Staff Specialists Build Bridges One of the ways the PIC's After School Center (ASC) attracts high-quality, highly-motivated, talented teachers is by sharing a precious handful of them with the Early Learning program. This January, ASC welcomes Rachel Kolber , a veteran early-learning teacher...
Dr. Seuss on the Loose! It all began with Green Eggs and Ham! The Grasshoppers have just wrapped up a lively study focusing on the prolific author Dr. Seuss, aka Theodor Seuss Geisel. We dove into developing literacy skills as we devoured title after title of the 40+ books written by Dr. Seuss. It...
Bringing Good Things to Light The Doodlebugs have been exploring many ways to discover light. We are learning that light is something you can touch and yet, not really touch. How do we help young minds understand that? The teachers invite small hands to use a flashlight and practice holding and...
On a recent afternoon, when the after schoolers arrived, they immediately noticed that there was something new in the Stucco Building. Next to the computers sat a large cube shaped piece of equipment that none of the children recognized. Conversations started flowing about what it could possibly be...
written by Fatimah Mitchell Study of Space The Starfish are interested in space! After talking together about being able to speed off in a rocket ship, our minds have gone a mile a minute in anticipation to learn even more. Many of our young friends are familiar with Earth. We discussed the special...
So Much Sound The Caterpillars loved the study of sound!! Together we explored all types of sounds. We talked about different sounds, what sounds animals make, and what sounds we hear in our environment. On our daily walks we enjoyed stepping on leaves, listening as trucks drove by, and we...
After School Engineers Engineering projects of all kinds are a popular pastime in the After School Center. From bridge-building with Legos and K-nex to constructing large sculptures and edifices with cardboard and reused (nontoxic) construction items, from tunnel digging with sticks and bricks to...
Toilet Learning When Ready No matter what we might try, toilet learning only begins when a child is ready. But, how do we know when they are ready? Children will let us know when they are ready by having a dry diaper longer, telling us they are wet or have had a bowel movement, and expressing a...
written by Kharma Hicks , Infant and Toddler Program Coordinator Promoting healthy social-emotional development with infants and toddlers consists of the ability to form trusting and rewarding relationships with others. Through play, the teachers help the children communicate and express their...
Follow Their Lead One of the most important things we do in the Roadrunners classroom is follow our children’s lead. For a child, having an interested and loving adult listen closely to what they are thinking about is so important. As a child sees that an adult values them and their ideas...
