The Preschool Program and Multi-age Learning
“If you want to do something nice for a child, give them an environment where they can touch things as much as they want”
– Buckminster Fuller
Multi-age Learning
A multi-age, small group learning program provides an intellectually stimulating and academically challenging environment. The children receive more individualized attention than in a traditional classroom, but also work to build relationships with children of varied ages sharing roles in the learning environment. A multi-age environment such as this allows for the child’s natural creativity and intelligence to shine.
Our instructional techniques are designed to move students toward stronger understanding and, ultimately, greater independence in the learning process. In a multi-age setting, children will encounter opportunities to both teach and learn from their peers – the younger children learning by example and the older children gaining confidence by taking the role of the “experienced” peer in many situations. This relationship, where everyone in the class is learning at different levels, allows for wonderful discussion and active learning by all involved.
This type of support is powerful in a way that adult support cannot be. This process of teaching and learning from each other, known as scaffolding, allows children to own their knowledge and skills and ability to communicate.
Children are our curriculum. Young children learn about themselves and their world through their experiences. Our Reggio Emilia-inspired, child-directed emergent curriculum grows out of children’s deeply-felt interests and provides our overall framework. Everything that happens to a child at school is part of the curriculum.
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Surreybrook’s multi-age preschool program encourages children’s natural curiosity and supports them to become life-long learners.
Our curriculum is designed to engage children so they can explore, experiment, imitate, ask questions and be questioned to further their and critical thinking and problem-solving skills. We provide a safe and supportive and nurturing environment where children feel safe, respected and cared for.
Our emergent preschool curriculum incorporates social-emotional, cognitive, speech and language, fine and gross motor, mathematics and reasoning, and creative development.
Our program includes language arts, literacy, math, art, dramatic play, Spanish, music, theatre games and Yoga. In addition, self-help skills are introduced and/or reinforced throughout the year.
Surreybrook’s multi-age preschool provides activities, interactions and experiences to help children:
- Develop socially, emotionally, physically and cognitively;
- Develop language skills;
- Develop problem-solving skills;
- Develop conflict resolution skills;
- Learn to be a member of the preschool community;
- Respect diversity in an environment of kindness, cooperation and acceptance.