Curriculum and Personalized Lessons
We respect and support the uniqueness of each child by carefully planning and personalizing lessons at our Northampton preschool based on observation taking into consideration the individual needs, development, learning styles and interests of each child.
The lessons are introduced in a concrete way and are re-introduced at increased levels of abstraction and complexity as the child matures.
Lessons promote good work habits, personal empowerment and independent learning.
Bright Beginnings Northampton preschool curriculum is based on Montessori principles and it is aligned with the Pennsylvania Learning Standards for early Childhood.
Our curriculum is organized into a spiral of integrated studies using thematic approach that ties in the separate disciplines of the curriculum together.
Curriculum core areas
Practical Life (Everyday life skills)
The Practical Life area of the classroom, provide children with opportunities to practice and eventually master skills needed to become independent and self-sufficient. Unlike some other preschools in the Northampton area, this independence is a core part of our curriculum at Bright Beginnings and will give your child the confidence to thrive not only in the classroom but in everyday life. Exercises in practical life includes fundamental skills, care of self, care of the environment, food preparation and lessons in social grace and courtesy. The exercises in practical life serve as a foundation to the rest of our classroom learning areas.
Sensory awareness exercises
The sensorial materials are specifically designed to help children organize and categorize the information they gain through their senses. Our children explore different sizes, textures, colors, sounds, smells, tastes, weight and temperature. These sensorial experiences prepare them for language, math, science and other learning areas of the curriculum.
Language Arts
Children begin to work with pre-reading activities that encourage vocabulary development, auditory/visual discrimination and concept development. The natural progression encouraged by our Northampton preschool lessons leads to sound/symbol recognition, word building, reading short words, reading sentences and eventually reading age/developmentally appropriate books. In Montessori, children learn the sounds of each letter before they learn the names of each letter. Our children use sandpaper letters to learn the sounds of each letter and use various materials to practice correct letter formation. They advance to the movable alphabet as they begin to build words and sentences. The Language Arts activities include vocabulary enrichment, reading, literature, grammar, creative writing, spelling, and handwriting.
Mathematics
The Math area provides children with opportunities to learn valuable skills as children work with quantities and symbols, rote counting, linear counting, skip counting and progress to simple addition, multiplication, subtraction and division. Our children work with “the bank” as it provides many opportunities to learn the decimal system, hierarchies and games/extensions to reinforce simple concepts in a fun way.
Core Curriculum /Integrated Studies also includes the following areas:
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Biology, Botany and Zoology
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Geography
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History
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Cultural Studies
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Art appreciation/Art History
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Music and Movement/Music appreciation
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History
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Physical Education/yoga
Assessing progress
We do not use standardized tests to evaluate progress. If you are looking for a preschool in Northampton with a curriculum personalized for each child, Bright Beginning is the perfect place for your child. We observe each child, set individual goals, and plan lessons to help meet those goals. We work one-on-one with each child and check for progress by playing games or giving a three period lesson. The lessons are modified and re-presented if necessary. As each child meet their goals, new goals are set to help him/her move along.
Spanish immersion program
We have implemented a Spanish immersion program curriculum at our Northampton preschool and use interactive lessons throughout the day that introduces new vocabulary through the use of games, stories, songs, poems and activities. Our students are encouraged and challenged to learn and use new words in conversation rather than memorization. The practice of a simple Spanish conversation help children by reinforcing and refining proficiency in their listening and vocabulary skills first, followed by reading and writing skills later on, providing the foundation for the acquisition of a second language.
