Educational Methodology and Instructional Philosophy of Our Savior Preschool
Our Savior Preschool is dedicated to the spiritual, emotional, and intellectual development of each, individual child.
The most impressionable and formative years in a child’s life are the ages of birth through five years. This is why we at Our Savior take our jobs so seriously. We have a dedicated, Christian staff that models, teaches and fully integrates Christian values into a challenging, academic curriculum.
Our teaching approach uses the methodology and best teaching practices developed by Dr. George Morrison, Chair of the Velma Schmidt Early Childhood Program at The University of North Texas. Dr. Morrison, retired Professor of Early Childhood at the University of North Texas, is the author of Early Childhood Education textbooks used in prestigious universities across the United States.
http://faculty.coe.unt.edu/george-morrison/publications
Success for Life Practices include:
Staff ‘s being positive Christian role models for children and others
Modeling teaching and learning strategies for the children
- Utilizing intentional, objective-based teaching and instruction (Teaches to the Texas Pre-K Guidelines, the Essential knowledge and skills needed in Kindergarten, using a developmentally appropriate continuum.)
- Using continuous systematic assessment to determine what is developmentally appropriate for each child
- Creating an environment that is healthy, respectful, supportive, challenging, enriched and spiritually conducive to optimum development
- Supporting critical thinking through involving children in problem-solving
- Utilizing an interactive and “hands-on” teaching approach
- Supporting literacy development through:
Oral Reading
Shared reading
Shared writing
Journaling
- Supporting math and science through “hands-on” instruction
- Providing for spiritual development by modeling and teaching Christian values and teaching and applying Bible curriculum
- Collaborating with preschool specialists, colleagues, families and community leaders to provide enrichment for classroom learning
Special Classes:
- Spanish
- Computer
- Chapel
- Music (integrated in the classroom)
Our Savior Preschool uses Scholastic Letter People, True Way Kids Bible Curriculum, Math, their Way, Handwriting without Tears, The High Reach Curriculum, Scholastic Lets Find Out Science and Social Studies Series, Singapore Math program, Flyleaf Emergent Reading series, and other academic sources to enrich the academic curriculum. ABC, Jesus Loves Me and True Way Bible curricula are used to reinforce the Bible story discussed each day and to integrate Christian values.
We are also committed to teaching the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills needed to be academically successful at each age level published by the Texas Education Agency for toddlers, prekindergarten, transitional kindergarten and kindergarten. These are the state standards that specify what students should know and what they should be able to do at each corresponding stage of development. In addition, teachers often search other sources to enrich our curriculum ideas so that we can teach these important academic, emotional, and social learning skills in new and different ways.