Kindergarten

Welcome! Kindergarten at St. George's is a wonderful starting point for children to 'ignite their fire' for learning. In addition to the core curriculum shown below, students attend chapel, art, music, Spanish and P.E. classes.

Curriculum

Language Arts - Success in Reading and Writing - all four models are taught daily.

Picture Module - provides students with opportunities to enhance their oral language, build comprehension skills, increase their vocabulary about a wide range of topics, correlate the reading/writing process, build question and answer skills, and reinforce the letter formation and letter names.
Alphabet Module - provides students with an introduction to the alphabet and various letter combinations. Students see how letters are formed, where they are placed in words, and how written symbols associate with sounds (phonics). Students have fun with the hands-on art activities related to the letter we are studying.
Writing Module - provides students with opportunities to use letters/sounds in context with their own vocabulary. Students write in journals daily. We write, write, write in kindergarten.
Story Time Module - provides students with opportunities to listen and respond to literature. This is an especially enjoyable part of our day!

Mathematics - Everyday Mathematics developed by the University of Chicago. Math tubbing and Math Calendar are taken from "Math Their Way". Most lessons are hands-on activities that we do at Tub Time and Center Time. Children graph and estimate every morning. They play partner and larger group math games at least once a week. We also send "home links" every week. These are fun and interesting activities that the whole family will enjoy.

Science and Social Studies - are taught in units. These units are taught in learning centers of science, art, sand and water, listening, creative writing, blocks, drama phonics, and library.

Desert Animals	All About Me
Dinosaurs	Antarctic Penguins
African Rainforest	Under the Sea
Christmas Around the World

Reading - goes on all day long in kindergarten! Reading is integrated in all subject areas and in thematic units. The children are exposed to wonderful children's literature that will give them opportunities to develop critical reading skills such as listening, predicting, comprehending and sequencing. Students will also be writing individual and class books that go in the reading areas. Children are always very interested in reading their own words and the words of their friends.

Field Trips - we try to have at least one field trip per month.

Rest Time Procedures - our rest time is about 40 minutes. We play classical music. The children are to let their brains take a rest. Eventually they will be able to take a book to look at and read. Children need the break, but do not have to sleep.

Classroom Management

An art? A science? Both!! Classroom management is both an art and a science. Every year, my experience with children has provided me with more 'tools for my toolbox' to meet their needs.

Establishing a predictable routine is probably the most important management tool there is. When children know what to expect and when things happen, there is a lot less down time and less opportunity for trouble. My priority from day one is to let them know what they can expect from us and what we expect from them. The beginning of school is devoted to establishing those classroom routines that will allow efficiency and consistency all year long. By the end of the first quarter, I consider a child doing fine if they have learned the classroom system and something new academically. It takes time and energy to adjust to the new routine, so I prefer they focus in this way at first.

On the positive side, I use lots of specific verbal compliments to let the kids know how much I appreciate their helpfulness or kindness or neatness or attentiveness. We build a classroom community where the children are encouraged to take responsibility for making our environment a pleasant place, to solve problems, and to take care of materials.

I believe in using logical consequences. Children correct inappropriate behavior and verbalize what more appropriate approach might be substituted. They are encouraged to draw conclusions about what the 'right thing' is and are given time to polish their etiquette.

Pre-Kindergarten Fifth Grade

Kindergarten Middle School

First Grade Co-Curricular Classes

Second Grade Library

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