St. David's Preschool ProgramSt. David’s Preschool is a standards based program built on the R.I. Early Learning and Development Standards (RIELDS) as provided by the R.I. Department of Education.
Our program philosophy is driven by principles of Developmentally Appropriate Practice as set forth by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAYEC) and is influenced by the latest research on early brain development and child development. |
Developmentally Appropriate Practice |
At St David’s, we recognize that all child’s develop in different ways. Development is not limited to the academic skills required to enter kindergarten. Rather, there are four areas of development: cognitive (how children learn), social(engaging & reactions to others) and emotional (expression of feelings) and physical development (large & small muscles).
The guiding principles of development center on the key factors that development is similar for all, it is on-going and there is a predictable sequence. Although development is similar for all, every child develops at their own rate. Development and learning proceed at different rates as well as uneven rates across different areas of development within a child. Less complex skills serve as foundations for higher-level skills and critical thinking. Developmentally appropriate practice reflects an understanding of this concept by providing materials/activities that meet individual children where they are and help them to move forward along the developmental continuum. This practice results in curriculum that is appropriate to a child’s age and developmental level. To engage in developmentally appropriate practice, teachers conduct ongoing assessment, adjust their curriculum accordingly, and individualize the teaching program according to the needs/levels of their students. |
What is Emergent
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Though some content will remain consistent, (i.e., language, literacy, math concepts, holidays, seasons, etc.), flexibility is given to each individual classroom teacher. Learning goals (as provided by the RI Early Learning and Development Standards) will remain consistent; the subject matter through which those skills/goals are taught may differ according to students’ interests.
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Mathematics |
Number Sense and Quantity: number recognition, counting skills, number sense.
Number Relationships and Operations: concept of more and less, basic adding and subtracting with manipulatives, one to one correspondence. Classification and Patterning: sorting and regrouping objects, recognizing, copying, extending patterns. Measurement, Comparison, and Ordering: measuring, comparing items/sets (more, less, same, different), ordering items according to an attribute. Geometry and Spatial Sense: name basic shapes, works with shapes in play, understanding and use of positional words. |
Social Studies |
Self, Family, and Community: identifying oneself as part of a family and class, pretend play using items/toys as something different, identifying similarities and differences.
History and Geography: concepts of time and place. |
Science |
Science Inquiry and Application: making predictions and observations, explore cause and effect, conduct investigations
Knowledge of Science Concepts: exploring knowledge of living and nonliving things and the characteristics of objects, categorizing based on observations. |
Creative Arts |
Experimentation/Participation in the Creative Arts: participation in various art activities, experimentation in the variety of art areas. With teacher assistance and encouragement, children are provided with opportunities to develop skills within these domains through center play, large/small group activities, and one on one interactions with fellow students/staff members.
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