Preschoolers

Age typical preschool classrooms offer a curriculum rich in experiences that develop children’s intellectual, language, motor, and social-emotional development. Through exploration and play children are encouraged to learn through activities of touching, seeing, hearing, and moving while interacting with the environment and each other. Exposure to literacy, art, music, math, science, and social studies in an age appropriate manner helps facilitate curiosity and a love for learning. Predicable routines provide a framework for feeling safe and encourage children to build self-confidence and respect for others. Teachers look for ways to promote children’s interactions with each other to build a sense of community and belonging. Classrooms are small, with no more than 14 children, with one licensed early childhood teacher and two qualified teacher assistants. Six places in each classroom are reserved for preschoolers with ASD.  

Preschoolers with ASD, ages three through six-years-old, are immersed in our age-typical preschool classrooms and receive intense intervention that is systematically embedded within the normal routine and activities. Licensed early childhood teachers provide the needed support to ensure children’s success as they grow and learn beside their typically developing peers. Empirically-based strategies are used to target the core deficits of ASD and enhance the acquisition, maintenance, and generalization of skills in a variety of settings, including the child’s home. Supplemental home programming and Play Therapy is recommended and is provided in collaboration with CCDE Therapies.  

For more information on the intervention strategies used with our preschoolers go to Why CCDE.

A sample daily schedule:

• Play
  • Many learning opportunities are embedded throughout playtime, such as dramatic play, fine motor, problem solving, social interaction, language development, and time management.
  • Learning activities in literacy, math, science, and social studies are also embedded throughout play time.
• Literacy time
  • The Letter People curriculum is used to encourage the development of pre-reading skills. This curriculum is a multi-model approach that incorporates music, puppets, visual aids, and hands-on activities to allow children to explore the alphabet.
  • Story time and book time promote awareness of books and print.
  • Literacy-based activities are woven throughout the class routine.
• Motor and Movement
  • Motor and movement are addressed in informal settings such as during music, playtime, and outside time.
  • Precision Teaching is used in the format of “The GO Fast” game to improve and refine fine motor skills. All of our preschoolers love this game.
• Music
  • Music is approached both formally and informally. Music is used for preparing children for transitions, exploring the alphabet, promoting movement and imitation, and encouraging language development.
  • Formally, children explore rhythm, tone, and pitch with the help of our music teacher.
• Art
  • Art is a medium that encourages exploration, creativity, imagination, and sensory experiences. Learning concepts in reading, math, science, and social studies are creatively embedded in art activities.

Schedule

• Preschool classes operate 5 days per week during the school year
• Preschoolers may attend full day or half day
• Summer program: 5 weeks; 4 days per week; half day; dates and times TBD