Dear New Parents,

Some of you may be curious about what will be taught in your child’s Pre-K class here at Loyd School.  Hopefully this will explain about the class as I follow the guidelines suggested by the National Association for the Education of Young Children in having a developmentally appropriate classroom as well as follow the Standards set up by the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA).
The activities that are planned and the materials used are appropriate for this age level.  However, every child is different.  They have different interests, abilities, backgrounds and rates of learning.  Therefore, various and different methods and materials are used to meet individual needs.
Research has found that children learn best in a child-centered environment where children learn by playing.  We play a lot in Pre-K but I promise you they are learning.  They are learning to get along with their classmates and share materials.  They are using their language to communicate with their friends and teachers.  Fine motor skills continue to be developed each time they work puzzles, cut with scissors or play with the Play-Doh.
Various materials are in the classroom so that the children can learn by exploring in a safe environment, interacting with their friends and teachers.  The children are able to make choices in what they want to play with and with whom they wish to play.   The teachers are able to model appropriate behaviors and language as they interact with the children.
You will not see workbooks, worksheets, coloring books or adult made models of art projects in the classroom.  The children learn by making their own projects and using their own imaginations.  You also will not see activities that drill numbers, the alphabet or penmanship.  Instead, materials relating to writing, number and letter recognition will be spread around the room to encourage their use, so that when the children have an interest and are ready to learn, the materials will be available.
Books are read daily in order to build upon the children’s real life experiences and increase their vocabularies.  Each day is planned so that there are opportunities for active and quiet activities. 
Mutual respect is the philosophy in the classroom with an explanation for rules and the consequences for breaking rules.  The children are encouraged to resolve their own conflicts unless an activity is dangerous.  The children are redirected if a behavior is inappropriate thus learning appropriate behaviors.