FOUR YEAR OLDS

Almost ready for the world of big kids, young four year olds want to do many things that they're not quite ready to do. We let them do as much as they possibly can. Then we ask them to do a little more: to do jobs - like calling everyone to lunch or getting the mats out for nap time. And then a little bit more - like learning how to put yourself in someone else's shoes.

None of this comes all at once. We repeat ourselves. This is how four year olds learn not to push in line, to clearly express themselves with their peers and to get comfortable with numbers, and letters - in activities such as finger puppet plays and letter bingo. By the end of they year, they’ve learned the basics and they've had a good time.

As much as we plan the curriculum, we improvise, following the children's enthusiasm. A nature walk in search of purple flowers might turn into a spontaneous discussion of hummingbirds. Our aim is to open up a wide and exciting world. For instance, in February, the class theme might be ”Friends Around the World." We might study China - its customs and culture - tasting new foods and learning how to say hello and Happy New Year. The highlight of the month might be when the third and fourth grades in the Primary school perform a Chinese lion dance for us. This, like everything we do here is essentially about building confidence and character, along with academic skills.