Robots and Mud Pies π Preschool Curriculum
At RAMPP, we know that children learn best when they are interested in an activity and when they are allowed to immerse themselves in that activity. Learning through play is not just a catchphrase. Children truly do learn best when they are playing. Sometimes it is not immediately clear to an observer what the child is learning but it is our job to trust them. Our curriculum pulls from a number of child development and educational philosophies. As the graphic below depicts, all of the aspects of our curriculum are interconnected.
Learning Through Play
The Robots and Mud Pies π Preschool curriculum is a play based curriculum. Children learn best when they are actively involved with hands-on materials. The classrooms have learning centers that include art, music & movement, science, math & manipulatives, dramatic play, blocks and building toys, books, and writing. The teachers engage the children with activities which will help the children learn social skills, literacy concepts, motor skills and creativity along with the science, technology, engineering and mathematics concepts.
STEM
STEM is an acronym for the integration of the four academic disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Emphasizing STEM in education encourages children to think logically, problem solve and apply science, math and technology skills to equip students with the skills they will need throughout their lives. STEM concepts will be taught throughout the day integrated with the other activities going on in the classroom.
Literacy
Reading and writing are essential skills for any child throughout their years in school. At RAMPP, children will be surrounded with writing and reading activities which will engage them and allow them to learn literacy skills at their own pace. Our environment offers experiences that inspire children to read and write. Literacy includes vocabulary and language, phonological awareness, knowledge of print, letters, words, comprehension, and books.
The Project Approach
Children have a strong disposition to explore and discover. The Project Approach builds on natural curiosity, enabling children to interact, question, connect, problem-solve, communicate, reflect, and more. Projects are determined by the children’s interest and the teachers guide the children through in-depth studies of real-world topics. The project work takes place alongside the other activities of the classroom with some projects lasting only a couple of days and other projects lasting for weeks or even months.
Kindergarten Readiness
The whole of our curriculum helps children prepare for kindergarten.. During the year prior to kindergarten entrance, we provide a number of activities for the children and their parents to help them prepare for kindergarten, both academically and in the socio-emotional sense. Some of these activities include parent meetings which will give you more information about what you can do to help your child prepare for kindergarten and a Kindergarten "Boot Camp" week that gives the rising kindergarteners time to learn more about the new adventure that is waiting for them in kindergarten.
Nature Play
At RAMPP, we play outside as much as possible. Our goal is to have each class outside for 1-1.5 hours per 3 hour session. The playground consists of a mud kitchen, a sand area, a log climbing space, a collection of building materials, a stage and a large space for running and riding balance bikes. The children enjoy finding insects and other small creatures, watching birds and observing how the trees change over the year.