, strategy, stop and start, some basic math, spatial concepts, imitation and imagination. It also aids in social skills like taking turns and teamwork. Students will demonstrate basic P.E. skills such as running, jumping, skipping, hopping, balancing, throwing or kicking a ball etc. Our Gym time is a fantastic way to teach the above concepts in a fun and playful environment. Gym time also includes structured physical activity that aid in math and pre-literacy skills.
Fine Motor Skills
Developing fine motor skills is an essential part in physical development. Avondale Preschool Academy Curriculum offers many different centers throughout our preschool day that helps to develop eye hand coordination, strength and control. Our students will learn how to hold and rest a pencil, put together puzzles, paint with a paint brush, and use scissors correctly.
Learning Large Motor Skills (Gym)
Over the course of the past several years, skills and activities pages have been developed and designed specifically for Avondale Preschool. There are several different types of skills-based worksheet activities that are used throughout the Avondale Preschool Academy Curriculum. Ours skills sheets are fun and interactive and help teach new concepts such as Handwriting, Numbers, Vowels, Colors, Shapes, Number Grouping, Dot to Dot, etc. The teacher will demonstrate the concepts, and then the preschooler will complete a skills and activity sheet on their own. These skills and activity sheets are designed to be fun and interactive and a great “tool” for parents to get a glimpse into the concepts taught daily in the classroom.
Habits
Parents undoubtedly know how important routines are to raising happy children. Good classroom management is very important to helping preschoolers succeed in school. Creating a structured environment helps them feel at ease in the classroom because they know what to expect and what is expected of them. During the first few weeks, the teacher will focus on helping the preschoolers establish good learning habits such as sitting in their chair, starting and completing tasks, being polite and courteous to others, and learning to focus their mind and body at the task at hand. These basic skills are an important foundation to the rest of their academic learning career.
We are very proud of all that our students walk away knowing! We know that you, too, will be amazed when you see all they accomplish in the time they spend at school.
We invite you to call or come in to learn more about our professional Pre-K program!
This preschool is amazing!!! I have a degree in Early Childhood Education and have run my own preschool for years. I put my three year old in this preschool on the recommendation of a family member, and I couldn’t be happier. They have done a fabulous job of educating her and she LOVES all the songs they sing. I have been so impressed with the curriculum and have recommended this preschool to everyone I know. Angela Webb
