Philosophy

Best Beginning emphasizes learning through purposeful play. This includes

flower arranging at best beginning

Best Beginning also encourages learning practical and academic skills through the use of Montessori materials such as the 100's board, work with sandpaper letters and numbers, color mixing, hammering, pouring water and setting the table for snack. Weather permitting, outdoor play is an essential part of a child's experience here. Children climb on the low ropes course, ride the child-sized zip line, pedal tricycles, play hide and seek or paint at an easel.

 

Curriculum

blocks at best beginning

Best Beginning is a best practices preschool. This means we pull from many of the best known educational theories to create a unique program for children. We use a nature education curriculum in addition to including many activities and materials from Montessori, Reggio Emilia and Howard Gardner's multiple intelligence theories. We believe that children learn the most while having fun, experiencing topics directly and learning about topics that interest and motivate them individually.

child walking on logs

Our emphasis on Nature Education is supported through the use of the Vermont Insitute of Natural Science's Small Wonders preschool curriculum.

Read Stef's article: Choosing a Preschool -- What Does the Jargon Mean?

Find out about Richard Louv's Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder.

 

Areas of focus

doctors

At Best Beginning, children learn through themes that rotate weekly or biweekly. The themes are organized into multidisciplinary areas such as:

painting an owl stone

Lessons are developed to include skills in observation, noting similarities and differences, sorting and classifying.

School readiness skills such as listening, cooperative learning, letter and number recognition, and following directions are also emphasized.

Development of a child's social abilities is always a focus. We place particular emphasis on learning to ask for a turn, giving children strategies for sharing, practicing politeness and learning to advocate for oneself in a positive way.

handprints

Attention is given to each child's learning style and care is taken to present information through different modalities such as visual, oral, tactile and kinesthetic. Children experience directed learning activities as well as open ended more creative learning. Themes are teacher chosen or inspired by the children themselves.

During the day, students engage in activities that are of intrinsic interest to them. We also come together for two group times per class. Group time includes music, movement, games, and storytelling. It also includes discussion and introduction to themes and materials.

In the past, some themes for the school have included:

Celebrations and Special Activities

kids near playhouse

Field Trips or in-services

horse barn field trip

These happen about one time per month and have included:

owl in-service field trip

Sample 3’s and 4’s Daily Agenda

This week’s focus: Owls -- Nightime Hunters
Letter: R is for Raptor
January, 2009
8:45 arrival & centers
  Art: Make your own owl puppet, ice and glitter hanging decoration for an outdoor tree, easel painting
Math:

Measure the carrot sprouts, patterning with owl stamps
Sensory:

rice and confetti and measuring, playdough
Letter work:

build an r with blocks
Light table:

Coloring different types of owls, Find and circle all the owls in their homes in the US. Talk about the diff places owls live, where would you want to live if you were an owl?
Snack

popcorn, apple and cheese
Read: Owl Moon
9:05 clean up
10:10 Morning Meeting
  Movement: Guess the theme from hints: I am thinking of….
Kids become owls:
  • 5 little owls on a moonlit night 5 little owls are quite a sight.
  • 5 little owls Are you keeping score? One flew away! And then there were 4.
  • 4 little owls Happy as can be, One flew away! Then there were 3.
  • 3 little owls Calling "Whoo! Whoo!" One flew away! And that left two.
  • 2 little owls having lots of fun. One flew away! And that left 1.
  • 1 little owl We are almost done. He flew away! And that leaves none.

Calendar and weather
Owl Ears:

Practice locating sounds as a hunting owl would (kids have blindfolds on, I move around in the room and make a soft sound.

  • First, without moving their heads towards the sound, they point to where the sound came from
  • Second, they cup their hands behind their ears (owl ears) and move their heads toward the sound.
  • Discuss how owls have facial disks and the feathers funnel the sound into the ear openings.
Transition to outside
10:30 - 11:15 Outside
11:15 inside and wash up
11:20 Lunch
12:10 Group Story time
  Yoga Games Shanti means peace “Shanti, shanti in me and you. Peace, peace in all we do.” Pass a ball around the circle, tell something good about yourself (or like to do, favorite toy), pass the ball and repeat.
Balloon Game Send a balloon around the circle, everyone must hit is with a specific body part.
Nonfiction Story Owls
Transition fly and hoot like and owl
12:30 Outside/pick up