Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten
Children are born with a natural sense of wonder and curiosity about the world around them. At The Howard School, we incorporate The Carden Method®, giving preschoolers the guidance and freedom needed to develop independence. It provides a sequential, age-appropriate curriculum along with a nurturing learning environment filled with exploratory opportunities that encourage problem-solving, creativity, respect and responsibility. The Howard School preschool curriculum is designed to promote the child’s intellectual, emotional physical, creative, and social development.
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Literature
Students will practice listening, comprehending and dramatizing classic literature such as: Ask Mr. Bear, Goodnight Moon, I am a Mouse, The Runaway Bunny, Angus and the Ducks, and Keep Running, Allen!
Pre-Reading
Students will participate in story time, reading comprehension, hearing sounds, articulation, perception, and mental image development, experiencing verbs in present and past tenses, and vocabulary development.
Letters and Numbers
Students are exposed to small units of sound represented by letters or combinations of letters, relating numbers to number size of something (big/little, tall/short, one/none).
Calendar Time
Students are introduced to money, tallying, critical thinking, problem solving and practical hands-on experiences.
Music
Students will sing, explore instruments, Listen to a wide variety of music genres, create musical instruments, be introduced to basic musical concepts, (rhythm, beat, rest, tempo and pitch), participate in Autumn and Christmas programs, and participate in a Spring Class Play in a community theatre.
Art Appreciation
Students are introduced to a wide range of art mediums and tools, exploration of art concepts (color, shapes, lines) and an emphasis of individual expression and creativity.
Poetry
Students will explore weekly nursery rhymes, poems, and monthly recitations at our all-school assembly.
Enrichment
Students will enjoy cooking, science exploration, guest presenters, gardening, take-home family literacy bags, and field trips.
Fine Motor Skill Development
Small muscles of the body. Typically hands and fingers.
Students will practice holding a pencil and other writing objects properly, coloring, cutting with scissors, pasting using various objects, building small muscles using clay, play dough, cooking, beading and lacing
Gross Motor Development
Large muscles of the body, typically arms, legs and torso.
Students will jump, swing, run, bike, walk backwards, balance, catch and kick a ball.
Organized Games
Students explore indoor and outdoor games that nurture team building, sportsmanship, and develop body strength.
“At Howard there is a big emphasis in the development of children as people, not just as students. They seem to really have gained strong interpersonal skills specifically - emotional intelligence, responsibility, and empathy. The small class sizes and a strong emphasis on higher level thinking within the curriculum are really what makes this school great. We've loved every teacher we've met. There is no place I would rather have my children.”
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—Kelly O’Donnell
