Utopia Preschool

                                                      Writing skills and letter recognition go hand in hand. In the early stages of writing, we usually start with the child's first name, and their environment. The moment the children walk into the classroom, they have their own cubby labeled with their photo and their name. This encourages the children to begin recognizing print and give meaning to each letter. Our classroom shelves are also labeled with photos and words to not only build independence when cleaning up materials, but also serves as a way to build print and letter awareness.     When the children make any sort of art, we encourage them to write their first name on their work when they are finished. We also use our daily sign-in book and various sign-up lists to write their name when they would like a turn with a specific ite...

This Wednesday we had a rainy day, which meant play time in the gym! It was our first visit to this space in the "big" school - the children loved it! They still had plenty of space to run, play, build and make art. The children also were curious about the big clock on the wall, watching it change minute by minute. They also noticed the "Bronco" image on the floor, which prompted conversations about our school mascot and what this room was used for. One benefit of being part of a larger K-8 school is getting to use experience different locations on campus with the children. They are learning more about our local school community, and expanding their understanding of our world. 

"Teacher, come look what I make!" - Cian "I'm using this to make dots, see?" - Avree "I know where to get a paintbrush! I can get it by myself." - Franco Paint a form of open-ended art. You might notice the teachers set up the classroom in a way where the children are able to choose their own materials, set it up themselves, and create freely. There is no wrong or right way to paint! Some children might be more comfortable using their hands in the paint, observing how it feels on their skin. Others might use a brush to mix all their colors together. Another child might be comfortable painting shapes, lines, and detailed images. Each of these experiences are valuable and tell us about the child's way of learning.   Focusing on the child's "process" instead of the finished "product," encourages the child to be immersed in the experience while working on skills like fine motor development (how they hold a pencil or brush), cogn...

At Utopia, we offer time for Breakfast, Snacks, and Lunch. These meals are not only important for filling our bellies and refueling, but also for working on other skills, like independence and language development.    The children are learning to monitor their hunger cues by recognizing when they are hungry or full. They are also practicing how to ask for what they need: "Can I have more milk, please?" "I need help opening this." or "I need a napkin for my mouth!"    For children who need a reminder in these areas, the teachers support the children by verbalizing what they see. For example, a teacher might say, "I see you have a some yogurt on your mouth! Let's get a napkin so you can wipe it." or "I see you still have a lot of your pasta left in your lunchbox! Let's take three more bites so we can fill up your tummy." Recognizing and communicating what we see helps the children build self awareness and care of their own bodies....

The Water Table is one of the most busy places in our classroom! The children are working on almost every developmental skill while they play, including sensory exploration (the five senses), math and science concepts, language development, and social skills. As they mix colors or pour water into bottles and funnels, they are learning to predict what happens if they pour too fast or too slow. They may also be problem solving like how fast to stir the water to make large bubbles. As they share space with one another, they are building language like asking for a turn, or sharing a specific tool or toy. As we observe the children at the Water Table, it gives us a window into their world and shows us how they like to learn.