Thank you for volunteering your time!
Guidelines
On the day of your tour:
- When you arrive, please come straight to the 3rd floor (feel free to store your things there).
- Key for the classroom doors and your name tag will be on the table.
- Some parents will be bringing their children with them and others will have their children arrive after the tour.
- The tour of the school should last 30 minutes (so around 10 minutes per floor).
- If you volunteer for a morning tour, Maddy Leder (Noon 2s Head Teacher) will be leading one tour while you are leading the other.
- You and Maddy will take both groups to the materials floor and then Maddy will give you further instructions.
- At the end of your tour, please bring your set of parents back to the 3rd floor.
- A print out of the below “Tour Guide Talking Points” are at school for you to refer to if need be.
Tour Guide Talking Points
GROUND FLOOR
GROUND FLOOR REAR (near Mallory’s desk)
AM 2/3s & Noon 2s & Toddlers – 8:30-11:30, 12-2, 2:30-4:30
- Noon 2 & Toddlers are only two PM groups guaranteed morning spots following year
- Teacher child ratio: 1 to 3
POINT OUT IN ROOM
- Gross motor & other room – open for children during work time
- Children are encouraged to make independent choices even at age 2
- Potty training: no set time, it’s individual and a conversation with parents
PHASE-IN & SEPARATION PROCESS
- Our goal is foster connections between teachers & children – transfer of trust to teachers, until children are ready to separate
- Phase-in: Children come in half groups with caregiver
- Separation: Once children are secure with teachers, caregivers step out of the room for short periods
- Separation process is different for every child; its based on children’s needs
CURRICULUM ANECDOTES (if applicable)
GROUND FLOOR FRONT
AM 3s & PM Y3s – 8:30-12:30, 2:00-5:00
- Teacher child ratio: 1 to 6
POINT OUT IN ROOM
- Sensory opportunities – water table, clay, play dough
SOCIAL CURRICULUM
- Making social connections through play
- More grouping of children
- Snack: a social experience
- Pretzels from the greenmarket, apples- organic
- Field trips: connected to curriculum, every class takes neighborhood walks
CURRICULUM ANECDOTES (if applicable)
1st FLOOR
1st FLOOR FRONT
AM 3/4s & PM 4s – 8:30-12:30, 1:15-5:15
- Teacher child ratio: 1 to 6
POINT OUT IN ROOM
- Environment as 3rd teacher – a tenet of the Reggio Emilia Approach is to provide natural, found or recycled materials arranged in a enticing manner that encourages open-ended exploration
- Teachers in this specific classroom were invested in bringing natural materials inside the classroom
- Studying differences/similarities, weighing pumpkins, observational drawing of these materials
***Milestones embedded in curriculum, children want to learn
CURRICULUM ANECDOTES (if applicable)
1ST FLOOR REAR (at top of stairs)
AM 4s – full day: 8:30-2 pm
- Teacher child ratio: 1 to 6
POINT OUT IN ROOM
- Writing/mini-studio – smaller version of studio
- Book writing is often occurring at this age, but it is individualized – some children will be writing, some will be dictating (BOTH FINE)
- Picture clock, job chart, attendance charts, meeting board
- Yard – every group gets yard everyday (the full day classes get it twice)
***AM 4s are measuring how big they were as babies compared to now (chart in the hallway. They are taking trips outside to measure things – we don’t isolate field trips (i.e. to the fire station if it isn’t connected)
CURRICULUM ANECDOTES (if applicable)
2nd FLOOR
2nd FLOOR (at top of stairs)
AM 4/5s – full day: 8:30-2 pm
- Teacher child ratio: 1 to 6
POINT OUT IN ROOM
- Blocks, games, chess – Academic skills – math in blocks, pre-literacy in the writing center and during their morning meeting
- Workgroups in the 4/5s:
- Children work in smaller groups
- Building curriculum based on interests in small groups
CURRICULUM ANECDOTES (if applicable)
PARENT INVOLVEMENT:
- Class parents
- Halloween Fair
- Auction
- Field trips
- Classroom participation (cooking, reading books, etc…)
- Documentation Shares
- Journals on the website
POINT OUT DOCUMENTATION – Around the school
STUDIO PROGRAM: The studio teacher meets with the teachers and learns how to extend the investigations that are occurring in the classroom. Groups work with Amy for periods of time; it isn’t a predetermined schedule. She will also work in the classroom with children introducing different art mediums or helping with curriculum.
MUSIC PROGRAM: Every group gets music weekly alternating full group music in class or small groups of children visiting the sound studio. Once a month Beau does school sing-a-longs where classes join together.