University Avenue Discovery Center
1609 University Avenue
Madison, WI 53726
608.233.5371

Preschool

Our preschool classes are for children aged 2 years 9 months to 4 years old. Young children are capable of amazing feats of learning! Even very young children can understand some underlying concepts of scientific knowledge, mathematics, literacy, and the arts. It’s all about presenting it to them in a way they can connect to and grow with. 
For this reason the room is set up in centers that focus on different curriculum areas such as science, math, literacy, art, dramatic play, musical instruments, and small manipulatives (such as legos and blocks). Children explore these areas during free play time and teachers use them as a resource for group lessons.

Teacher-directed times are broken up each day with free play time so that children have time to make their own choices and refocus before the next teacher-directed activity. In the morning we gather as a class for “large group” to go over the calendar, choose helper jobs, foreshadow what will happen that day, introduce new materials, do a science experiment, or role-play a problem and brainstorm solutions.

Twice each week a music teacher joins the preschool class for a 30-minute lesson on rhymes, number songs, high/low tones, names and uses of musical instruments, and other fun activities! Starting in January 2011, we have added weekly lessons in Spanish, dance, and yoga. Spanish is focused on words that children would use in everyday conversation such as days of the week or names of foods. Dance is focused on rhythm and movement. Yoga is focused on being aware of our bodies in space, breathing and calming ourselves.

Small group time allows each of the lead teachers to focus on skill building with a particular set of children. Children are assigned to one teacher who observes, assesses, and charts their progress throughout the entire year. This allows for more individualized lesson planning specific to your child’s needs. Your child’s small group teacher is the one who writes up a daily note of your child’s activities and meets with you for twice-yearly parent-teacher conversations.

While our preschoolers are also learning the basics of academics, our emphasis is on social-emotional skills. Children this age are moving from the total dependence of infancy to learning how to be part of a larger social fabric. For many it is their first experience of care outside the home. Teachers realize that children this young have to be explicitly taught to do things that older children and adults know, such as waiting for a turn, sharing materials, talking to others to get what you need or want. Our goal is to create a strong foundation of respect for people and for communicating in ways that show that respect.
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