Class for Age 3-K

Students of all ages are naturally interested in activities they have witnessed. Throughout Eton School, students of all levels are given opportunities to engage in activities of daily life in order to adapt and orientate themselves in their society. These exercises of Practical Life relate to the student’s time and culture here at Eton School. Gaining control of movement, organization and refining a sense of order, learning to focus and concentrate for longer periods of time, and independence in learning are life-long skills. Practical Life includes activities that lead to successful independence as well as interdependence in the world.

• Control of Movement: Focus on the refinement of movement through many activities.
• Care of Self: Understanding and acting on personal needs.
• Care of Environment: Take responsibility to actively care for the environment.
• Grace and Courtesy: Attention to manners and respectful actions.

The word Sensorial comes from the word sense. It is through the senses that humans learn. The purpose and aim of Sensorial work is for the individual to acquire clear, conscious information and then be able to make classifications in his or her environment based on this information. When students are given the keys to classifying the things around them, they begin organizing their intelligence. This leads to higher levels of thinking. Sensorial materials and activities are called “materialized abstractions,” meaning abstract concepts are made into concrete materials. These “materialized abstractions” also give students the opportunities to experience and develop different styles of learning. The students gain knowledge through their own experiences.

• Practice visual, auditory, olfactory, kinesthetic and tactile discrimination.
• Gain spatial awareness skills.
• Work with patterning activities.
• Learn to identify geometric plane shapes and solid figures.
• Experience Indirect preparation for Math and Language.

The Language Arts program develops literacy skills that equip students to gain knowledge, broaden perspectives, enjoy literature, communicate with others, and to express their own creativity. Students refine their skills in reading, writing and speaking through a variety of materials and methods. Students In the Pre-elementary program experience a rich Montessori curriculum, utilizing their senses. They work on pre-reading skills, phonemic awareness, oral communication, vocabulary, reading and writing.

• Engage in verbal expression with multi-age peers and adults.
• Complete classifying and sequencing activities to build strong reading comprehension skills.
• Learn phonetic sounds and vowel and consonant blends.
• Blend the phonetic sounds they know into words.
• Build vocabulary through work in every area of the classroom.
• Begin reading and writing phonetically.
• Grow in the ability to sound out and read developmentally appropriate literature.
• Write stories as vocabulary and confidence builds.

The primary objective of the math program is to inspire mathematical confidence and develop competence for each student to reach his or her mathematical potential. The Pre-elementary students build a sense of quantity and number while working on mathematical concepts using a wide variety of concrete Montessori materials. Many of these mathematical experiences are introduced through exercises in Sensorial and Practical Life.

• Concrete hands-on material based math program.
• Focus on one to one correspondence.
• Work with materials to learn quantities of numbers.
• Associate symbol to quantity.
• Practice place value.
• Learn basic operations and number facts.
• Introduced to mathematical concepts including geometry, fractions, money and time.

Students bring their unique backgrounds and experiences to school, forming a diverse community of learners. At each level, students work individually and in groups to obtain a better understanding of themselves and the world. Beginning in the Pre-elementary program, the students develop geography skills as they learn about cultural and physical geography.

• Explore the passage of time through personal timelines.
• Learn about the cycle of seasons.
• Understand the concepts: past, present and future.
• Focus on physical geography: land and water forms.
• Practice map making skills.
• Gain awareness of the different cultures of the world.
• Integrated into all areas of the curriculum.

Science blends core ideas in physical, biological, earth and space sciences with engineering and technology. Students are given experiences and opportunities to explore, which lead to a sense of wonder and appreciation for the beauty of science. In the Pre-elementary program, science, engineering, and technology are woven into the fabric of the school day through shelf work, presentations, group projects, observation of nature, cultural studies, and individual research. The students build their knowledge through observation, investigation, and hands on materials.

• Explore the Life Sciences: Botany and Zoology.
• Experience the Physical Sciences: Simple Machines, Solid, Liquid, Gas, Light.
• Learn about the Earth Sciences: Physical Geography and Geology.
• Use age appropriate apps on iPad.
• Introduced to technology devices as developmentally appropriate.

Physical education is valued and physical movement is incorporated into the program at each level. The goal is to maintain and improve a healthy level of fitness and to provide physical activity that supports learning. In the Pre-elementary program, the Montessori classrooms afforded movement throughout the day a well as organized physical education classes.

• Daily 30 minute outdoor recess.
• Organized PE classes three to four times a week led by the teacher.
• Focus on large motor skill development.
• Introduced to activities that build eye-hand coordination.
• Emphasis on team work and collaboration through cooperative games.
• Seasonal work in the classroom garden or school yard habitat.

The Visual Arts program provides opportunities for students to express themselves visually, to develop skills and principles of design that instill artistic confidence, and encourage individual creativity.

• Learn foundations in basic art design.
• Work on strengthening fine motor skills.
• Experience the integration of visual art activities throughout the curriculum areas.
• Introduced to art history and appreciation.

The Health program incorporates specific topics of physical growth and wellness as well as emphasizing social and emotional development. Students develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to make healthy decisions regarding their own physical and emotional wellbeing. Students also gain awareness and understanding for the importance of a personal commitment to maintain a healthy environment.

• Acknowledgement and accommodation of Individual “energy levels.”
• Respect personal differences.
• Meet the Department of Child, Youth and Family (DCYF) requirements of Vitamins C and A with daily snack.
• Require proper hand-washing and other personal care habits.
• Learn about friendship skills and social responsibility.
• Promote positive behavior through peace education.
• Work actively on learning to problem solve and resolve conflict.
• Recognize and manage emotions.

The Library and Information Literacy program nurtures a culture of intellectual growth and a love of reading that leads to enriched academic achievement and joy in the process of discovery. Students are encouraged to use the library resources both independently and on a scheduled basis with classrooms. In conjunction with their work in the classroom, the program increases student access to knowledge, strengthens their understanding of information literacy, and promotes an understanding of responsible digital citizenship.

• Bi-weekly visits to the school library for story time and book checkout.
• Exposure to a variety of genres of literature and stories.
• Care of books and library environment.
• Learning literacy and pre-reading/reading skills through listening, music, finger plays, oral reading and group participation.

The goal of the Music/Performing Arts program is to ensure that all students experience an enriched music and drama program with depth and quality. This program develops skills that help students to express their ideas and feelings as well as instilling knowledge of musical concepts and stage performance.

• Enjoy bi-weekly music classes with Music Specialist.
• Practice poetry recitation.
• Experience role-playing opportunities.
• Explore the integration of music and drama throughout the curriculum areas.

In the Kindergarten, students study Spanish. The language is integrated into the fabric of each day with lessons once a week followed by vocabulary-building activities constructed around classroom materials. The students are also exposed to customs, clothing, art, music and culture of Spanish speaking countries.

• Learn through small and large group lessons.
• Expand vocabulary through engaging activities.
• Able to use learned vocabulary throughout the week.
• Introduction to Spanish culture and customs.
• Listen to stories and folklore read in Spanish.