Brown Memorial Weekday School Parents Association

ts of the children and providing materials that promote open-ended explorations and collaboration. Children are encouraged to form their own hypotheses and to seek answers to their own questions. Long before they can read and write, children naturally engage in complex thinking. Teachers support this by providing a rich variety of high quality art materials and activity areas such as blocks and dress-ups that stir children’s imagination and allow them to express their ideas. To a large degree, this complicated process looks like play. Through close and careful observation, teachers guide students toward answers by providing materials and activities that will encourage children’s discoveries. Concepts from all academic areas including mathematics, science, literacy and social studies are integrated throughout the day. Quality children’s literature is emphasized in each classroom and is the centerpiece of the teacher-directed part of the school day, when young children begin to learn to listen, to attend carefully to ideas, and to think critically about the world around them. Each day, in every classroom, children are given a large amount of time for continuous self-initiated play. Through this process, children develop meaningful relationships with peers and teachers, strong communication skills, a sense of empathy, flexibility, creativity, critical thinking skills, problem-solving ability, a respect for classroom materials, and a strong sense of self-confidence. As the children become developmentally more ready, challenges are increased so that by the time a child is in kindergarten, s/he is able to manage him or herself successfully throughout a complex school day filled with lessons requiring focused attention, transitions from activity to activity and the need to work both collaboratively and independently with teachers and peers. The curriculum for our older students includes special area classes in art, music, physical education, science, and French. In all of our programs, whether serving twos, threes, fours, pre-kindergartners or kindergartners, emphasis is put on the age-appropriateness of the learning environment so that the unique qualities and learning potential of young children at each age are fully developed. Our programs result in children forming a deep love of learning that they take with them to elementary school and beyond. While our programs are designed to serve typically developing children, our curriculum is well suited to support children with certain special needs. The teachers and director are experienced with working with physicians, psychologists, speech and occupational therapists, education teams from the area public school systems, and other professionals to support the optimal growth of children requiring additional support services.