New Kindergarten Readiness Program Announced at Kol Ami

Nan Blank, Director of the Kol Ami Early Childhood Program is pleased to announce A Step Ahead!, a new Kindergarten Readiness Program for children who will turn five years old in the Fall of 2011.

The Kindergarten Readiness Program is designed for active exploration and child-initiated activities, as well as small-group teacher-guided learning allowing the teacher team to direct and instruct children in the exploration of the various themed units introduced throughout the school year. Our daily teacher-initiated activities will include: literacy, handwriting, math, science, art, games, songs, and morning meeting. The child-initiated individual and small group experiences will naturally occur in the art corner, dramatic play area, listening center, math manipulative corner, science center and block area. Together these experiences will ensure that children’s learning will be tangible, meaningful, and fun all the while enjoying a comprehensive Kindergarten readiness experience within a family-oriented caring community.

Each child is unique and thereby learns in different ways… some are auditory learners while others are visual learners. Some children learn best in large group settings through observation, and listening, while others learn from more intimate, small group opportunities with an emphasis on hands-on connections. There are those children who thrive in more structured environments while others prefer a more free-flowing and spontaneous learning experience. Children can and often change their learning preferences and thus benefit from different educational methods and environments while participating in different learning experiences. The program will provide both large and small group learning opportunities tailored to meet the collective needs of both the individual learner and the community.

The double-sized classroom is arranged in centers and includes a Literacy, Listening, Math, Science, Blocks, Art, Dramatic Play, and Meeting Area. The children enrolled in A Step Ahead! will enjoy a Judaic curriculum woven into their program of study including celebrating Havdalah, Shabbat, the Jewish holidays, and a year-long unit focused on Israel. A Step Ahead! meets on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursdays from 9:00-2:30 and Fridays from 9:00-11:45. Class Size: 12 Children Maximum with a 1:6 ratio. Special instruction included in the curriculum will be Nature, Music, Our Garden Project, Israeli Dance and Movement, and Soccer/Gym.

The program will be held at Congregation Kol Ami at 252 Soundview Avenue, White Plains, New York. For more information on A Step Ahead! call: Nan Blank, Director at 914-949-4717 x107.