plz tell me about your 2 1/2-3 year olds seperation class!

we went to visit josh's new class today and i'm not impressed. i'm a teacher and all i saw was an unorganized mess of a room with no structure. they did a dinky craft (each kid one at a time with an assistant) and just played with little interaction.

when i taught pre-k (grant it was special ed) i did crafts with the entire class as a whole, we had structured centers, explored and worked on fine motor/gross motor activties, etc.

do they have a cicle time?

do your kids rooms do calendar/weather at cicle time?

any academics taught?

what is their day like?

i know it's all about socializing at that age but in my classroom we facilitaded that, it seemed to be a free for all there with each kid doing whatever they wanted and using anything they wanted. i feel a bit misled.

Message edited 12/23/2009 11:59:16 AM.

Re: plz tell me about your 2 1/2-3 year olds seperation class!

Usually the beginning of class is free play while everyone arrives. Then they start with circle time, where they introduce the color and letter of the day, do calendar & weather. Then there are activities with the color & letter of the day....usually a little coloring & using scissors. I guess they do something like centers; DD sometimes plays on the computer or does puzzles or paints or reads books. They practice writing their name daily. They have a read aloud during snack time. When we go to pick DD up, all the kids are in their seats with their coats & backpacks on & they are singing songs...like ABC, Twinkle Twinkle, etc.

I really feel like in the 2.5 hours, 3 times a week that they get a lot accomplished. There are 13 kids, one teacher and 2 Teacher Assistants. My DD is in the 3 year old class but I find that their program structure was pretty similar for the 2 year old class. I am very happy with DD's placement. If you are not thrilled, I would look elsewhere---there are some great programs out there.

ETA: DD usually comes home with a project weekly that they do in small groups.

They also bring in "guest speakers" periodically. They have been visited by a dentist & a fireman.

Message edited 12/23/2009 12:17:28 PM.

Re: plz tell me about your 2 1/2-3 year olds seperation class!

Both my girls went to a 2s program--I consider it more of a playschool than anything else. My older one only went one day a week for two hours and my younger two days for two hours each. I haven't sat in this year, but two years ago when DD#1 did it, I remember them having a circle time with a story, music/dancing time, snack time and craft time as well as outdoor play. The first half hour or so was more free-play--they have a kitchen, train table, etc. as well as an easel, crayons, etc. There was no "academics" and as an upper-level teacher myself, I am entirely and 100% fine with that.

DD#1 stayed in that school the following year for nursery at age three and it was three half-days. At that point, there was definitely more of a structure. They learned so much: days of the week, weather, holidays, how to write letters, etc. etc.

Re: plz tell me about your 2 1/2-3 year olds seperation class!

It is only 1 day a week. They do circle time with a hello song, pictures of themselves handed out, and then a song related to the days activity or craft... and then "weather bear" where they dress the bear. Then a motor activity ( crawling through a tunnel for ex.) , then crafts....then snack time...then a sensory activity ( usually bubbles or rice table) and then a goodbye song with a sticker.

Re: plz tell me about your 2 1/2-3 year olds seperation class!

Re: plz tell me about your 2 1/2-3 year olds seperation class!

TJ goes to nursery school.

They do circle time, free play, craft time, snack time, structured play in 15-20 min. intervals.