Pre-K Language Arts
The primary goal of our Pre-Kindergarten language arts program is to coordinate children's language and literacy development. Thematic learning experiences focus on process more than product. Process includes skills and strategies used in listening, speaking, reading writing, and viewing. Connections between art and literacy enhance student's language development. Student illustrations bring stories to life, further solidifying the connection between the abstract and the concrete.
Stories are read aloud to introduce our younger students to the universal attributes of caring, citizenship, responsibililty, honesty, courage, respect, and gratitude illuminated in Gerstell's principles.
Students develop strong phonemic awareness, learn the concepts of print, learn systematic decoding strategies, learn high frequency words as well as sight words.
Leadership
Leadership Education permeates all levels of our teaching. It begins with us: the lives we lead and project; the routines within our classrooms, our hallways, our playing fields, and the curricular choices we make.
- Academics – Students must make adequate progress in all areas of Language Arts.
- Coaching (mentoring) – Students praise each other’s reading through partner reading, ghost reading, and round robin.
- Reading – Students learn to appreciate literature through teacher read-alouds, author studies, and independent reading.
- Adversity/Challenges/Opportunities – Students become confident public speakers by reading literature and journal writing in front of peers and teachers.
- Leadership Observation – Students study authors and leader portraits. They also observe positive teacher modeling.
- Experience Leadership/Community Service – Students participate in service projects and a winter program.
