Kindergarten

The Kindergarten Years at Westside Neighborhood School - DK and K
The goals of the kindergarten programs at WNS are to prepare children for their school experiences by tapping their natural curiosity, providing engaging learning opportunities and recognizing every child's unique character and abilities. Young children's early school experiences have a great impact on their future learning. At WNS, we strive to make kindergarten, and their attitudes about school, positive and memorable.

Reggio-Inspired WNS Kindergarten Learning Center
Reggio-inspired schools are based on the learning theories of Vygotsky, Piaget and Dewey. Reggio educators believe that young children are capable of rigorous curriculum within a developmental framework that allows them to explore, test and question their world. The scientific experimental model forms the basis for teaching and learning. Students are asked to hypothesize, test out and defend their ideas. They document learning using many different systems of artistic expression to both explain and investigate concepts. Reggio-engaged teachers work closely with our art specialist who plans with classroom teachers to develop inspired long-term projects of study.

Aesthetics are important in Reggio schools, as is behavior. Rooms and outside spaces are created to mimic home environments and natural spaces, and children are expected to respect environments and care for them. Outdoor and indoor spaces are rich in visual images and objects to provide provocations for inquiry and research. Children are encouraged to question, probe and engage their innate curiosity.

The student is encouraged to see him or herself as an important member of classroom and school community, making choices that will enhance the experience of all students. Students participate in “real” activities as part of the learning environment. Snack becomes an opportunity to learn to pour, count and predict. Students learn about cause and effect from real life experiences. Recess can be math, as students work with water tables and mix various media by measuring.

Documentation of student learning and making learning visible are important benchmarks of a Reggio-inspired program. Similar to the portfolio approach, documentation of children's work in progress is viewed as an important tool in the learning process for children, teachers and parents. Pictures of children engaged in learning experiences, documentation of their words as they discuss what they are doing, feeling and thinking, and the children's interpretation of experience through the visual media are displayed as a graphic presentation of the dynamics of learning.

Building a strong home-school connection is integral in the Reggio-inspired classroom. Opportunities for children to extend their inquiry-based explorations to the home are provided. Parents have numerous opportunities throughout the school year to experience their children engaged in Reggio-inspired activities. In short, the Reggio model incorporates all of the philosophical ideas and educational pedagogy embodied in our WNS philosophy, engaging students in inquiry and learning that is organic and authentic. In addition to our Reggio-inspired curriculum, we will continue to monitor student progress in literacy, math and social integration skills and target instruction in these areas to be sure our kindergarten students are well prepared for first grade and the years to come.

Developmental Kindergarten Program (DK)
The DK class is a full-day kindergarten program for children who will turn five years of age by March 1 of their year of entry and appear ready for a school setting beyond what their preschools offer. DK may also be appropriate for children who, though five by September 1, would benefit from the gift of time that an additional year of kindergarten provides, allowing them to further mature socially and emotionally.

• The student to teacher ratio in DK is 10:1.
• A major emphasis is children's social awareness and their relationships with others.
• DK students participate in core curriculum activities (literacy, math, social and natural sciences) and specialist classes, including art, music, technology, Spanish, and physical education.
• DK students matriculate to our Kindergarten program.

Kindergarten Program
The kindergarten class is a full-day kindergarten program for children who turn five years of age by September 1. A good fit for our program is a child who has had positive learning experiences both in and out of school, whose natural curiosity has been fostered, who has an understanding of working and playing in a group, and who can express and satisfy personal needs independently.

• The student to teacher ratio in kindergarten is 11:1.
• The kindergarten program continues to nurture students' intellectual, social, emotional and physical development.
• Kindergarten students participate in literacy and math activities, learn about their world through social studies and science, and attend weekly classes in art, music, technology, Spanish and physical education.
• Kindergarten students have the opportunity to work with specialists in art, music, physical education, Spanish and science.