Rooting into wBees

Curricular Snapshots

It has been an absolute joy to welcome your children to wBees this year! Our classrooms feel so full of discovery and blossoming friendships. Our dynamic curriculum fosters socio-emotional, academic, and physical growth. We call it the "whole child" approach, and though the topics will evolve through the year with the children, we will always ensure that we are meeting each child's individual needs in these domains. September's unit was Our Classroom, and our goal was to familiarize children with their classroom, daily routines, classmates, and teachers. Each class has a visual schedule for children to reference that helps them internalize the next activity in the flow of their day. Consistency and structure are very grounding for children, and seeing themselves and their friends in the photos makes learning their routines even more enjoyable. Each class also made its own custom versions of the Eric Carle classic, Brown Bear Brown Bear Who Do You See?, featuring photos of classmates and teachers.

Just as in the visual schedules, they love to see themselves and their friends at the turn of each page. We have a catalog of songs we sing that facilitate transitions through the day and simultaneously help children learn each other's names Every day during work time, the children gain more familiarity with the classroom space and its materials-- and love coming in to see something unexpected and new on the shelves, too! Teachers observe the children's explorations of classroom materials to give lessons as needed and update shelf works to reflect the childrens' evolving interests.

For October, we are embarking on our next unit, Self. Now that the children have gained comfort in their classrooms and with their teachers, they can begin to share more of themselves with peers by looking at their family books and discussing things they like. We encourage bodily awareness and the development of fine and gross motor skills through various activities and conversations. Children develop spatial awareness as they navigate around the classroom, practice mindfulness techniques when they meet as whole groups, register how hungry or full they are when self-serving meals and play outside rain or shine.