Preschool Archives - Page 4 of 4 - Presidio Knolls School

Art at PKS

Art fits naturally within the progressive model; it is the product of experiential learning. When I develop the art curriculum, I don’t just look at what children should know about art and where they should be developmentally. I try to incorporate projects that allow for personalization and inquiry. Art should do that.

Elementary

Social-Emotional Learning at PKS

We all know that “education” is more than the gathering of facts and knowledge (and in the case of PKS, two languages). Social and emotional development are equally fundamental, and multiple studies demonstrate that integration of social and emotional learning (SEL) programs in school pave the way for better academic learning: they teach children skills that are intimately linked with cognitive development, helping them be focused, attentive, motivated, engaged, and confident in their learning.

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Elementary

Independence

October’s Habit of Character focus was Independence (独立自主). In order to develop children’s independence, we must trust them. Sometimes they will make mistakes and experience challenges both socially and academically.

Elementary

Habits of Character

To promote strong social-emotional connections and mindfulness at PKS, we look for ways to intentionally build “habits of character” in our students. Our Habits of Character were developed through ongoing collaboration among students, teachers, and staff at PKS; they are traits we hope our children will grow to value and incorporate into their lives. Each month we focus on building a particular habit across the entire school. In September, for example, we focused on being responsible (有责任感). In October, we are focusing on being independent (独立自主).

Elementary

Progressive Learning at PKS

Without a doubt a school can be a progressive school and a language immersion school. There’s nothing about language immersion that limits our ability to implement progressive or vice versa. One specific example: repetition and daily practice of characters is an important part of learning Chinese. A progressive approach would be to consider: what is the appropriate amount of time for a 3rd grader to engage in this practice, and how do we make it as engaging and enjoyable as possible? There is no one strategy that is cancelled out by progressive – it’s about weighing kids’ developmental needs to create a well-rounded approach.

Events

Preschool Curriculum Night

Preschool parents gathered at Presidio Knolls on Thursday for our annual curriculum night. As usual, passive listening was not on the agenda! Instead, parents were up to their elbows in blocks, sticks, clay, yarn, and paint, creating personalized “objets” for their children to appreciate throughout the school year.

Who we are

Art at PKS

Social-Emotional Learning at PKS

Independence

Habits of Character

Progressive Learning at PKS

Preschool Curriculum Night