Just a few moments with Naomi and the learners, is all it takes to experience the magic of the Hess Academy PreK.
Following the children's lead, providing interesting experiences and materials, and holding a space for young children to explore are just a few of the qualities that set our PreK apart.
Take a peek into the days and lives of the Hess PreK students, as told through the weekly updates provided to families.
“We had a lovely week in PreK full of new experiences, exploration, and kind moments. It warms my heart to see the children care for one another and reach out to their friends when they are in need. In PreK we frequently talk about how we are all working on being our best selves. We can help one another do this by being kind to each other.
It was nice to see the whole class running hand in hand at the goat farm this week.”
“We welcome this month with our classroom tradition of having a confetti party! (I think we also need to give October a little pep talk in hopes that it will give us some relief from this heat!)
This is something the students look forward to, and if they don't yet, they will soon after they start to see the pattern of these celebrations. We will also add a new month to our wall timeline.
These small traditions help the children begin to broaden their temporal understanding, along with the routines of our classroom. At home, bringing attention to things that your family does at night versus things your family does in the morning are also ways that children see representations of time. “
“Looks like we have found our first unit of study: farm animals! When figuring out where we are headed for a unit topic, I spend a lot of time listening in on conversations and observing play scenarios to find common threads, then watch for them to dive into play provocations that I set up regarding these common ideas. Through this process, the farm animals theme emerged!
Farm animals provide a fun way to practice oral language skills including phonological skills and semantics with games like Rhyming Chickens, Who Said That?, and Animal Families, as well as practice emerging mathematical skills with one to one correspondence games, matching and sorting experiences and counting opportunities.
Our first animals of interest are chickens. We have already started exploring social topics such as whether or not they are food, or are producers of food, or are pets. Children at this age, while often are only beginning to learn that someone else might have an idea differing from their own, are open to explore these new ideas while usually coming away with a comfort in what their particular family values dictate.”
At Hess, we are in wholehearted agreement with the National Association for the Education of Young Children when they said,
“Each and every child, birth through age 8, has the right to equitable learning opportunities that fully support their optimal development and learning. Children are born eager to learn; they take delight in exploring their world and making connections. Educators who engage in Developmentally Appropriate Practice foster young children’s joyful learning and maximize the opportunities for every child to achieve their full potential.”
We love watching our preK-ers grow and discover the world around them through immersive new experiences, hands-on learning, and plenty of PLAY!
Hess Academy is a preK-8 private school in Decatur, GA. Hands-on learning, small class size, supportive relationships, and a holistic approach set Hess apart. Get in touch!