Private Kindergarten

As your child enters the private kindergarten program at ImagiNation Learning Center, you will notice a shift in philosophy.  The Kindergarten Learner is very industrial.  There is a strong focus on refining previously developed skills, achieving new levels of understanding, and creating tangible evidence of the learning process.  Your child's teacher will become the Project Leader as she guides your kindergartener through a series of challenging yet achievable activities.  You will witness his instinctive desire to acquire knowledge; and a growing pride in personal achievements.

Reading:
As letters and words evolve into sentences and paragraphs, it is vital to create an understanding of the basic rules of print.  We use the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL's) for kindergarten AND first grade as well as the 2009 edition of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt "Journey's" curriculum to create a well rounded foundation for reading.  Understanding and applying knowledge on how print is organized and read, learning that print makes sense, and developing/applying the basic phonetic principles needed to read and spell - these are the primary goals of our reading curriculum. 

Writing:
One more way to communicate!  Kindergartener's are excited as they begin to leave their "marks" on the world around them.  The Virginia SOL's and the Journey's curriculum continue to guide us as kindergartener's begin to write.  Printing upper and lower case letters independently, writing to communicate ideas; exploring technology for writing (computer skills); printing legibly and confidently are the building blocks for strong writing skills.  

Listening:
It's a two way street! The student will build oral communication skills throughout the year.  Many opportunities are provided to initiate and participate in conversations with peers and adults.  Listening and speaking vocabularies are enhanced as kindergarteners use number and descriptive words, give and follow two-step directions, and begin to ask how and why questions.  The flip chart component of our Journey's curriculum exposes the children to a wide variety of literary forms.  Stories, poems, rhymes, songs, and dramatic performances abound!

Math:
It all adds up!  Kindergarteners are exposed to a variety of math concepts this year, however the most critical concept is counting.  The VA SOL's for kindergarten AND first grade as well as the Math Expressions 2011 curriculum provide many hands-on opportunities for children to develop an abstract understanding of the concrete objects in the world around them.  Counting and writing from 1-100, grouping collections of objects into 10's and 1's, telling time to the hour and half-hour, and recognizing the value of money are some of the key concepts for ImagiNation Learning Center Math.

Science:
The scientific method and investigational process become a more formal technique as your kindergartener becomes an active participant in the discovery of the world around her.  Throughout the year your child will learn to describe basic characteristics, classify objects, develop questions, record data, and make predictions.  Some of the topics we will explore are: Animal Habitats, The Five Senses, Magnets, Weather, and Scientific Tools.

History:
The primary characteristic of our History curriculum is "A First Look at the Events and People of Other Times and Places".  In addition, each student will develop an understanding of maps, globes, and symbols as he examines his own community and applies that knowledge to the history of our nation.  We will learn about Powhatan, George Washington, The Statue of Liberty, Historical Holidays, Community & Careers, and much, much more!

Art:
This year, your creative kindergartener will be able to express what he has learned in other subject areas through assorted arts, crafts, and projects.  Long term and group activities are introduced as a new and exciting way to create!  As your child's capability increases, more and more complex materials and methods become available. Clay, weaving, beads, and papier-mâché are all new experiences for the more sophisticated artist!

Citizenship:
Being a good citizen involves knowing your rights and responsibilities among your peers and within your community.  At ImagiNation Learning Center, the kindergarten teacher guides each child as he begins to learn more about how his actions impact others.  The Virginia SOL's for History and Social Science target the following areas and are practiced each day:  Taking turns and sharing, becoming responsible for classroom chores, following rules and understanding consequences, and participating in the decision-making process.