NEW FAIRFIELD
BRIGHT
BEGINNINGS
CONNECTICUT
Kindergarten Program
Kindergarten Curriculum
Kindergarten Options
2010-2011 Schedule
New Fairfield Bright Beginnings is proud to offer New Fairfield’s first certified and accredited full-day kindergarten program. The program allows children to remain in the security of a familiar learning environment, while advancing to new and exciting levels of growth and development.
As individual as snowflakes, children entering kindergarten are truly one-of-a-kind. They come to kindergarten with many different levels of development or "readiness." It's important to recognize each child's own unique talents and use those as initial building blocks for school success.
This handout is designed to show some of the developmental milestones that children entering kindergarten should have mastered and discuss some of the differences and similarities in children entering kindergarten. It will conclude with things that you can do at home to reinforce learning and help your child be successful at school.
You could probably describe your Kindergartner as:
| Active | Sensitive | Excitable |
| Eager | Curious | Challenging |
| Investigative | Sympathetic | Noisy |
| Questioning | Tractable | Loving and Lovable |
Children entering Kindergarten:
- want to be thought of as quite grown-up, yet sometimes revert to child-like behavior
- are direct and to the point, yet sometimes have difficulty distinguishing reality from fantasy
- laugh and love humor
- often understand far more than most people give them credit for
- are searching constantly - touching, handling, watching, listening, and assessing, in their quest to understand their ever-expanding world
Children develop in four distinct areas: physical, social, affective and aesthetic. Each child develops at his or her own rate. Some children entering kindergarten are very advanced physically, while others may not have reached all the physical milestones, but are wonderful problem solvers or have advanced verbal skills. Again, each child develops at his or her own pace.
Physical Development:Active Kindergartners develop their muscular coordination with lively games and rhythmic activities, which involve the use of the whole body. These are referred to as gross motor skills. More refined coordination, fine motor skills, develop more slowly. Fine motor skills are used in writing, coloring, and sculpting. Children need the opportunity to manipulate materials that develop control and use of the fingers, hand and wrist.
The child who has reached the developmentally mature age of 60 months should be able to:
- Skip - using feet alternately
- Stand on one foot for more than 8 seconds
- Walk on a 6 ft. board, without stepping off, for the full length
- Be able to drop 10 pellets into a bottle in 20 seconds
- Be able to dress and undress without assistance
- Be able to manage zippers and buttons
- Take care of toileting, unassisted
- To be able to wash hands with soap and water, and dry them thoroughly
Aesthetic development is the process where children select a medium of expression and manipulate the materials, and explore the possibilities to create a work of art that represents their thoughts and feelings. The young child's creative problem solving in the visual arts is connected with the ability to listen, speak, write and read.
Children are also responsive to music and enjoy all types of musical experiences. Kindergarten children love to imitate rhythms, sing familiar songs and create their own songs.
The child who has reached the developmentally mature age of 60 months should be able to:
- Cut on a line continuously
- Copy a cross
- Copy a square
- Demonstrate proper pencil grip
- Print a few capital letters
- Repeat simple rhythms
- Join in singing with others
- Demonstrate increasing ability to pay attention for longer periods of time and in larger groups
Problem solving techniques are introduced in Kindergarten. The children can begin to look to the base of a problem for a solution. They can think beyond the problem and consider potential consequences of their actions.
Children in Kindergarten are given choices and are encouraged to make appropriate choices throughout the day in both academic and social situations. Through choices, children begin to learn how to handle differences without completely depending upon adult intervention.
You will see your kindergarten child's attention span lengthen and he or she matures. Teachers carefully plan instruction and activities taking into account the children's interests and development levels. Teachers also plan appropriate tasks so the children, while challenged, can achieve success and can complete what was started.
- Identify a problem
- Identify possible solutions
- Select an appropriate choice to solve the problem
Kindergarten children are relatively independent and self-sufficient in a classroom setting. They love associative play (playing with others); desire companions, and enjoy group projects. The five-year-old is self-assured, had confidence in others, and strives for social conformity.
Through play, kindergarten children clarify their roles, concepts and ideas, develop cognitive thinking, learn sharing and group dynamics, and refine their gross and fine motor skills. Children develop socially by sharing their thoughts and view with others. As they retain control of their own thoughts and feelings, the children develop emotionally.
It looks like play but we are learning:
- To work and play together
- To respect the rights of others
- To listen as well as speak
- To express ourselves creatively
- To grow in self-confidence and control
- To grow from dependence to independence
- To develop good work habits
- To finish what we start
- To participate in group activities
- To experiment with a variety of materials
- To share toys, equipment and experiences
- To dramatize stories and experiences to develop an interest in books
- To strengthen the interest in our world
- To improve muscular coordination
- To listen to directions and follow them
- To be happy with ourselves
Kindergarten is a magical year. Bright Beginnings philosophy is to meet the child at their level and build on each child's special strengths to create a positive, successful school experience. Children are lovingly guided through appropriate academic, social and artistic experiences to prepare them for a lifelong love of learning.
