Prekindergarten at ADM is a unique program. It is designed to meet the needs of children who are in many ways prepared for Kindergarten, but still have needs that can be met with an extended learning opportunity. This gives the children the extra time they need. Our Prekindergarten students are often leaders when they enter Kindergarten.
Prekindergarten has an established curriculum that includes all aspects of a balanced literacy program, Writer’s Workshop, Reader’s Workshop, movement, and math along with handwriting. Social studies and science are part of our integrated theme units. Students begin to explore early literacy with hook books, which are created over the summer with their family’s guidance. Each page of the hook book displays a letter with a picture familiar to the child. Prekindergarten students also will learn to read and write 15 sight words to be learned by the end of the school year. Prekindergarten also has an established social skills curriculum called Skillstreaming. Some units of study are how to ask someone to play, following directions, and how to ask for help.
Prekindergarten is a full day, every day program. They have rest time each day and also enjoy three recesses. Students are given opportunities to enjoy specials such as, PE, music, art, and library. We also have Guidance lessons that we take part in first quarter. Another learning opportunity our students have is taking two field trips each year to the Science Center and Blank Park Zoo. Students also are given the opportunity to be the classroom Shooting Star. Each week a selected student will be celebrated in the classroom. The student shares special things to him or her to work on building social skills and confidence to share in our group.
Some of the other experiences that make our program unique are inviting professional members of our community to speak with the students in our classrooms. We also make connections with older peers, such as our high school students to help foster school spirit, a love for reading and math.