Fish Class

“Play is the work of children. It’s serious stuff and if it’s properly structured in a developmental program, children can blossom.” – Bob Keeshan a.k.a. “Captain Kangaroo” Children’s TV Show 1955 -1984

This class serves our older threes and our four-year-olds.

This age can be a bit of a roller coaster time for many preschoolers. It can be a challenging time filled with emotional ups and downs. These children are starting to be ready for more emotional independence, but this can change rapidly. It is the goal of the teachers assigned to the Fish Class to provide an interesting, exciting and most of all a loving atmosphere.

INDEPENDENCE AND SELF ESTEEM

Throughout the day, the children are encouraged to experiment without serious risk. All of the teachers strive to make the Fish Class a place to which the children will look forward to coming.  The Fish Class is an environment in which the children learn by playing, pretending and interacting with others. The atmosphere is one that fosters independence and self-esteem. It is where children are made to feel important while developing respect for their peers.

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The children are given choices and under the guidance of the teachers, they learn caring and cooperation.  Fish children are brought along in their social and emotional development, by being encouraged to support one another, resolve problems by listening and negotiating. As in all of our CRCC classes, self-expression, empowerment and confidence building are stressed and very much encouraged.

COGNITIVE AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

To promote cognitive and language development, the curriculum of the Fish Classroom utilizes activities such as singing, finger plays, storytelling, small group projects, and dramatic play. Each child’s language development progresses on an individual schedule, but all of the children are encouraged to learn new words and are offered many opportunities to foster the development of their language.

MOTOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT

Motor development is an important part of the Fish Class experience. As much time as possible is spent outdoors in organized games that involve climbing, running, building, and just plain staying active.  Inside activities that support small motor development are art projects, using scissors, paints, markers, the sensory table, play dough, and puzzles.

SELF-HELP SKILLS

To encourage the development of self-help skills, the children are expected to be responsible for their belongings such as lunch boxes, backpacks, jackets, and other personal items. Cleaning up after activities and having the children “do for themselves” is stressed by all of the teachers in the Fish Class.

PROGRAM GOALS

When a child has completed a year or so in the Fish Class he or she should be emotionally ready.  They should be better able to express their feelings, ready for interactive play, have basic problem-solving techniques, and possess the self-help skills required to succeed and flourish in the next phase of their preschool experience.