CURRICULUM | Foothillspreschool

CURRICULUM

Philosophy and Practices

We are inspired by the Reggio Emilia schools of Italy play-based and developmental curriculum.
We believe that building critical thinking skills is more important than feeding children information.
Activities and projects are based on the specific group of children in a class at any time, taking into account their skills, needs, and interests.
Rooted in the work of noted early childhood theorists like Dewey, Piaget, and Vygotsky.
We embrace Process Art
We assess children using the newest California Preschool/Transitional Kindergarten Learning Foundations (PTKLF) published by the California Dept. of Ed.
We believe that each child is unique and deserves respect, consistency, caring and challenge as they grow.

Integrated Curriculum

Integrated Curriculum (IC) or “layered learning” allows children to pursue learning in a holistic way, without the erroneous restrictions imposed by subject boundaries.
An illustration is learning a song. The first layer is rhythm (math), then the melody (music), then the lyrics (language), then percussion (physical development).
A large body of research supports that IC is the most natural way for children under 5 to learn.

Emergent Curriculum

Teachers carefully observe the children to learn about their interests and skillsets.
Teachers set up provocations or invitations (activities) based on the children's interests and designed to challenge their skillset.
Short and long term projects and small and large group work are incorporated.
Children are engaged in learning when it involves their passions!

Music & Performing Art

Atelier (Art Studio)

Dedicated outdoor art studio (atelier) and a dedicated art teacher (atelierista).
The focus is on Process Art our school, which is characterized by being open-ended, experiential, unstructured, self-motivated, creative, and unique. It focuses on the process, or the doing, rather than the outcome (or product).
Process Art teachesn fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, co-operation, critical thinking skills, problem solving, chemistry, physics, inventing, story telling and so much more.

Outdoor Classroom (Playground!)

Our huge outdoor classroom is designed to engage and develop children's gross motor skills, love of nature and social/emotional health.
Children spent at least one half of their school day outside enjoying the learning centers which include:
- garden
- mud kitchen
- sensory table
- painting
- bike path
- climbing structure
- swings
- music center
- block center

Teaching School

We are a teaching & observation site certified by the local college organizations and the California Early Childhood Mentor program as a school that displays best practices in early childhood education.
College students in the final stages of their degree completion come and do their practicum (internships) here under the guidance of our Mentor Teachers.
This distinction is held by only a handful of schools in Orange County.