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Nursery school is the beginning of the formal education process. A good beginning sets the stage
for many successful years of learning. Interacting with others in groups is a big part of
development for this age group. An important part of the curriculum at PCNS is fostering respect
for others, for one's self and for the things around us. Learning to share, to communicate feelings
and ideas, to make decisions and to accept their consequences, and to participate as a member of the
group are major focuses of each class period. We encourage the children to find fun and excitement
in exploring, creating, building, pretending, and problem-solving.
Curriculum
Free Play
Craft Projects
Science and Math Concepts
Large Motor Activity Room
Snack
Story and Circle Time
Outdoor Playground
Guest Speakers
Field Trips
What's in a Day
Each day is structured similarly so that children learn a routine and gain confidence and security
in knowing what will happen next. The following example shows how our teachers apply our philosophy
of learning through play:
- Arrival: Children arrive, hang up coats and backpacks on their own hooks using visual and
verbal clues.
- Greetings: The teacher greets each child individually and helps the child select his/her
name button.
- Free play: Child chooses from wide variety of manipulative activities
with the guidance of teacher and classroom parent.
- Circle time: The teacher takes attendance, the VIP child (this designation rotates
through all the students in the class during the year) helps with weather chart and calendar, and
the day's art project/book/special visitors and parent-helpers are introduced.
- Art/free play: Children take turns working on the art project of the day or engage
in free play.
- Clean-up: The VIP child rings a bell, and everyone is encouraged to help clean up the whole
room.
- Activity room: Large motor skills are exercised on the climber, riding bikes, the
balance beam, see-saw, etc. Auditory, visual and physical cues are used when organized games are
played.
- Snack: The VIP child helps set up; all the children wash their hands and sit at tables
and we give thanks for our food. Everyone is expected to use good manners, conduct polite
conversation, ask to be excused, and clean up their own places.
- Story: The book of the day is usually theme-based. There is often group discussion
about the book during and after the story is read aloud.
- Music: Children are encouraged to enjoy music, and learn to memorize songs through
singing and through finger plays.
- Playground: Children get their coats, collect backpacks, and travel in a line to
the playground.
- Dismissal: Children are escorted in a line to the parking loop where each child is guided to the
appropriate parent/caregiver and the day's goodbyes are said.
- Field trips: In addition to our regular daily schedule, we also incorporate a variety of
learning activities not tied to the classroom. In past years, for example, the three-year-olds
have
visited a pumpkin farm and the Pittsford Fire Department, and have received visits at the school from the
postman, the police department and the dentist. The four-year-olds have a lineup similar to the
three-year-olds, which also includes visits to Bill Wahl's for ice cream and
feeding the ducks, and to see a production such as
Peter and the Wolf.
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