Deciding on the best early education path for your 4 year old? Wondering about the differences between preschool and Transitional Kindergarten (TK) for your child turning 5 between sept 2, 2024 and june 2, 2025 ? With California’s TK expansion, we recognize the significance of making an informed choice that aligns with your family’s needs and values. Read on for details about CCC’s distinctive program and philosophy to assist you in your decision making.
CCC Experience – Building Leaders & Community:
- Two-Year Program: CCC’s multi-year program empowers children to be leaders in their final preschool year.
- Emphasis on Joyful Childhood: CCC prioritizes the joy of childhood with ample opportunities for free play and outdoor exploration.
- Teacher-Student Ratios: In our cooperative model, CCC maintains low ratios of 4 children to each adult (AM program) and 7 children to each adult (extended care program), ensuring personalized attention. Traditional TK programs often have one teacher to 22-24 students.
- Extended Day Program: CCC offers a high quality extended day program, providing flexibility for families. Traditional TK programs are typically half or partial day, with limited access to after school programs
- Parent Education: Participating caregivers receive invaluable education and tools from our expert Teacher-Directors on child development and strategies for challenging behaviors.
- Deep Connections: CCC families build long-lasting relationships and a sense of community through their shared preschool experiences.
Play-Based Learning:
- Child-Initiated Exploration: Our preschoolers engage in child-initiated play, building confidence as they pursue curiosities and persist through challenges.
- Experiential Learning: We trust that children learn best through active participation in play, creating a foundation for a love of learning that lasts a lifetime. CCC deeply values the opportunity for children to have uninterrupted play time, so that they can gather valuable skills for problem solving, resilience and focus.
Academic Exploration for 3 & 4-Year-Olds:
- CCC teachers are dedicated to designing innovative curriculum that is not only inspired by children but actively involves them in shaping their own educational journey.
- Literacy Rich Environment: CCC offers myriad, creative opportunities for children to explore and engage with literacy. Each classroom has an expansive and curated library, writing tables where children can put pencil to paper to practice writing and communication, and teachers use oral storytelling to draw children into dramatic retelling of stories to expand imagination and creative expression.
- Sound Recognition: Through songs and engaging activities, children develop sound recognition skills, setting the stage for early literacy.
- Math & Science Exploration: Sorting and ordering, recognizing patterns, exploring cause and effect and discovering more about the world through CCC’s lush gardens are just a few ways CCC kids dive into math & science concepts through a playful and hands-on approach.
Social-Emotional Development:
- Cooperation: Children learn the value of working together and cooperating with peers as they navigate their day
- Communication Skills: Learning communication skills is an intrinsic part of the CCC curriculum and kids are supported to find age-appropriate ways to express their thoughts, wants and needs.
- Conflict Resolution: CCC supports organic opportunities to learn productive conflict resolution in which children learn how to listen to each other, name their own needs, and appreciate the value of being heard.
- Anti-Bias Curriculum: Our anti-bias curriculum encourages the development of pride, self confidence and empathy, and gives children the tools to recognize unfairness, empowering them to stand up to exclusion.
Recent Curriculum Inspired By and Tailored to CCC Students:
- CCC children are not just the audience but also playwrights and directors, creating their own plays that showcase their boundless creativity and imagination.
- Personalized self-portraits where each child artist explores their identity by crafting their own paint, tailored to match their skin tone.
- Published books of art and dictated stories, celebrating the unique voice of every child.
- Robot making that fosters problem-solving skills.
- Culinary adventures following recipes to make delectable treats like zucchini bread, cranberry sauce and homemade playdough.
- Map making and treasure hunts to enhance spatial awareness and foundational concepts of geography.
- Child initiated theme days providing the opportunity to explore self expression.
- Oral storytelling that incorporates episodic stories that unfold over time, captivating students’ imaginations and engaging them for months, enhancing language development and a deep appreciation for narrative and sequential thinking.
- Field trips to explore the world beyond.
Resources on Play Based Approach
- Institute of Edu Sciences, US Dept of Edu Blog – Prioritizing Play: The Importance of Play-based Learning in Early Education
- US News & World Reports – Play-Based Learning vs. Academics in Preschool
- Federation of American Scientists – Putting The Fun In Fundamental: How Playful Learning Improves Children’s Outcomes
CCC believes in the power of play to shape confident, curious learners. Our play-based, child-led approach allows children to take the lead, fostering a love of exploration and discovery. Our thoughtful and intentional curriculum extends both indoors and outdoors, providing a rich environment for academic and social emotional development.
