At Plattsmouth Early Childhood, we follow the Plattsmouth school calendar. The Home Based Specialists also provide services throughout the summer.
The Preschool staff are available from 7:45am to 4pm. The Home Based Specialists have more flexibility in their daily hours to help support families when they need the most support but try to stay within the contracted 7:45-4pm hours.
Classrooms follow a predictable sequence of events known as the daily routine. This provides a structure within which children can make choices and follow their interests, as well as be introduced to both academic and social skills through direct instruction. While each classroom decides on the routine that works best for its setting, schedule, and population, the following segments are always included during the program day:
Small group time: Small group time allows each teacher to meet with a small group of children working on a planned lesson. The teacher introduces the experience to extend learning, build on previously shared skills, solve problems and/or assess individuals. Although the adult chooses and introduces the materials, he or she may encourage the children to experiment with the materials in a variety of ways.
Large group time: Large group time builds a sense of community. The children and adults come together for movement and music activities, storytelling, and other shared experiences. Children may have opportunities to make choices and play the role of leader or be engaged with direct instruction that is aligned with preschool targets. At large-group time, all the adults and children in the group get together to introduce academic or social skills through direct instruction. By going over the calendar or daily message, listening, telling, and re-enacting stories, singing songs, doing finger plays, dancing, playing musical instruments, exercising, playing games or re-enacting special events, each child participates in the large group, sharing ideas and learning from the ideas of others.
Transition times: Transition times are orderly and predictable movement from one activity to another throughout the course of their school day. These routines provide opportunities for the child to develop self-regulation and social skills or reinforce pre-academic skills.
Plan time: Children indicate what they plan (choose, want) to do during center/play/work time in a small group. Planning typically focuses on what children plan to do first during work time. Adults try to understand each child’s plan and often try to help children extend their plans by encouraging discussion of the area in which they intend to work, the materials they plan to use, and the friends they will involve.
Center/play/work time: Center/play/work time allows children to interact with materials in a variety of interest areas. Children implement their initial plans and it is common for young children to engage in many different activities over the course of one work time. Center/play/work time is the longest single time segment in the daily routine, typically lasting around 60 minutes. Adults neither lead work time activities nor sit back and watch them. Instead, they observe children to see how they perceive information, interact with peers, and solve problems – and they look for opportunities to enter into the children’s activities to encourage children’s thinking, extend their play, and help them wrestle with problem-solving situations. The children participate in a clean-up routine at the end of the work time.
Review time: All children should be involved in the recall process, which can occur in a small group or large group setting. Recall can also take place individually with children during work time and clean up. A variety of recall methods should be incorporated including speaking, writing, or drawing to enhance the experience. For example, children might be encouraged to talk about the children they played with, what they built or pretended to be, or the problems they encountered.
Meal time: Meals and snacks allow children to enjoy eating healthy food in a supportive social setting. The main goals are to create a shared and secure sense of community within the program and enhance language development. Meal times also offer the opportunity to work on a variety of developmental skills such as taking turns, maintaining a conversation, interacting with others appropriately and using utensils.
Large motor time: Children and adults are involved in vigorous and often noisy play outside including opportunities to run, climb, roll, jump, yell, and sing with energy. Teachers should provide a balance of teaching new skills and encouraging child choice from a variety of interest areas such as dramatic play, blocks, science, writing, and art activities. During extreme weather or other unsafe conditions, teachers find an alternative indoor location for large motor activities. Children develop coordination, balance, spatial awareness and strength through gross motor activities. Outside time also provides time for coordinating both hands to manipulate large objects, continuing to develop body flexibility and coordination, and learning to use indoor and outdoor gross motor equipment safely and appropriately.
Quiet time: Quiet time provides an opportunity for children to take a break from the activities of the day. Quiet time usually occurs after lunch and lasts for a minimum of 30 minutes.