instruction is used as the program provides a range of activities to ensure children are discussing, representing and reasoning mathematically. SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT Teachers place great emphasis on the development of the student’s essential life skills: decision-making; acceptance of responsibility for choices and actions; ownership of learning, risk-taking, empathy and compassion for others; and negotiation and mediation skills. They are expected to approach a task with flexibility and inventiveness, complete a task, seek help when encountering a problem, and play and work cooperatively with others. PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT The Pre-K curriculum emphasizes learning to play well together while exploring and expanding the students’ physical capacity learning how to control their bodies in group games and team sports. Children engage in activities, in the classroom, on the playground, or in gym class, that help them with control, balance, strength, and coordination in gross-motor tasks, as well as coordination, strength and refinement in fine-motor tasks. They will continue to build with small blocks, string beads, work with pegboards and work 15 or more piece puzzles. In preparation for Kindergarten, correct pencil grip will be reinforced and handwriting skills will be practiced. JEWISH LEARNING Pre-K students participate in Jewish Studies and a formal Hebrew language immersion program called Chalav U’devash. This program imparts a basic knowledge of spoken Hebrew and provides a foundation for future study of the language; develops the student’s ability to communicate in Hebrew from the first lesson; connects Hebrew to every day situations related to home and school; integrates themes of Israel, Shabbat and the festivals; and makes Hebrew a source of pleasure for children and for the entire family. In addition, the teachers continue to reinforce the students’ skills in reciting blessings and prayers, and leading Shabbat, Torah and Havdalah services. They also actively learn Jewish values by doing mitzvot and giving tzedakah . TECHNOLOGY Pre-K students are introduced to technology. The children use instinctive finger gestures to manipulate objects. The lessons are structured to enable the students to collaborate to promote problem-solving, matching, and categorizing as they play and work on interactive learning activities. The Pre-K students learn phonetic sounds and mathematical concepts by customized games that the teacher creates to expand the readiness curriculum.
7 EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER | CURRICULUM GUIDE
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