What is DUMC Preschool’s curriculum?
The Curriculum at DUMCP is guided by our mission to provide a developmentally appropriate education in a loving, Christian environment where children are nurtured and encouraged to develop cognitively, socially, emotionally, physically and spiritually to their full potential.
Our programs meet the Georgia Early Learning and Development Standards (GELDS) and the Kindergarten Georgia Standards of Excellence (K – GSE) while maintaining a balance of active, child-initiated learning and teacher-directed instruction. In addition, we allow for physical movement, active communication and interaction and individual and group problem solving.
The Creative Curriculum is the thread that ties our programs together by guiding teachers in developmentally appropriate practices across all age levels. It is a center based curriculum that encourages child-focused activity. Young children are actively motivated learners. They study the world through play. In each classroom, there are clearly defined interest areas where children can engage in activities such as creative art, blocks and building, dramatic play, reading and relaxing, science, manipulatives, writing, and sensory/water play. Children are encouraged to work with partners or in small groups. These areas are adapted and rearranged periodically to meet the current needs and interests of the children. Play possibilities are suggested by the teachers through arrangement of materials and selected props. Use of the materials is open ended.
Children are immersed in language and literature during Circle Time when the teacher leads the class in story reading, songs, poems and finger plays. Additionally, lessons pertaining to a weekly theme (typically science or social studies related) mathematical concepts, and for older children, phonological awareness activities are explored during Circle Time.
Our fours classes further develop early literacy and fine motor skills through the use of the SRA Imagine It Phonics, Phonemic Awareness in Young Children and Handwriting Without Tears curricula. The Kindergarten curriculum includes the use of SRA Imagine It Phonics, Phonemic Awareness in Young Children, Reading A-Z, Eureka Math and Handwriting Without Tears.
