Welcome to our preschool and our team of creative and energetic teachers.

Our preschool is housed in a one-story building separate from the upper grades of Balboa Academy. We have lots of classroom space and light, interesting materials, and an enormous playground. Children enjoy our setting, where they can be active and engaged in learning. The preschool schedule is Mondays – Fridays, 8:00 – 11:30.

Each of our teachers has a small group of three and four-year-olds. We find that mixed-age grouping helps students learn how to lead and to follow, how to communicate, and how to get along in a group. Mixed-age grouping also has the advantage of providing us with a seed group to begin each year. It helps greatly to have children who know our school, our teachers, and our ways. New students have “student guides” and teachers have helpers.

The Preschool Environment

We believe our preschool environment is a key part of our curriculum. Children at this age need to move about, choosing and using materials independently, interacting with other children and adults, and learning through their senses .

Each classroom is set up with learning centers, such as blocks, dramatic play, toys and games, art, sand and water. Materials are organized and available, so children can make decisions about where to be, who to play with, and what to work on. We also teach our students to pick up after play, which gives them responsibility for their school.

Students learn to work within the daily routine established in each classroom. Each day includes: large group, small group, teacher-directed, child choice, snack and outdoor play. A flexible routine is comforting for all of us, and children quickly learn what to expect of their school day.

Our Goals for Preschool Students

We want our students to leave preschool with the skills they need for success in kindergarten.

• First and foremost are self-help and social skills, such as self-confidence, self-control, and the ability to make and sustain friendships.

• We focus on communication skills – identifying and naming their interests, needs, and ideas, as well as listening while others speak. In many cases our students must also learn the English language and they receive a good beginning in preschool.

• We also direct our teaching to the development of large and small motor skills, and the acquisition of basic knowledge in the content areas.

curious and ask many questions. We encourage them to look for answers and support them in their search. This helps them develop critical thinking skills.

Preschool Content Areas

There are content areas which we cover regardless of the topic or long-term study that guides us. These content areas are:

• Literacy

• Math

• Science

• Social Studies

• The Arts

• Technology

Learning looks very different in preschool than it does in elementary school. When you visit a classroom, you might think that the only thing happening is play. But within the busy and colorful scene, students are learning in the content areas. Here are some examples:

-Circle time might include a story (literacy), a song (the arts), and a patterning activity (mathematics).

-Child choice time might include children in the block area building a model of our playground (social studies) and they might have built a slide which they test by sending toy cars down (science).

-During a long-term study of chairs, a group might start by making a web of all that they know about chairs (literacy)and then talk about the kinds of tools needed to build chairs (technology) or make a graph of the kinds of chairs found in our building (math).

In all of these examples, and throughout our preschool year, the teachers’ careful observation and planning transform typical moments of childhood play into rich learning experiences.

Another aspect that enriches our preschool is the three weekly specials – music, media, and physical education. The preschool teacher takes the group to another building for class with a specialist in each of these areas. Children enjoy the opportunity to visit other areas on our campus and meet the expectations of a different teacher, while accompanied by their regular classroom teacher.

Introduction to the Pre-kindergarten Curriculum 

Our pre-kindergarten  program helps prepare children for success in school and in life.  Findings from research on learning and the brain provide concrete evidence of how important the early years are in a child’s learning and development. These findings also show evidence of how and when children learn best. 

Our program, with the help of teachers and parents, guides children to acquire the skills, attitudes, and habits to do well in school and throughout life. The Balboa Academy staff is educated and supports the students in a caring and inviting environment that is safe and predictable. 

How the Pre-kindergarten Child Learns 

Pre-kindergarten children learn continously.  They learn best by being active. Pre-kindergarteners are curious about their world and ask many questions.     The Balboa Academy pre-kindergarten program wants children to see themselves as inventors, problem solvers, discoverers, and capable learners.  Teachers encourage children through questioning techniques to enhance their thinking and answering skills. 

Our program helps children develop their natural curiosity. Teachers encourage children to observe, explore, take things apart, build, create, draw, and see what they can find out. The more active children are in their work, the more they learn and remember. 

The Goals of the Curriculum 

A primary goal of the curriculum is for children to acquire social skills. We want our students to become enthusiastic learners, independent, and self-confident.

Our pre-kindergarten curriculum identifies four goals in the following areas of development:

-         social/emotional

-         physical

-         cognitive

-         language

We accomplish the goals of our curriculum through our daily plans, the children’s interest, the way we organize the classroom and select activities and materials to stimulate them to explore and enjoy their world. 

The Content Areas of Pre-kindergarten  

Curriculum experts have defined that the content areas are what children need to know and be able to do at a certain age. In pre-kindergarten to teach in the content areas means to respect the developmental stages of pre-kindergarten children. At the Balboa Academy pre-kindergarten the content areas are taught and learned through the physical environment set up by the teachers. The physical environment allows for children to be good readers and writers, solve problems in math and science, be good citizens, appreciate the arts, and to use technology. The following content areas are taught:   

Literacy allows for:

Increased vocabulary and language; phonological awareness; knowledge of print; comprehension; letters and words; books and other text; literacy as a source of enjoyment.  

Math allows for:

Number concept; patterns and relationship; measurement; geometry and spatial sense; data collection, organization, and representation.  

Science allows for:

Physical science; life science; earth and the environment.  

Social Studies allows for:

Spaces and geography; people and how they live; people and the environment; people and the past.  

The Arts allows for:

Dance; music; drama; visual arts.  

Technology allows for:

Awareness of technology; basic operations and concepts; technology tools; people and technology. 

The Classroom  

The classroom environment offers developmental learning centers in order to meet the different levels of development of each child. Our classrooms are inviting, warm, and provide a safe and positive atmosphere where fun and learning are the order of the day.  

Balboa Academy Preschool bases the program through three components:  

• Setting up and maintaining the classroom.

The physical space is organized into 11 interest areas: blocks, dramatic play, art, library, discovery, sand and water, music and movement, manipulative, cooking, computers, and outdoors. Each interest area invites children to choose from a variety of activities and materials to explore, discover, and grow.

• Establishing a structure for each day.

The daily routines and schedules allow children to move around their environment in a flexible and positive way. With the assurance that their environment is predictable and familiar; children can settle into learning and function as a part of the group.  

• Creating a classroom community.

The classroom community it a vital component of the curriculum as it is where children need to feel safe, learn to help one another, and see themselves as part of a group. As teachers in the classroom community we teach children how to treat others and how they want to be treated. We establish rules and clear and consistent limits, so children learn what behavior is acceptable and what is not. Children learn how to solve their own problems and come up with solutions that benefit the group.  

How We Know Children are Learning. 

The Balboa Academy Pre-kindergarten program doesn’t require the children to be tested. Tests are not reliable for their age group. As an alternative, teachers observe what children do and take notes. Each child has a portfolio consisting of collected samples of the child’s work (drawings, writings, photos of artwork, and/or photos of interaction with peers in the learning areas). Several times a year the information is gathered in school and shared with parents through conferences and e-mails. On a daily basis communication notebooks are used between home and school. The notebooks allow teachers to inform parents how their child is interacting in school. It is also used for parents to share with teachers any information they feel teachers need to know.  

Importance of Social/Emotional Skills in Pre-Kindergarten 

Research shows that there is evidence that social/emotional readiness is critical to a successful kindergarten transition, early school success, and even later accomplishments in the workplace. Children that know how to make friends, can cooperate with others and can control their emotions are more likely to be successful in school and in life, than children that do not acquire these skills. 

A main objective for teachers at Balboa Academy is to focus on social/emotional development as a key readiness for a life time skill. Teachers model appropriate social skills by redirecting, encouraging children to use their words, and solve problems positively. Teachers support children decisions to experiment and find answers to their own questions.