OUR PROGRAM

 

A Happy Beginning Nursery School uses Creative Curriculum for Preschool.  Creative Curriculum as defined by “Teaching Strategies LLC.”, features exploration and discovery as a way to learning; enabling children to develop confidence, creativity, and critical thinking skills.  Creative Curriculum combines the latest research and best practices while taking into account the needs of every type of learner.  As Christians, we are blessed to include sharing that God loves them. 



Our teaching focuses on the fundamentals. The following domains of learning are included in our daily lessons.  

Spirituality - We tell them that Jesus loves them and then model that love back to them in our interactions and Bible stories. We introduce the children to prayer.  We pray for our snacks, meals and close our day with prayer. In this, we show our belief in Jesus that we can talk with him; he is there and listens. 

 

Social – Emotional - We encourage sharing, using words to convey wants and needs instead of hands and loud cries, making friends and taking turns. We help the children to identify their feelings and respond appropriately. 

 

Mathematics – includes counting, quantification that the number 5, means 5 things – addition and subtraction. We also use clip cards to reward encouraged behavior.  

 

Science –  learning and using critical thinking skills, why things work, why they won't and consequences and what can we do to make them work. We build towers and ramps and make simple machines. 

 

Art – following directions, using scissors, (fine motor skills) creative expression, mixing paint to create colors and designs. We implement creative ways to calm children who have anxiety, and have found painting or sculpting works well. 

 

Physical development – encouraging children to learn from instruction on how to swing on the swing set, how to jump and run and catch and throw a ball. Bikes on the playground teach taking turns and critical thinking while maneuvering the turn and stop when others are also on bikes. We stress being safe and keeping your friends safe. 

 

Print knowledge – is more than identifying letters and writing their first and last name; it includes how books are oriented, reading left to right to mention a few. We had a pizza party when all the children could write their first and last name. Phonological awareness and alliteration, (words have syllables), letter sound, rhyming, sounding out letters in words.

 

Cognitive – do they know that the letters they write spell their name, can the child recognize the letters when not in their name, can they hear a story and understand what they heard.  We ask the children to retell the story. (This is sequencing; can they tell the beginning, middle and end of the story in order).  

 

Geography – we introduce them the world that they live in (represented by a globe) there are boundaries to landmasses and oceans. They learn what state, what city and what school they attend. This has led to imaginary flights to Africa for a safari, studies on Canada making pancakes with maple syrup as we discuss how syrup is gathered from the maple trees and the importance of the weather for the harvest. (Things we need or like don’t begin in the supermarket)

 

Music – God listens when we sing and they learn about his love  and that He is there for us always.  Music crosses into several boundaries parades and freeze dancing allows for expression and control of movements and following directions. Music also touches alliteration, physical movement, rhyme, memorization skills and expression. 

 

Language – We increase their language skills by modeling correct grammar and using words that are not readily in their vocabulary, explaining the meaning of those words. We have introduced the children to different languages such as Spanish, Japanese and American Sign Language.