A day in the life…
- Arrival
- Exploration Time: this is a time for children to transition into the classroom and have time to acclimate to their space. Open ended materials and manipulatives are out around the classroom for exploration. The classroom is abuzz with children building, creating, imagining, examining, observing, pursuing old discoveries and making new ones. At times children are working with teachers, at times by themselves, and at times in small groups.
- Morning Meeting: all children, even our youngest ones, engage in a form of morning meeting. This is a time for the classroom community to come together and welcome each other.
- Snack: All children take responsibility during this time as they set up for snack and clean up from snack. Social skills, such as asking a friend to pass a napkin or a plate, and saying please and thank you, are also reinforced.
- Outside Play: The children play outside every day, weather permitting, almost every day where they enjoy being outside with their friends and teachers, and have the opportunity to build on their gross motor skills.
- Structured Activity: Since curriculum is constructed around students’ interest, these activities will look different each day.
- Center Time: All centers in the classroom are open – dramatic play, art, science, manipulatives, library, blocks, etc. Children can choose their area of interest and engage in open-ended play with their peers.
- Lunch (older children only): Our older children have lunch at school every day. At Gan Henel we view lunch as a social curriculum, as it is a time for teachers to reinforce skills such as articulating complete sentences to ask for something, using polite language around the table, and considering appropriate table manners.
- Rest (older children only): At this point in the day children have the option of taking a rest in their place of choice within the classroom.
- Specialties (throughout the week): Hebrew Immersion, gymanstics, music and movement, Parsha Town & Shabbat Parties (see our “enrichment” section for more details).
- Shabbat (celebrated every Thursday/Friday): A special part of the week at Gan Henel, when students make challah to bring home for Shabbat, and families come visit when it is their child’s turn to be the “Ima” (mother) or “Aba” (father).
- Dismissal