Lead Teacher: Lesley Romanoff
Music Instruction: Becky Linafelt
Movement Instruction: Contradiction Dance

The Leaves Class meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday mornings from 8:30 to 11:30. The class includes children from ages 3 to 4 years. Class size typically ranges from 14 to 16 children.  During each class session, the lead teacher is assisted by three co-oping parents.

We seek to balance the Leaves class with children whose chronological birthdates offer the fullest range in age. Research shows that children naturally seek out mixed age groupings during play and that in educational settings, this will result in a more peer-supportive and collaborative environment.

While the Leaves Class supports key developmental and cognitive pursuits, there are two significant overarching elements introduced and practiced in the curriculum.

The first is in the area of social and emotional development. As cooperative and rule-governed play come to the fore in this age grouping, the routines, the classroom activities and materials, as well as the parent training, center on helping the children make positive peer connections. We introduce and practice social language (including body language) and develop conflict resolution skills. Flexibility and kindness become the watchwords, and adults work to recognize and support the emergence of these characteristics.

The second overarching curricular element concerns self-regulation, or self-directed behavior.  Self-regulation is a key component in developing social skills and the characteristics needed to be part of a community of learners. Adults model appropriate behavior sequences and expected classroom pursuits. Social dramatic play is planned and structured to help children explore and practice a range of problem-solving skills.

The Leaves class also begins an enriched conversation with art materials (visual expression) and dramatic play (expression of language and ideas).

Developmentally, the Leaves would like to pursue art in a very concrete manner. Children may become discouraged about the art experience, unable to reconcile their fine motor skills with their vision of “what it should be.” To smooth out this possible disparity, art experiences are first planned to expose children to technique and use of materials. Collage, patterning, and color use are all introduced as expressions that have results these children sense and appreciate.

In dramatic play, we find a rich tapestry of “problems solved.” The Leaves children begin to explore imaginary play, stepping into worlds of their own creation, and playing roles of their own design. They begin the year with “familiar” roles of mother, doctor, or train conductor, matching these characters with predictable scenarios. As the year progresses, the teacher introduces alternative scenarios to explore as well as problems to solve, and the children rise to the challenge. The “pretend I am . . .” becomes more intricate, and the vocabulary and language of imaginary play, so important to literacy development, becomes rich and enveloping.

The children attend three days per week. Each day includes opportunities for classroom socializing and play, circle time, story time, snack and outdoor play. Children record journals once a week with a co-oping parent. On Mondays, the children visit the Project Center for art and art-related experiences. On alternating Tuesdays, the music or movement teacher works with the children. Wednesdays are devoted to the pursuit of social dramatic play.

There are two parent conferences.  The first is a parent-teacher conference scheduled in the Fall, in which the teacher reviews developmental milestones, presents observations regarding the child’s strengths and development, and discusses goals and recommendations specific for the child. The second conference, scheduled toward the end of the year, is a portfolio review to which the entire family is invited. The child presents her/his family with the year’s collected artwork, drawings, and journal; the teacher also provides formal written observations and photographs of the child in action.

Links:
Bugs Class
Tracks Class