The program at The Learning Company and Academy provides the perfect balance between the structured approach and the developmental approach to learning. We believe in meeting the needs of the whole child, socially, emotionally, and cognitively. We believe that this sound, early childhood educational program gives our students the tools that will serve them well on their educational journey. Our phonics-based program provides a strong foundation for success in reading.
The daily schedule includes planned activities related to the letter of the week, art, science / social studies, music and movement, creative dramatics and introduction to Spanish. These activities are balanced with outside play time where the children are free to choose between housekeeping, water play, free art, and manipulatives.
Our mission in preschool is readiness for kindergarten with emphasis on letter recognition and sounds. Our mission in kindergarten is readiness for first grade with emphasis on reading and math skills. Parents tell us that our kindergarten graduates typically are placed at the top of their first grade classes.
Language Arts
- Reading Readiness:
- Introduction to Letter Recognition, Matching, Visual Perception
- Auditory Discrimination
- Introduction to Phonics
- Listening Skills
- Oral Language Skills:
- Sharing of ideas, relating experiences, and describing pictures
- Story Telling: Creative dramatics
- Creative Thinking Skills
Math Readiness
- Introduction to Number Recognition:
- 0-10 and 11-20 counting
- One-to-one correspondence
- Relationship of parts to a whole: puzzles
- Size and Gradation
- Manipulatives
- Shape Recognition
- Sequencing
- Cause and Effect
Science
- Simple Experiments:
- Magnets, Floating and Sinking, etc.
- Nature Study
- Health and Safety
- Parts of the Body
Social Studies
- The Family
- Community Helpers
- Holidays
- Building Self-Esteem:
- Learning independence, Tying, Buckling, Zipping, Buttoning
- Taking pride in a job well-done
- Socialization Skills: Common courtesies, following school rules, sharing
- Communication Skills
- Self-chosen time at various centers
- Housekeeping, Dress-up
- Finger painting, floor toys, puzzles, and manipulatives
- Field Trips
Music, Movement, and Drama
- Singing, Finger Plays, Nursery Rhymes,
- Creative Movement
- Large Motor Coordination:
- Skipping, Hopping, Jumping, Galloping
- Rhythm and Patterning
- Spanish Vocabulary, Conversation, Songs, Dances
Art
- Creative expression with various media:
- Print, Crayon, Felt Pens, Cutting, Pasting
- Colors: Recognition, Blending, and Mixing
- Printing
- Playdough
- Crafts
- Small Motor Skills
