st. james’ jr. kindergarten

where we cultivate learning organically

St. James’ Junior Kindergarten program was developed as a special bridge between the Preschool and Kindergarten class. It provides a strong academic introduction to all forms of literacy, science, mathematics, and social studies.  It also serves as a vehicle for the emergent development of our St. James’ Core Beliefs and the sturdy morals and values we cherish like kindness, conflict-resolution, empathy, and respect. The Junior Kindergarten welcomes children who have completed a successful pre-school experience but have not yet reached the age requirement for Kindergarten; but it is also open to those who can simply benefit from the great gift of a year’s additional time to develop socially and academically before entering a full and more challenging Kindergarten program.

Our goal is to provide students with intriguing academic experiences in the Junior Kindergarten that will spark their imaginations and prepare them for a lifetime of learning.   Hence, our program is limited to an intimate group of 15 students paired with two master teachers. Two teachers, with a B.A. degrees in Child Development or a related field and experience in an early childhood education setting, will guide the children’s learning in their well-appointed new Junior Kindergarten classroom.  Our educational program is predicated on brain-based activities and educational research from the most trusted educational consultants and prestigious universities. The groundbreaking curriculum is based on knowledge of neuroscience and current brain research and their practical applications in the classroom.

In its full-day educational program from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. (with an optional after school extension until 5:30 p.m.) the Junior Kindergarten will feature centers for mathematical and scientific discovery and structured academic explorations, and a wide variety of activities ensuring the acquisition of those skills and attitudes so crucial to Kindergarten success.  The afternoon portion of the program will be less structured but no less educational, allowing ample time for the children to learn through guided play the art of social interaction with their peers and to indulge in shared learning experiences.  They can even take a well-earned nap if they need it!

Every Junior Kindergarten activity seeks to engage both hemispheres of the child’s brain and stimulate higher-order thinking.  Our teachers skillfully select instructional strategies in which they can be fully present to, mindful of, and intentionally grounded with their students. The teachers actively engage with students, providing secure mutual attachment bonds and nurturing strong feelings of belonging to the group.  In addition, they foster the children’s ability to self-regulate by following reassuring routines and procedural practices that build patience, mutual respect, and cooperation.  Moreover, at Saint James’ the children learn to thrive in a community of unusually diverse learners; and this enables them to establish a strong and secure sense of self-identity.

Understanding and respecting children’s individual styles helps teachers create a more nurturing and caring atmosphere.  Our Junior Kindergarten teachers use an inquiry-based approach through which the children engage in educational and fun-filled experiences that promote the child’s uniqueness as an individual.  But every teacher in the Pre-school knows and loves every child in the building, whether Pre-schooler or a Junior Kindergarten student.  It is that quality of loving, family-like interaction between adults and children and among the students themselves that best captures the spirit of the Saint James’ Pre-school and its Junior Kindergarten program.  And it is that distinctive feature that distinguishes it from all other similar programs in the area.

 

Katarina Matolek
Preschool Director
(213) 738-7871
kmatolek@sjsla.org

 

Bibliography

Connecting Emergent Curriculum and Standards in the Early Childhood Classroom, by Sydney L. Swartz

Big Science for Growing Minds, Constructivist Classroom for Young Thinkers by Jaqueline Grennon Brooks

Playing Their Way into Literacies by Karen E. Wohlwend

The Play’s is the Thing, Teachers Role in Children’s Play by Elizabeth Jones and Gretchen Reynolds

Don’t Leave the Story in the Book, Using literature to Guide Inquiry in Early Childhood Classroom, by Mary Hynes-Berry

Jump Start Health! Practical Ideas to Promote Wellness in Kids of All Ages, by David Campos

Creating Welcoming School A Practical Guide to Home-School Partnership with Diverse Families by JoBeth Allen

Engaging Learners Trough Artmaking, Choice-Based Art Education in the Classroom, by Katherine M. Dallas and Diane B. Jaquith