Barrel of Monkeys Academy: Programs

                                                Programs

       WILL MY CHILD BE READY FOR SCHOOL?
         This is What Your Child Learns in Barrel of Monkeys Academy.

Our Curriculum Overview
Barrel of Monkeys uses a developmental approach to curriculum and program management
based on a knowledge of growth sequences and current child care research. This approach
is implemented according to the individual developmental levels and interests of each child as
assessed by the Barrel of Monkeys staff.

Our mission is to provide a developmentally progressive learning facility focused on a quality
environment and education for children. A child’s education is one of the most important
decisions a parent can make. Quality education gives a child a chance for a brighter future.

The Infant program follows a “demand” schedule in which children eat, sleep and play
according to their own patterns. Simple activities are scheduled according to developmental
age to encourage attachment, vocalization, eye-hand coordination, etc. These activities are
assisted by the primary caregivers as they monitor each child’s developmental progress.

As the children grow and develop, the classroom schedule and learning environment
becomes more complex. Activities are organized into age-appropriate units. Unit topics range
from dinosaurs, space, weather, geography and many more. The unit theme provides the
vehicle for introducing language, math and science concepts. Related classroom activities
provide opportunities to share, explore, interact with others, and learn responsibility.

Our planned learning activities are designed to be concrete, real, and directly relevant to
young children. In addition, written exercises, longer adult directed activities, and learning
materials such as workbooks with more abstract symbols will be gradually introduced to
children during the year as the children show increasing ability to learn from these
abstractions. Chronological age does not limit the range of activities provided for children.
Activities are designed to offer appropriate challenges for each child.

Language and Literacy Skills
During their earliest years, children's experiences with communication literacy begin to form
the basis for academic success. At Barrel of Monkeys Academy, young children are given
opportunities to interact with responsible adults and peers in language and print enriched
environments which help them develop vocabulary and gain knowledge of the world around
them.

Children learn to value literacy as a means of communication and come to enjoy reading.
These characteristics are accomplishments typical of a successful student.
The following are a few of the ways in which we promote literacy learning:

1. CIRCLE TIME: children enjoy listening to and responding to books; listen to and engage in
exchanges of conversation; are exposed to rhymes and rhyming sounds through books and
music.

2. ART AREA: children begin to identify shapes, gradually associate the names of letters with
shapes; label their creative works with letters of their name; learn how to hold pencils and
other utensils properly by exercising the fine muscles and bones in their hands; experiment
with a variety of tools.

3. BOOKS: Children are exposed to a variety of literature at all times to help instill an
appreciation for books and illustrations and to teach children that printed words carry a
message. Books are used to familiarize them with the basic convention of reading from left to
right and from top to bottom. Children are encouraged to associate reading with pleasure
and enjoyment, creating motivated readers. At BMA, we read twice a day to our students. We
encourage them to read to themselves and to read out loud.

Mathematics
Mathematics learning builds on children's curiosity and enthusiasm, and challenges children
to explore ideas about patterns and relationships, order and predictability, and logic and
reading. Consequently, quality instruction occurs in environments that are rich in language,
encourage children's thinking, and nurture children's explorations and ideas. We promote
mathematics learning in the following ways:

1. With puzzles and blocks, children are guided to discover many concepts including spatial
relations, measurement and size, volume and weight; teachers extend the children's
experiences by helping them identify and name the concepts they discover.

2. By using table toys and building materials such as Legos, children learn to create and
identify patterns, explore 3-dimensional perspectives, and exercise many levels of problem
solving abilities; objects are arranged by size, sorted and categorized by differences and
similarities, teaching comparative values (e.g., larger than).

3. Teachers create many opportunities throughout the day for children to practice counting
skills: group games, routine times such as setting the table for lunch, dividing toys to be
shared, and singing "counting" songs are just a few examples. Music is additionally valuable
in acquiring meaningful concepts of pattern, the first step in algebraic thinking.

4. Through cooking activities, children learn to work with measurements, to follow directions
and come to understand the importance of following a sequence of steps.

Geography
Children us the process of learning were things are to develop a sense of self in their world.
Children like to discover the vast array of difference in our world. Some of the ways we
encourage children to discover the world around them is:

1. We reference a globe or map to locate our Continent.

2. We learn about different cultures and adventurous places around the world. This helps
children to experience the world around us.

3. We play and experience similar environments around the world. We play with sand to see
what the desert would be like, we visit the rain forest exhibit to understand what a jungle
would feel and look like. We continue to explorer through other hand and eye functions. We
will adopt a pet fish in the class to better understand the sea life and we will name our fish.

Science
Children use the processes of science to develop an understanding about their world. Young
children use their senses to gather information. They learn by participating in simple
investigations (for example, adding water to a dried up sponge) and then thinking about it and
finally discussing what happened. Some of the ways in which we encouraged children to
master these skills:

1. Teachers implement "open ended" questions (questions which require more than a yes/no
response) to enhance critical thinking skills in all settings throughout the day.

2. Children are asked to predict what happens next (in a story, in stacking blocks, etc.); this
is the beginning stage of developing and testing a hypothesis.

3. Teacher guided science activities help children learn how to handle simple tools of
science, such as a magnifying lens and magnets, and how to describe observations.

4. Outdoor play is rich in opportunities for children to use their senses to gain knowledge of
the natural world, living things, cycles, change, and patterns.

5. Indoor and Outdoor Gardening, helps children to understand cause and effect. This will
also lead to them know and understanding what makes flowers and the grass grow.

Social Competencies
Young children learn personal and social skills that enable them to function well within the
social setting of the classroom. Children develop a sense of who they are and their
capabilities, identify and internalize character values and social courtesies, and establish
positive relationships with others, which enable them to effectively participate in class and
community and accomplish meaningful tasks. We teach these competencies to children
through:

1. Pretend play allows the children to experience different perspectives and contributes to
the ability to empathize; they develop friendships; and they begin to share and cooperate with
others in-group activities.

2. Teachers help children to become increasingly responsible for their own behavior and
actions by guiding them in alternatives for conflict resolution; through use of character
building activities which install respect for self and others; and through teaching them to care
for toys and participating in classroom jobs.

3. At circle time, children learn to take turns listening and speaking; in addition, they develop
an understanding of community and similarities/differences among peoples.

Music and Fine Arts
Young children express their ideas, thoughts, and feelings using a variety of symbols. The
fine arts enhance children's ability to interpret symbols and are associated with growth in all
areas of development, including academic learning. Children in our program experience the
fine arts through:

1. In the art area, they explore a wide variety of materials and make discoveries about color,
shape, and texture. They learn to use art as self-expression, begin to gain control of fine
motor muscles and practice hand-eye coordination, both critical to writing skills and important
precursors to reading.

2.Through singing songs, listening to music, dancing, and playing instruments, the children
come to understand that music is a form of communication with others; they enhance their
memorization skills; and they learn to express individual thoughts and personalities by
creating songs and movement.

Please note, these are just the primary examples of teaching interactions and learning
situations that take place in our classrooms; every activity conveys meaning and every child-
teacher interaction is considered a "teachable moment."