Part A
Preschool Classroom Schedule
Open – 8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Arrival and Breakfast
Children arrive in school and conduct the morning routine. It involves putting their belongings away, saying bye to their family, signing in, answering the question of the day, and doing the table activity. As they finish breakfast, they are allowed to visit learning centers until the other children arrive and finish eating.
8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Table Time
Students select a table and do the activity written on the table. Here, they get to learn literacy skills as well as math, art, dramatic play, science, and motor skills. The activities are often connected to the day’s theme.
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9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Whole-Group Time & Read-Aloud
The students come together for the daily morning routine as they engage in a reading activity.
10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
Music and movement
The session involves singing a wide variety of songs and rhythms. The children play instruments and gross motor equipment. Through music, children get to build and learn language skills, social skills, and motor skills as they develop phonemic awareness.
10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Snacks
11:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.
Outdoor Play
Children engage in structured and unstructured play outdoors.
11:50 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Lunch
They wash their hands as they help set tables and prepare to eat lunch family-style.
12:30 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Transition
Cleaning up from lunch and singing as they transition to rest time.
12:45 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Rest Time and Quiet Work Time
The children nap or rest quietly. As they wake up, they select from a variety of quiet activities, such as playing, drawing, writing, and looking at books.
2:15 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Learning Centers and Small-Group Activity
Choosing from learning center activities in learning centers: creative arts, blocks, library, science and sensory, math and manipulatives, dramatic play, and writing. The time will often include small-group activities.
3:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Whole-Group Time & Read-Aloud
Coming together for a featured whole-group activity.
3:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Snacks time
3:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Outdoor Play
In this activity, the children enjoy structured and unstructured play outdoors.
5:00 p.m. – Close
Learning Centers
Children get to choose from a variety of activities that are easy to clean up. These may include looking at books and playing.
Part B
Early Childhood Philosophy
Early childhood philosophy advocates for a nurturing, play-based environment that fosters self-confidence, creativity, trust, acceptance, and autonomy. Educators can facilitate a child’s need to play by providing them with whatever they need in terms of materials, guidance, and basic care. These activities will favor the development of cognitive, social, emotional, creative, and physical wellbeing. The classroom can do so by implementing appropriate practices to achieve curriculum goals as teachers care for the learners.
The Needs of The Children
All the children in school will participate in individual, small, and large group activities. It is imperative to understand that they are not all expected to develop at the same rate. Consequently, their individual needs and abilities need to be accommodated in all learning activities. It is very important to consider this as they learn social skills and self-regulation abilities through appropriate discipline and adult guidance.
A balance of activities (child-initiated and adult-initiated; individual, small-group, and large-group; quiet and active; indoors and outdoors);
The schedule accommodates a balance of student-directed activities as well as those that are directed by the teacher. In the learning environment, teachers get to decide the activities that children will undertake at a given time. For instance, in music time, the instructor preselects a list of songs that the children will sing and instruments to play to develop essential skills. Similarly, children are also allowed their own time to choose what they want to do. With little or no interference, they get to engage in activities of their own choice so that they can grow their interaction and observation skills. These include indoor and outdoor activities. Striking such a balance paves the way for the development of gross motor, observation, and socialization skills.
The Needs of Parents
Parent engagement is very critical in a child’s development. Teachers must be in constant communication with parents to ensure that they are engaged in stronger family bonds. By considering their needs, one gets to understand them better, and parents get to provide feedback on the progress of the child at home. It is important to understand that the parent must be part of the educational team if it is to be successful. They should be assured that their child is safe and happy at the school so that they can work comfortably. Bridging the gap between preschool and home will make them feel more engaged, thus serving as a powerful driver for better educational outcomes. Taking care of the children with meals also gives parents a sense of security, knowing they left their children in good hands.
Time for routines, transitions, and extended center time for in-depth learning.
Preschool routines help children to understand the balance between functional and enjoyable tasks. Knowing what to expect every day develops a child’s confidence and independence. Since they rely on past experiences in a safe school environment, they feel more comfortable performing the same activities on their own. They also get exposed to healthy habits. For instance, washing hands before meals and brushing teeth after eating creates a habit that a child gets used to later in life. They also gain greater self-control and get to understand what is expected of them without having to worry about what-if scenarios.
In most cases, children act out and engage in disruptive behavior during transitions, and as such, things may get out of hand very fast. The best way to handle such situations is to make transition times fun by giving children an activity they will enjoy. These include singing, clapping hands, chanting, and exercises, among others.
Extended center times serve as critical drivers for in-depth learning because they give children more time to engage in focus time where they can explore their abilities and strengths.
