Weekday Program Web site: www.fumcplanoweekday.org
Weekday Update
September 2007
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Weekday Program Web site: www.fumcplanoweekday.org Weekday Update September 2007 |
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Director's Report |
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Dear Parents-
Wow! The summer flew by and it is so exciting to be beginning a new year of preschool! Our teachers participated in over 20 hours of training during in-service and we are all ready for a great year! We spent one day learning about the importance of creativity in our classrooms and one day on helping children become independent thinkers with Dr. Dan Hodgins. Many of our teachers and parents attended a two hour evening training on power struggles with Dr. Hodgins as well. The rest of the week we learned about new NAEYC accreditation standards, writing new lesson plans and identifying children with special needs. Finally we had some time for setting up classrooms. It was a great 7 days! In addition to all of this training, 12 of our staff members are enrolled in Child Development courses at Collin County Community College and Eastfield College.
One thing we spent a lot of time on during in-service was the new lesson plans we will be using this year. On a regular basis, you will receive a lesson plan from your child's teacher/s. On this plan your child's teacher will include several of the activities s/he has planned along with one (or more) of the High/Scope Key Experiences that each activity will highlight. This lesson plan will not include all of the activities that the children will be doing (we could never write all that down), but will focus on up to three activities in each area of the classroom and, most importantly, why the teacher has planned it (the Key Experience).
The High/Scope Educational Research Foundation has found (in over 35 year of research on young children) that children who are exposed to these Key Experiences on a continuing basis during the preschool years, are most successful when they reach elementary school. Instead of teaching young children reading, writing and math through drills, workbooks, or other “school-like” activities, in High/Scope settings we provide experiences and materials that help children develop the abilities needed to tackle these subjects in elementary school. We work on pre-reading, pre-math and pre-writing skills beginning in the infant room and work on those skills through pre-K, always keeping the child's individual interests and abilities in mind.
We hope that these new lesson plans will help you to better understand the Key Experiences and how High/Scope works. If you would like more information, please go to their website (www.highscope.org) and check out all the research and resources they have available. It is amazing!
We are looking forward to a great year and are so pleased that your family will be a part of it.
Donna
P.S. For those of you who are still skeptical, PISD uses many aspects of High/Scope in their preschool programs, too. It works! |
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Key Findings on Brain Development
When current brain research is condensed what emerges are simple, easy-to-understand findings that, for the most part, reinforce what we know intuitively. The following is a list of the most relevant findings:
From ‘Start Smart’ by Pam Schiller |
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think about it...Don’t worry that children never listen to you. Worry that they are always watching you. -Robert Fulghum |
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Are you interested in learning more about First United Methodist Church? If so, please contact Holly Bandel, Executive Associate Pastor at 972.423.4506 or hbandel@firstmethodistplano.org
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Garage Sale... We are in need of the following things for classroom activities. If you have any of these items around the house, we would love to have them. Rolling suitcases or Backpacks (any size) Steering Wheels Capes Flat sheets Carpet squares Vinyl bean bag chairs |
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A.P.P.L.E.S.
(Adventurous Parents Providing Love, Encouragement and Support) Congratulations and welcome to the joyous, wonderful, yet often frustrating and question-filled world of parenthood. The A.P.P.L.E.S. group provides emotional and spiritual support for parents of preschoolers. This is accomplished as we explore topics and issues relevant to your experiences of being a parent at our meeting every fourth Tuesday of the month at FUMC Plano in room B228 from 9:30-11:30. We also have play-dates throughout the month and monthly "Mom's Night Outs". In addition, we provide casserole deliveries to families who have recently welcomed a new baby to the family. As a participant in A.P.P.L.E.S., not only will you learn answers to your questions, you will also make new friends, build strong relationships, and nurture your spirituality within the context of parenthood.
For any questions or for more information, contact Becky Smith at rapsmith@verizon.net |
Weekday Program/PTC Pumpkin Carnival
October 20th 10:00-1:00 See you there!
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Mark your Calendars Items in bold have been added or changed. |
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September:
October: 13-Individual and Class Pictures
16-Early Release 11:30 **
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January: **Little Friends' Place (before- and after-school care open as usual) |
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First United Methodist Church Weekday Program * 3160 E. Spring Creek Parkway Plano, TX 75074 phone 972.423.4910 * fax 972.633.9126 |
