Key practices
Spider Boost
2015-07-13T17:56:08-04:00
Key practices
We build curriculum based on the following key practices.
Meaningful Environments
Planning and arranging space is a key – but often overlooked – component of high-quality early education programs. The environment lets a child know they are safe, they belong, and they are valued. It drives their sense of self and development of identity.
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Planning and arranging space is a key – but often overlooked – component of high-quality early education programs. The environment lets a child know they are safe, they belong, and they are valued. It drives their sense of self and development of identity. When setting up the classroom, teachers at the Demonstration School intentionally create environment that enables children to develop relationships with the world around them, themselves and each other. The Demonstration School program is based on the constructivism theory. This theory is based on the belief that children construct their knowledge by being exposed to experiences and provocations. A constructivist environment supports learning by allowing children to make choices and uses a wide variety of materials that provide an infinite number of possibilities.
Continuity of Care
With an emphasis on continuity of care, children enrolled in the Demonstration School are grouped utilizing the concept of “families”, where a child has the same group for his/her first three years of life, limiting the number of transitions a child goes through during this…
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With an emphasis on continuity of care, children enrolled in the Demonstration School are grouped utilizing the concept of “families”, where a child has the same group for his/her first three years of life, limiting the number of transitions a child goes through during this period. Each family moves together to the next classroom, from infants to a toddler 1 group (12 to 24 months old, then to a toddler 2 classroom (24 to 36 months old) and finally to a preschool classroom where they get a new group of teachers. This teaching practice serves to strengthen the relationship each child shares with staff members, families and other children in their own classroom. All of these relationships play a major role in children’s development in the early years as they interact with people in their life for a longer period of time.
Dual Language Learning
This vital aspect of the Demonstration School programming focuses exposing children to a second language. Strategies are introduced to help families increase their understanding of the importance of communicating in the home language, while they support a child in the…
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This vital aspect of the Demonstration School programming focuses on exposing children to a second language. Strategies are introduced to help families increase their understanding of the importance of communicating in the home language, while they support a child in the process of learning a second language. This practice focuses on the child’s capacity to learn multiple languages while providing training that is tailored to families and teachers on the language learning process.
Early Literacy
Through a literary arts component, children learn how to communicate with the world around them. We know that early language and literacy development begins in the first three years and is closely linked to a child’s earliest experiences with books and stories.
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Through a literary arts component, children learn how to communicate with the world around them. We know that early language and literacy development begins in the first three years and is closely linked to a child’s earliest experiences with books and stories. These experiences are the building blocks for language, reading and writing development. Research shows that children gain significant knowledge of language, reading and writing long before they enter school. An infant may regard a book through touch and, if he puts it in his mouth, through taste. A 2-year-old may handle a book differently, particularly those with flaps and moving parts. A 4-year-old might tell the story by looking at the pictures, and a 5-year-old is precise in her page-turning. At the Demonstration School, an emphasis is placed on exploring and playing with books, singing nursery rhymes, listening to stories, recognizing words, scribbling, and the art of storytelling, all of which are truly the building blocks for language and literacy development and communication.
Family Engagement
Family engagement is a key component of the Demonstration School’s work. The family engagement staff works with families to promote and enhance the family-child relationship. They also provide families with information about their child’s growth…
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Family engagement is a key component of the Demonstration School’s work. The family engagement staff works with families to promote and enhance the family-child relationship. They also provide families with information about their child’s growth and development and provide them with the opportunity to gain strategies they can use to promote their child’s learning at home and in school. The Demonstration School encourages family engagement by requiring families to complete 30 hours of volunteer work each year.
All staff members are trained in Touchpoints, a framework developed by Dr. T. Berry Brazelton, which focuses on the family-child relationship and uses the knowledge families have on their child to best address his/her developmental needs.
Inquiry Based Learning
Inquiry-based learning is an approach that is guided by an investigation or questions posed by children. Teachers observe children closely to know where their interests lie and together develop questions for research.
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Inquiry-based learning is an approach that is guided by an investigation or questions posed by children. Teachers observe children closely to know where their interests lie and together develop questions to research and/or hypothesis through tests. The emphasis is on developing problem-solving skills and building understanding. Through the use of different thinking routines, teachers cultivate thinking skills, dispositions for thinking and life-long learning.
Scientific and Mathematical Thinking
The garden in the Demonstration School’s backyard provides a living laboratory for children birth to 5 while serving as a model for early care and education professionals. It promotes nature as a context for learning…
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The garden in the Demonstration School’s backyard provides a living laboratory for children birth to 5 while serving as a demonstration model for early care and education professionals. It promotes nature as a context for learning and allows teachers to use the natural world as an educational tool by offering learning opportunities in science, math, ecology, biology, art and horticulture.
Social Emotional Development
Teachers are trained using MindUP, an evidence-based curriculum that fosters social and emotional awareness. Through lessons, teachers help to promote and develop attention to oneself and others, tolerance to differences and…
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Teachers are trained using MindUP, an evidence-based curriculum that fosters social and emotional awareness. Through lessons, teachers help to promote and develop attention to oneself and others, tolerance to differences and the capacity of each member of the community to grow as a human being and learner. Children learn about the brain and how it functions, in the process gaining insight into their own mind and behaviors as well as those of people around them.
Technology
At the Demonstration School technology is used as another medium to help children and teacher solve problem, communicate and research topics. Classrooms are equipped with technology that allows teaching staff to observe and document…
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At the Demonstration School technology is used as another medium to help children and teacher solve problem, communicate and research topics. Classrooms are equipped with technology that allows teaching staff to observe and document the learning process taking place. Teachers use cameras and iPods to photograph and record children learning experiences. Children use tools such as computer, touch screen devices, Mp3 players, digital camera, digital microscopes, and projectors to explore and gain deeper understanding of the world around them.
Families are encouraged to use the computers available in the family room to access emails sent to them by their child’s teachers or access other resources.
Wellness
The Demonstration School menu meets dietary recommendations based on Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) by the Institute of Medicine and guidelines from the Child Care Food Program, USDA and Head Start. The menus take into consideration cultural preferences…
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The Demonstration School menu meets dietary recommendations based on Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) by the Institute of Medicine and guidelines from the Child Care Food Program, USDA and Head Start. The menus take into consideration cultural preferences and special dietary requirements for each child with nutrition-related health problems. The quantities and types of foods served conform to recommend serving sizes by the USDA meal pattern.
Families have the opportunity to have their child screened for hearing and vision during the first 45 days of enrollment. The Demonstration School also provides various health and safety trainings throughout the year. A nutritionist consultant meets with families as needed and the family engagement team provides families information about resources in the community. United Way also promotes healthy eating by providing low-income families with access to a pantry that allows them to shop at no cost for food.
