Play-Based Learning
Each day children follow their innate curiosity and desire to learn through opportunities that build upon each other according to the Progressive model. Open inquiry and creative exploration abound in the various stations that children may work at each day.
A Day At All Children Great & Small
9:00 a.m. The school day begins. After washing their hands, children play freely outdoors (weather permitting) as they wait for all of their friends to arrive.
9:15 a.m. The Morning Meeting begins with a song. At the Morning Meeting children count all the friends present for the day, in both English and Spanish. They take turns sharing news with their friends and review the daily calendar and weather. Teachers read books, lead discussions and sing songs related to the theme students are exploring for the week.
9:30 a.m. Children move freely from outdoor and indoor learning and play spaces. This freedom allows students to immerse themselves in the experiences that suit them developmentally and temperamentally. One student might choose to spend all day working assiduously in the garden, while another prefers to spend the morning playing restaurant with a friend. At age two or three, a child might be most comfortable digging channels in the sandbox, while at four that same child might be leading a group of experimenters constructing an erupting volcano and by five will be confidently designing a multi-step large-scale art project.
11:45 a.m. All children gather outdoors for the Closing Meeting for those enrolled in half days. Teachers review the experiences of the day and highlight any learning experiences that occurred between children. Books, songs and discussion related to the week's theme are also a part of the closing meeting. Children who are staying for the full day say goodbye to their friends who are going home.
12:00 p.m. Parents pick up half-day students and students staying for a full day sit with teachers for lunch.
12:30 p.m. Children move indoors for yoga and guided meditation.
1 p.m. Children rest during quiet time.
1:30 p.m. Children have the opportunity to engage in more structured group activities that can relate to the theme of the week or develop skills that the group is particularly interested in that day.
2:45 p.m. All children gather for the afternoon Closing Meeting, which includes a recap of the afternoon session. Those going home say goodbye to their friends who are staying for an extended day.
3 p.m. Caregivers pick up full-day students. Children staying for an extended day continue to explore activities around the school.
5:15 p.m. Children gather for the final meeting of the day and say goodbye to their friends.
5:30 p.m. Caregivers pickup children in the extended day program.