Programs

Philosophy | Preschool Programs | Frequently Asked Questions | Children’s Special Events

Philosophy

While the morning and afternoon programs are separate, they both adhere to the same early childhood development philosophies. A play-based curriculum is carefully planned in order to recognize each child's unique learning style, temperament, abilities, and development.

Curriculum structure can emerge from the children's interests, needs, and desires, so that learning is concrete and meaningful to each child. Exploring and discovering nature encourages a child's innate sense of curiosity and wonder.

Children learn through play and when they play in Glen Canyon they learn about themselves and the world around them. We play canyon raccoon on the rocks, count leaves on the ground, and examine bugs under magnifiers. We watch the seasons change, hunt for animal tracks in the dirt, and roll down a grassy slope on a warm day. These experiences stimulate a child's social, physical and cognitive development and allow a child to feel connected with the natural world.

Central to our teaching is the belief that children need to learn how to express, identify, and validate emotions and to develop social skills. Also, children need adult nurturing in developing problem solving and intellectual abilities as well as the shared experiences of communication and language. With our diverse curriculum and environment, we focus on the children's needs, abilities, and interests in order to promote each child's growing self-esteem and self-concept.

Preschool Programs

Low student-teacher ratio! No more than 5 to 1 in both programs.

Morning Program 9:30 - 12:30
The morning program has a Director, a Teacher, 5 parents, and 25 children. The day begins at 9:30 with free play and activity choices including art, daily hikes, dramatic play, journals, woodworking, manipulatives, cooking, blocks, tactile play, and gross motor movement play. We come together at circle time to read, sing, and do rhythm activities before snack. The children then have outdoor playtime consisting of bikes, climbing, nature, art, swings and dramatic play. A brief outdoor circle ends the program at 12:30.

Afternoon Program 12:30 - 3:30
The afternoon program begins at 12:30 with a Director, a Teacher, 3 parents, and 19 children. We have lunch together and afterward the children choose from various indoor and outdoor experiences such as art, science, nature, climbing, hiking, manipulatives, dramatics, blocks, woodworking, and tactile play. After clean up time we have our first circle with singing games, creative movement, and time to discuss the day's activities.The day ends at 3:30 with snack and a story.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many days or slots can my child attend?
Younger children in their first year typically attend 3 three-hour slots in either the morning or afternoon program for a total of 9 hours per week.  Older children in their second year typically attend 5 slots in the morning and/or afternoon program for a total of 15 hours per week giving them the flexibility to go for a 6 hour day a couple times a week if desired.

Is there before or after school care?
No.

Can my child drop-in?
If the Director approves, a child currently enrolled at Glenridge, may drop into a program that he or she already attends if there is a slot available. There is a fee for dropping in.

Children’s Special Events

In addition to the regular curriculum, special events for children are available periodically.

• Music and movement specialists
• Visits from firefighters and other community helpers
• Animal and nature specialists