Twin Spring Farm Day School and Day Camp - Classes: Toddler

TSF Toddler Center One and Walking through two years and eight months

Discovery: Twin Spring Farm recognizes the “toddler child as a time of discovery.” One and two year olds are beginning their forays into becoming increasing more mobile. They are aware of themselves and their surroundings. We create an environment where they can explore new objects, develop language and reach developmental milestones.

Our program fosters fine and gross motor skills, sensory play, social, emotional and cognitive growth.

Nursery Two & Three year olds

A Gentle Transition: Our Pre-Nursery/Nursery program is designed to be a gentle transition from home to school. The children gradually gain the level of comfort required to separate from their parents without the anxiety often associated with the first preschool experience.

Development: The children are particularly sensitive to language development, sensorial stimuli, and movement at this age so their environment is prepared to maximize language and sensory-motor experiences. Here they are able to develop physical coordination, enjoy music and rhythm exploration, and learn in a total way, involving their whole bodies. By working with the children’s natural tendencies we show them that we respect their childhood, thus encouraging them to enjoy learning.

A Rich Environment: Because this time of life is when the logical-mathematical mind begins to emerge, a portion of the indoor learning environment is set aside for exploration of sensorial and practical life materials. All of the materials are designed to aid the children in developing independence, concentration, and a sense of order. The Pre-Nursery/Nursery teachers are specialists in the child at this stage of development. They are able to gently guide the children into becoming a community of healthy, active learners.
Both the indoor and outdoor environments are rich in language experiences. Children’s literature is always available to the children for their own exploration, as well as with the teachers. Oral language development is encouraged through social interactions as well as through songs and rhymes introduced by the teacher and the music specialist.

The Pre-Nursery program is available 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM, two days a week (Tuesday and Thursday) and the Nursery Program is available three or five days (9:00 AM to 1:00 PM) 3 or 5 full days. Because a small group size is necessary, space is limited

Transitional Kindergarten Four & Five year olds

Children go through stages of development as they come to understand and to know themselves and the world around them. These stages serve as general guidelines and not as fixed boundaries. Twin Spring Farm Day School builds upon not only students' abilities, but also upon their interests, experiences and background knowledge. Twin Spring Farm Day School recognizes that growth and learning are continuous processes and each individual child is worthy of respect and encouragement.

Confidence: Our Transitional Kindergarten program helps children develop confidence in themselves and their ability to learn. Children at this level are encouraged to demonstrate curiosity and the ability to focus their attention while remaining true to their individual natures, being free to develop to their own potential.

Communication and Literacy: During the Transitional Kindergarten years, children’s experiences with communication and literacy begin to form the basis for their later school success. Children at Twin Spring Farm Day School are given numerous opportunities to interact with responsive adults and peers in language and print-rich environments. Children develop vocabulary, extended language skills, and knowledge of the world around them. They develop listening comprehension and phonological awareness; understanding of the everyday functions of print; motivation to read; appreciation for literary forms; and print awareness and letter knowledge. They learn what books are and how to use them. We foster a love of reading and build future successful students by developing an understanding of the value of literacy as a means of communication. These language and literacy accomplishments are best achieved through activities that are integrated across different developmental areas: cognitive development, fine and gross motor development, and social and emotional development.

Mathematics: The Twin Spring Farm Day School Mathematics program for Transitional Kindergarten builds on children’s curiosity and enthusiasm, and challenges children to explore ideas about patterns and relationships, order and predictability, and logic and meaning. Consequently, quality instruction occurs in environments that are rich in language, encourage children’s thinking, and nurture children’s explorations and ideas. These ideas include the concepts of number pattern, measurement, shape, space, and classification.

The Transitional Kindergarten is available five half days (with combination full days) or five full days)

Pre-First For the child who is ready for more than Kindergarten ( Five & Six year olds)

Twin Spring Farm Day School’s unique, hands-on Pre-first program is designed for the child who requires a challenge beyond traditional Kindergarten programs. It is a distinctive option for children who are ready for more than Kindergarten. It is an introduction to first grade without being in first grade.

Reading and Language Arts: The Reading/Language Arts program is integrated into all aspects of the curriculum. Concepts and skills are continually practiced and expanded. Students are challenged through a multi-sensory approach to learning that gradually gives way to more abstract ways of learning. The curriculum revolves around the receptive language activities of reading and listening and the expressive activities of speaking and writing. Phonics, creative writing, poetry, and drama build a foundation for confident and skilled reading. The children are encouraged to connect their reading with their writing and they are presented with numerous opportunities to express themselves by writing stories, lists, summaries, opinions, poems, and descriptions.

Mathematics: Planned Math experiences foster the development of mathematical concepts including number, addition, subtraction, graphing, money, time, and geometry. In addition, informal reinforcement occurs during the school day as the children participate in other daily activities. Many materials used are manipulative in nature and many have a game-like quality. As the students mature, more symbolic and abstract mathematical concepts, often embodied in word problems and real-life situations, are introduced and practiced.

Social Studies: The Social Studies curriculum promotes an understanding of self and an awareness of others that is integrated into all aspects of the program (family, school, community, and the world). Children are encouraged to develop a sense of respect and empathy for other cultures, traditions, and times through the use of multi-cultural experiences. Plays, literature, themes, and field trips all promote these goals.

Science: The Pre-First Science program seeks to stimulate intellectual curiosity and to develop a sense of wonder in each child. Our Science specialists use a hands-on approach to enhance the students' understanding of scientific concepts. In the Science Lab, activities promote questioning, discovering, and learning. Exploratory work encourages students to construct, test, probe, experiment, observe, and manipulate materials. Concepts in Life Science, Physical Science, Earth Science, and Chemistry are coordinated with classroom activities and themes.

The Pre-first program is available 5 full days.

Elementary Grades One through Six

The elementary program is a uniquely personal and dynamic educational environment. Students are viewed as individuals and programs are designed to meet their needs, according to their level of development. Each curricular area is broken down into a series of sequential lessons and materials which gradually move children from the concrete realm to abstraction, along with fostering self-reliance and self-confidence. Our curriculum is rich in accountability and assessment. The elementary curriculum is designed to integrate skills and disciplines to make learning more meaningful, holistic and engaging.

Reading/ Language Arts/ Writing: The reading/language arts/ writing curriculum encompasses a comprehensive balanced literacy approach to instruction. The Pennsylvania Standards of Learning objectives are taught and reinforced using reading and writing researched-based instructional strategies. Skill areas of focus include: Phonics, Vocabulary Development, Reading Comprehension, Literature, Writing, Grammar, Mechanics, Speaking, Listening and Spelling. Emphasis is placed on literacy connections across the elementary curriculum.

Mathematics: The mathematics curriculum includes six strands that are aligned with the Pennsylvania Math Standards of Learning objectives: Number and Number Sense, Computation and Estimation, Measurement, Geometry, Probability and Statistics, and Patterns, Functions and Algebra. There is a strong emphasis on problem solving in the mathematics program. Mathematical skills are integrated as much as possible throughout all content areas. The Kumon Mathematics program focuses on computational skills, which gives students an unparalleled grasp of the "basics."

Science: The science curriculum offers many opportunities for students to participate in scientific investigations. Hands-on activities in the science lab are used to reinforce the Pennsylvania Science Standards of Learning. Areas of focus include: observing, asking questions, sequencing, measuring, classifying, comparing, inferring, recording information and using materials safely. All students participate in the annual Science fair to demonstrate scientific investigation.

Social Studies: The social studies curriculum includes Pennsylvania History / Social Science Standards of Learning objectives. The areas of focus include history, geography, civics and economics. The overall goal is to prepare students for informed and responsible citizenship.

Specials Computer/ Technology, Foreign Language, Music and Physical Education are instructed by our certified specialists.

Art: The elementary art curriculum helps students understand how media, technique and process are used to create works of art; how art works are structured; how art has a variety of functions; how to identify, analyze and select subject matter, symbols and ideas for personal/cultural expression, how historical and cultural contexts provide meaning for works of art, and how to assess the merits of their own artwork and the artwork of others.

Music: The music program focuses on making music, and listening to, and responding to, music others have produced. Students sing, play instruments, move and create music. They learn to read music, and analyze and evaluate the music of others. All students participate in annual holiday and spring concerts. Individualized Suzuki piano lessons are optional.

Physical Education: Physical education is based on learning basic movements and skills, and refining these movements and skills into specific activities. Skills include locomotor movement, non-locomotor movement, perceptual movement and manipulatives. The movements and skills are incorporated into game situations. Examples of the core units are basketball, bowling, floor hockey, tumbling and gymnastics, soccer, touch/flag football, track and field, and fitness.

Foreign Language: Students receive Spanish instruction from a specialty teacher. Vocabulary, grammar, conversational speech and Mexican and Hispanic cultures are explored through fun, engaging, and interactive instruction.

Library Education: Twin Spring Farm is a beginning library experience with elementary classes attending the Montgomery County Library for lessons in literature, research and fostering a love of reading. All students are required to have their own library card.

Computer/ Technology: Twin Spring Farm Day School’s Computer and Technology education focuses on integrating educational technologies (such as computer software, CD-ROM and telecommunications) into all areas of the curriculum. The intent is for technology to become part of daily instruction, and for students to develop skills in word processing, database, telecommunications, desktop publishing, graphics and multimedia. Students are assigned individual personal computer devices (Alphasmart Danas and Neos) for the classroom and home use. Interactive whiteboards are used.

Classes: Toddler - Elementary