How do we help children develop a lifelong love of learning? It begins with providing an environment where children feel physically, socially, and emotionally safe to learn, grow, and explore!
Kindergarten initially presents many challenges – unfamiliar surroundings, a complex new social situation, different expectations, complicated activities, and extended separation from family members. At FSC, we help children with this transition by developing a connection with every child and assisting children with the emotions that arise as they face these new challenges. When children feel safe and connected at school, they are ready and excited to learn!
Kindergarten at FSC is a full day program, extending from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Our developmental kindergarten program emphasizes experience-based learning within a social studies core curriculum. Developmentally appropriate academic subjects such as math, science, language arts, reading, and writing are integrated into the hands-on curriculum. Kindergarteners participate in our music program twice per week, which is based on Orff-Schulwerk, a combination of singing and percussion instruments. Curricular related dance class meets once per week. Art is integrated daily throughout the curriculum. Physical Education meets three times per week and includes games as well as instruction in developing skills, sportsmanship, and fine and large motor development. Children regularly participate in woodworking, cooking, and field trips.
A significant part of FSC’s kindergarten curriculum incorporates helping children acquire problem solving and social skills as they work together, learn to listen to one another, seek solutions amongst themselves for sharing toys and equipment, and negotiate the myriad of feelings they experience as they “bump up” against each other. These skills they acquire early on serve them well as they progress through the later grades at FSC, and ultimately in all interactions with the people they encounter in their lives.
