Ms. Cathy: So many reasons to love my Pre-K classroom!

I absolutely LOVE all my Pre-K children!  And, I am fortunate enough to fall in love with new darlings every year.  What a gift God has given me!

I have been blessed to work with early childhood education, in the classroom and in administrative roles, for several decades now.  I can honestly say that my 4-year-old Pre-K children are my favorite age.  At 4 years, they are ready to be in community with each other, working together in making discoveries and solving problems.  Seeing their communication and socialization skills develop and bloom is exciting.  And, I am privileged to guide and share in their accomplishments as they grow. 

Many 4-year-olds enter my classroom with some basic alphabet familiarity, but not all.  We continue with the Zoo-Phonics curriculum that our preschool classes use here at Wichita Friends School.  It is a fun daily alphabet practice that uses rhythmic speech and body movements with each letter.  We also spend time exploring fun things about words like rhyming words and compound words.  All our alphabet and literary exploration is done in a playful way, so the “learning” is enjoyable and a group accomplishment.

Reading to children during their early years -- until they are accomplished readers on their own – is so important.  I read a book to my class every day at least once, sometimes more.  We always review the parts of the book – the front, the back, the spine, the author’s name, the illustrator’s name, the title page.  Children are such sponges for knowledge, and these little details are soaked up and bring my young friends confidence and ownership of their books.  I have been blessed in finding boxes of new children’s books at summer garage and library sales.  So, now I am able to give little books to my 4-year-olds for them to keep at home.  Reading is foundational to success all through life, and I like giving my precious students the best beginning possible.

Something I very much like at Wichita Friends School is that we have field trips at least once a month.  We go to Exploration Place, the Zoo, the Public Library, the Goddard Park and Mrs. Coles Shaved Ice, the Nutcracker performance, the Pumpkin Patch, Wichita Children’s Theatre, and horseback riding.  In December we sing Christmas songs to residents at Prairie Homestead Assisted Living and have a pizza party after.  Sometimes our Field Trips are “in-house” trips when we are visited in our school building by the Fire Department, the Police, Great Plains Nature Center, and a veterinarian who shared about animals and safety.  In addition to broadening horizons, fields trips give my students an opportunity to explore with friends in older and younger classrooms and to have fun with parents who accompany us. 

I’ll close by saying every child wants to be loved and to know that they are important.  I do my best to communicate my love and respect to all my young students.  I want them to know how much I care about them and how truly wonderful they are.  Their bright eyes, glowing smiles, curious minds and wiggly bodies are precious and bring me joy every day.