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Four-Year-Old Program

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Our classroom is a child-centered place guided by an educated and experienced teacher to foster happy, caring, and independent children. We strive to build trust with each child so that he or she feels comfortable in the classroom environment and beyond.

 

Our preschooler's first task is to learn to say goodbye at the door and come into the classroom happy. The teacher always helps with this transition time. Being able to leave the parent and come into the classroom easily builds self-esteem and fosters independence, both of which are necessary for academic achievement.

 

During the first half of the year, children learn how to respect their classmates and teachers, work independently to solve a problem, and verbalize their needs and wants. Children learn to wait for their turn to speak and also learn to listen at the appropriate times. They are encouraged to be independent by putting on and taking off their own jackets, taking their art projects to their cubbies, and taking care of their bathroom needs. Our four-year-olds also begin to visually recognize the names of their classmates. We present a craft to complement the theme of the day, incorporating reading readiness skills and creating a feeling of success when the project is complete. During the school year, children begin to work on the alphabet. They explore each letter of the alphabet through art projects and circle time, and discuss the sounds that different letters make.

 

Our four-year-old program is positive, creative, relational, flexible, and individualized. It includes a mixture of dramatic play, manipulative games, stories, singing, cooking experiences, and many other special activities that allow the child to interact with the world.

Four Year Olds' Teacher

  • Amanda Powers​

  • Katherine Wheby

  • Holly Mohan

Classes Offered

  • 3 days per week

  • 5 days per week

Objectives for Four-Year-Olds

Social Skills

  • Cooperative play with classmates

  • Separate easily from parents

  • Establish trust and rapport with teachers

  • Verbalize needs

  • Listen and follow directions

  • Share with classmates and follow classroom rules

  • Develop ability to wait for turn

  • Participate in group play time and help clean up

  • Show consideration for the feelings of others

  • Understand that there are consequences, both positive and negative, to actions

  • Understand warnings of physical danger and respect such warnings

Language Skills

  • Be able to verbalize the meaning of simple words (such as bicycle, apple, ball, hammer, etc.)

  • Discriminate material characteristics of objects (for example, table of wood)

  • Be able to speak in full sentences

  • Understand relational modifiers (such as under, above, below, etc.)

  • Learn songs and finger plays

  • Participate in show and tell, using normal voice and articulating clearly

  • “Read” books

Readiness Skills

  • Recognize letters and shapes

  • Recognize numbers and count to 10

  • Recognize own name and names of classmates, both orally and written

  • Understand calendar

  • Recognize weather chart and relationship to actual weather outside

  • Follow 2-3 step verbal directions

  • Actively listen to a story and answer questions about it

  • Be able to independently write his or her own name

  • Be able to tell left hand from right

  • Show an interest in learning new things

  • Be proud of progress and achievements

  • Remember and reflect on things in the past

  • Basic computer skills

Fine Motor Skills

  • Use scissors with simple patterns

  • Draw a circle, a straight line, and a square

  • Draw a stick figure

  • Use a knife to spread jam or butter

  • Hold a pencil in a non-fisted grasp

  • Paint with large paintbrush at easel

  • Hold paint brush in adult manner

Gross Motor Skills

  • Catch a ball or bean bag

  • Hop on one foot

  • Use playground equipment with proper skills

  • Jump over objects

  • Alternate feet going down stairs

  • Rhythm movement through music

Independence Skills

  • Enter classroom without tears

  • Hang up coat, backpack, lunch box, etc. without help

  • Use bathroom and wash hands without help

  • Wipe nose and dispose of tissue

  • Serve self at family-style snack and clean up when finished

  • Put on coat without help

  • Use all arts and crafts materials appropriately

  • Be able to think of ways to solve a problem

  • Ask for help appropriately

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