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The early childhood program is staffed by degreed educators dedicated to the education of young children in a developmentally appropriate program. The goal of these classes is to create a Christian atmosphere in which a student grows in self-esteem and knowledge. Each child is viewed as a unique individual with a personal pattern and timing of growth and development.
Holy Spirit provides experiences that meet children's needs and stimulate learning in all developmental areas-physical, social, emotional, and intellectual. Many activities are provided to develop language and literacy through meaningful experiences. Children choose many of their own activities from among a variety of learning activities prepared by the teacher, including dramatic play, blocks, science, math, games and puzzles, books, recordings, art, and music.
Daily outdoor activities are planned so children can develop large muscle skills, including running, jumping, and balancing. The outdoors also provides an opportunity and place for students to express themselves freely while they learn about their environment. Children develop small muscle skills through daily classroom play activities, such as pegboards, puzzles, painting, cutting, and similar activities. There are daily opportunities for aesthetic expression and appreciation through art and music. The early childhood environment exists for children to learn through active exploration and interaction with other children and adults.
The early childhood programs are organized around learning centers that provide activities to involve and challenge the student. Each program has the following permanent learning centers: art, block building, music, housekeeping, language, science, and math. With learning centers, the classroom becomes a laboratory where children explore and experiment in the various areas. The centers make possible both small group instruction areas and quiet nooks where children can work and play. The curriculum covers activities that encourage children to think for themselves, to grow in independence, to work out simple problems, and to express themselves creatively.
The early childhood program gives students the freedom to develop naturally at their own pace. The aim of each class is to enable students to develop positive self-images through important accomplishments. Through this nurturing environment, the children gain language and social skills, grow in problem solving and creativity, lengthen attention spans, advance in coordination and motor skills, and grow in maturity and confidence.
The language arts program includes extensive phonemic awareness and pre-reading skills. Literary techniques are used to stimulate the students' interest such as reading orally to the children, listening to poetry, participating in choral reading, and dramatic play. These activities integrate reading, writing, and the development of language.
The goal of the math program is to develop understanding of and insight into the patterns of mathematics through the use of concrete materials or manipulatives. The activities are designed to help young children see relationships and interconnections in mathematics and to enable them to deal flexibly with mathematical ideas and concepts. Using real-life applications of math on a daily basis become a part of the ongoing daily routines of the classrooms, outdoor play, and those transitional moments that occur during every school day. In addition, math concepts are taught through systematic calendar instruction.
Social studies and science are studied through highly motivational units. The three-year-old students study their family, seasons, holidays, and pets and develop successful patterns of interaction with peers and adults, gain self-control, and acquire and practice social values. Enrichment classes include chapel, library, music, and gross motor.
Four-year olds move to expanding their world through the introduction of units such as the senses, the environment, rural and urban life, Texas, the Houston Rodeo, seasons, weather, and holidays. Particular emphasis is placed on observational skills using all the senses, describing and classifying objects or events, organizing information, and thinking critically. The four-year olds participate in chapel, library, music, and gross motor classes. In addition, the full day class of four-year olds attends computer class once a week.
The Voyager program, which is our five-year old bridge class, begins to explore and study the world around them as they learn customs and cultures of other countries. Many writing and art activities accompany the factual study. Language and development of vocabulary are introduced using literature and creative play activities. The Alpha-Time program uses puppets and music to teach letters and sounds, number recognition, counting, and number word recognition. There are computers in the classroom with educational software suitable for this age child. The children have chapel, gross motor, music, library instruction, and computer classes weekly.
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