Collegiate has long emphasized a developmental approach to early childhood education. Individualized programs are taught by loving, nurturing teachers. In Montessori, traditional preschool, and kindergarten, Collegiate makes school a warm, wonderful place to learn and to grow. Children enjoy these early years at Wichita Collegiate School.
Built into the Collegiate Early Childhood curriculum are activities which complement and extend the more formal aspects of instruction. Music, Physical Education, and Library are an integral part of each day. Field trips are a regular part of the curriculum. Visits to museums, zoos, and nature trails enrich the day-to-day lessons of the classrooms.
Collegiate Preschool
Wichita Collegiate School has long been a leader in early childhood education. Collegiate is now in its second decade of emphasis on the developmental approach to helping children learn. Our preschool teachers teach young children skills and attitudes for a lifetime. Youngsters follow their own unique patterns of growth and maturation and, consequently, we build our instruction around each child's specific needs, interests, and learning style.
Collegiate preschool develops children's social, cognitive, and language skills; encourages their creativity and their physical coordination; and nurtures their emotional development.
Teachers at Collegiate's preschool are loving guides to learning. They create an environment of respect, trust, and affection. Collegiate is a place where all children can learn something every minute of every school day.
We also reserve time for simple play at Collegiate. These times for being a kid are times for interaction with other children, times to learn sharing, tolerance, and independence.
For more information about our learning programs or to schedule a visit to an early childhood classroom, please call Becky O'Hearn, Head of Early Childhood at 316-771-2204.
Kindergarten
The kindergarten program at Wichita Collegiate School offers classes following both traditional and Montessori philosophies. The stimulating educational environment encourages children to explore new concepts and ideas within a developmentally appropriate and integrated curriculum. The development of respect, inner discipline, and self-direction are important objectives. Both group and individualized instruction are used to help each child develop social and cognitive skills. Students have the opportunity to work in some of the finest equipped kindergarten classrooms in Kansas.
Kindergarten Curriculum
Language Arts
Phonics
Preparation for reading
Listening
Oral Communication
Mathematics
Visual discrimination
Number and number theory
Measurement
Introduction to geometry
Social Studies
School
Family
Safety
Holidays
Community helpers
Geography and cultures
Science
Earth and space
Life science
Physical science
Music
Basic Elements
Singing
Movement
Imaginative playing & instrument playing
Active listening
High Function Elements
Reading notation
Writing notation
Creating music
Art
Self expression
Appreciation
Drawing
Painting
Design
Sculpture
Physical Education
Motor skills
Motor fitness
Health related fitness
Sportsmanship
Montessori Primary
The Montessori Primary program has a carefully planned environment created according to Montessori principles and designed to cultivate and nurture each child's natural desire to learn. Montessori philosophy is founded on self-development and individual potential, independence, and respect for oneself and others. The manipulative, concrete materials in the classroom enable each child to work at tasks which are developmentally appropriate. Under close guidance, each child is able to select his own work according to his interest and sensitivity. Opportunities are provided to develop concentration, coordination, independence, order, and the five senses, as well as language and math skills.
The Practical Life area of the Montessori Primary uses the materials involved in the care of the person and his/her environment. These active exercises help to develop attention span, responsibility, thought sequencing, and good work habits. Indirectly, these exercises provide preparation for language development and writing. Examples of Practical Life activities include pouring, washing, dusting, polishing, and dressing exercises.
The Sensorial area is designed to work with the child's developing awareness of his/her senses. The manipulation of these unique materials helps the child begin to classify, categorize, and organize his or her thoughts. These concrete exercises also aid in the preparation for mathematical and language development. Examples of these activities are sound cylinders, sorting exercises, color tablets, cubes and cylinders of graduated sizes, and scent bottles.
In the Language area of our classroom, the main emphasis is on phonics. This includes learning the sounds of the letters as well as their names and understanding how they make up words. Other activities include matching games, writing exercises, word building, and individualized reading.
The Mathematical area of the Montessori Primary concentrates on understanding basic numerical skills and concepts. The exercises consist of manipulative materials designed to be appealing and interesting to the child. The areas covered are symbol recognition, quantity-symbol relationships, numeration, and the Decimal System.
Rounding out the curriculum, the Montessori Primary offers many opportunities for cultural growth and enrichment. Art, music and geography, as well as a variety of science experiments, are provided through special discovery activities within the classroom. The Montessori Primary directs a child's natural activity toward participative learning. In this educational environment, each child receives the care and nurturing required to assist him/her to grow and develop towards his/her full potential.
