WELCOME TO KINDERGARTEN!

We would like to welcome you to Kindergarten! It is an exciting year. The boys are eager and excited about learning, in all areas of the curriculum, reading, writing, mathematics, science and social studies. Just as important, if not more so than academics is the need for the boys to develop self-esteem and social skills. We feel that it is important for each boy as he is beginning his elementary school career to feel confident about himself and the choices that he makes. We also hope to provide a classroom environment where the boys feel comfortable in the classroom, and take ownership. Where they are encouraged to take risks. Where they will experience success and know it's okay to make mistakes. It is important that each boy feels happy about himself and confident in the choices that he makes. We will spend much of our time in kindergarten working together as a cohesive group, resolving conflicts in a positive way and creating a safe, caring and successful classroom environment.

       In the kindergarten language arts curriculum we view reading, writing, and speaking as interrelated and we stress these skills simultaneously. Phonics is taught, as well as sight vocabulary.  Four groups are formed with four teachers in September.  The groups enable us to reach each child in a comfortable, small group setting and allow each child to advance at his own pace.

    In kindergarten we will be using Everyday Mathematics, a program created through the University of Chicago Mathematics Project.  This program is based on research and experience that shows that young children are capable of far more mathematics learning than we previously believed possible as long as the content is presented and explored in ways appropriate for children of kindergarten age.  You will see your child become excited by a wealth of mathematics activities, including counting, numeration, measurement, geometry, patterns, data collecting and calculator use.  Classroom activities such as keeping track of the days of school on a number line, monitoring and graphing temperature conditions, recording attendance, counting the time it takes to clean up, and charting the daily schedule all give children real-life opportunities to develop and refine a variety of mathematics skills.

 The goal of the Kindergarten science program is to help children better understand and appreciate the physical and natural world around them.  The program is developed through themes taught throughout the year.  The basic science processes of predicting, observing, comparing and simple conclusion making, are stressed.  The learning style is a hands-on and interactive approach.  Activities are gathered from a variety of sources including Project AIMS.  The major science units taught are The Five Senses, Nutrition, Bears, Dinosaurs, The Rain Forest and Insects.  Science is also brought into other areas of the curriculum whenever possible.

    At the Kindergarten level, our primary goal is exposure to and appreciation of the past and present social world.  Current events are discussed with news articles brought from home.  Holiday related topics are covered as they occur.  In the fall, each child is paired with a fourth grader.  We meet together once a month.  This buddy system continues throughout the year.  A unit on self-image and friendship is also taught.  All year long we stress the development of socialization skills, and conflict resolution, particularly during our class meetings, daily free choice time and our daily recess or park time.

    At Town we strive to use technology as a learning tool across the curriculum, not a separate area of study in its own right.  In kindergarten the boys will develop computer familiarity using CD's, the Internet and other programs.  The boys will learn how to care for the computer, handle floppy disks, and insert and eject CD-Roms.  Identifying keyboard letters and numbers are also skills that are learned in kindergarten.

   Physical Education at Town School involves more than just  physical development.  The program reflects a commitment to help students understand, respect, and appreciate each other.  Our philosophy is that every student "can" participate.  Every child can develop appropriate skills, feel good about themselves and relate to others in positive ways. Identifying their own personal space will be a key ingredient for success. In kindergarten, we will focus on basic skills. They learn basic locomotors skills such as, walking, running, hopping, skipping, galloping, and leaping.  Examples of non- locomotors movements include, balancing, bending, stretching, twisting and turning, pulling, and rising and falling. Object manipulation includes opportunities to play with a wide variety of objects: lightweight balls, soft objects, beanbags, hoops, and scarves. The learning of different body parts and how they work are essential to the students. In addition, learning about the importance of nutrition can begin at this level. Regardless of their athletic talents students will have a variety of activities and opportunities in physical education that enrich their lives.

   At the kindergarten level, art is an easy means of communication.  The goals of our program are to allow children to explore their ideas with different art forms, to incorporate art into all areas of the curriculum, and to introduce different types of mediums to the children.  Both two and three dimensional art projects are introduced.   Drawing, collages, printmaking, painting, work with clay and crafts are examples of the mediums used.  Art projects are done as small and whole group activities.  Art is also a free choice activity during free choice time.

    The general goals of the Lower School music program are to help the student sing spontaneously, expressing his feeling for rhythm through bodily movement and creative activity, and to develop an awareness of and a sensibility to the aesthetic aspects of music in other cultures as well as our own.  Four aspects of music are developed at every level:  singing, listening, movement, and ear training.  As students work with rhythm and pitch, they are introduced to notation through the use of sulfege syllables  and their corresponding Curwen hand signs.

     The Boy of the Week program at Town School enables the class to have the opportunity to get to know each boy better. You may choose to          celebrate The Boy of the Week any way you and your son would like. In the classroom we hope to find out more about his interests, talents, family and anything else that he would like to share. A special area of the bulletin board will be set aside for you son to display some of the items he brings in.

     The Fourth Grade Buddy program is a cross-age buddy program, which pairs each kindergarten boy with a fourth grade boy. The program provides a natural way for children, across grades, to bond within a school. The fourth graders who seemed so intimidating to the kindergarteners become special friends, role models, and tutors. The boys look forward to buddy time, and buddies can outlast the school year, and continue throughout the student's years at Town School through our Families program.

Note: Images compliments of Microsoft Clip Art