BRiDGES Kindergarten is an awesome private school experience for your child!
Knowing that Kindergarten is one of the most formative years in a child’s educational career, more and more parents are seeking a private school alternative for their children. Scientists are telling us what we parents have known intuitively for years: Children learn best when they are “doing”. Meaningful experiences record knowledge in long term memory. A wide variety of knowledge connects dendrites in the brain and new information can only attach itself to something familiar that has already been experienced.
BRiDGES follows all of the state standards for Kindergarten and then some. We do it in a way that is conducive to the way children learn best. Here, they will use their minds, voice and senses to learn. A structured, hands on approach to reading, mathematics, science, writing, art, health, music, foreign language, socialization and responsibility are respectfully taught in a developmentally appropriate classroom by Early Childhood educators. With so many public school changes in kindergarten in AZ, quality private school kindergarten is an increasingly popular choice for your child. State cut-backs do NOT affect your child’s opportunity to receive a quality, well-rounded kindergarten experience at BRiDGES.
Curriculum
Reading is individualized based on each child’s level of development. Quality children’s literature is a rich part of our Kindergarten Curriculum. The children have both reading time and story time every day.
Writing journals, (plus science journals) offer a treasury of the children’s drawings and writing development. The work in their journals is date stamped to show their progress over time.
Mathematics is taught through hands on, concrete activities, a wide variety of math manipulatives and music, as well as practical math lessons.
A qualified music teacher visits the classroom each week to enrich the children with the art of music.
Dramatic play is encouraged through a variety of rotating dramatic play centers including a doctor’s office, fire department, grocery store, bakery/café, etc.
Children are introduced to the world of fine arts by discussing the work of some of the greatest artists in history, including Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh and Michelangelo. Kindergarteners also get to try their hand at creating great masterpieces of their own. A variety of mediums are explored including pastels, paint, clay, etc. Art exploration at the kindergarten level is now only available in a private school setting.
Science exploration is a regular part of our Kindergarten curriculum. A full classroom science center is utilized as well as regularly scheduled science experiments, cooking projects and gardening activities.
Primary Spanish and Sign Language is continually taught throughout the school year.
Physical education is part of the weekly curriculum, taking place within the classroom or on our Adventure Playground.
Special Projects
BRiDGES Kindergarteners do a special project each year to leave their legacy for the children to come. Some of these projects to date have included:
Constructing a “hand printed” cobblestone island in the center of the playground creek.
Completely planning and constructing a “Desert Botanical Kinder-garden” while studying the Sonoran Desert from A-Z.
Designing and creating mosaic cobblestone art to line the ground around the fountain in the school share garden.
Planting a small “reading orchard,” complete with grass and grape vines.
Hand painting and constructing terra-cotta planters, plus a homemade bird bath and feeder for the school bird and butterfly habitat.