Preschool Program
CURRICULUM
Our Jersey City preschool program is open to children aged 2 to 5 years old, at our World of ABC Preschool location, where preschoolers aged 2 and up are able to fully participate in our International Baccalaureate curriculum. Our program emphasizes developing the whole child, which includes a focus not only on their academic skills but also social, emotional, and physical growth throughout their time here. As preschoolers progress from one preschool level to the next each year, they build upon what they previously learned, expanding their understanding of the world around them and developing new skills.
A primary importance in the preschool years is developing a sense of independence and the ability to interact effectively with their peers and the adults in their lives. Preschoolers learn to complete everyday tasks on their own, cooperate and collaborate with other, and resolve conflicts. They also spend time in our indoor gym and outside play space, where they are able to develop their gross motor skills and spatial awareness.
Our program also places an emphasis on introducing preschoolers to a range of traditional subject areas, including mathematics, language arts, science, social studies, and the arts. All of our preschoolers work at least one grade level above average. Each subject is also explored within the context of the units of inquiry, where preschoolers inquire into 5 transdisciplinary themes, using each of the subject areas to develop their understanding of the concepts and content being explored.
Preschool students have access to a variety of learning spaces and centers within their own classrooms to supplement their learning, including blocks and architecture, library, dramatic play, art and music, mathematics, and sensory. Each center is equipped with a variety of resources for students to engage in scientific, mathematical, multicultural and geographical exploration and discovery.
Click Here to access our Waldo School Units of Inquiry (Our Program of Inquiry2
SAMPLE SCHEDULE
Throughout their day, preschoolers participate in our academic program, where students engage in both structured small and large group lessons and independent free-choice time. In the afternoon, students have scheduled times for lunch, nap (PreK 2 and 3 only), snack, and outdoor time. Extended day preschoolers also participate in our extended day extracurricular activities, which change daily and include soccer, music, yoga and silly science, among many others.
Below is a sample schedule for our PreK 4 preschool program:
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 7:30 - 8:15 | Extended Day Arrival |
| 8:15 - 9:00 | Full Day Arrival / Table Toys |
| 9:00 - 9:15 | Circle Time RULER Social Emotional Lesson 2x Week |
| 9:15 - 10:15 | Learning Centers Blocks, Dramatic Play, Sensory, Math and Manipulatives, Art, Writing, Library, Alphabet, Science activities related to unit of inquiry |
| 10:15 - 10:45 | Snack |
| 10:45 - 11:15 | Interactive Read Aloud Literacy Curriculum |
| 11:15 - 12:00 | Morning Outdoor Walk Learning Centers |
| 12:00 - 12:30 | Mathematics Centers |
| 12:30 - 1:30 | Lunch |
| 1:30 - 1:45 | Shared Reading / Writing Minilesson Literacy Curriculum |
| 1:45 - 2:15 | Literacy Learning Centers Alphabet, Writing, Art, Library |
| 2:15 - 3:00 | Outdoor Play |
| 3:00 - 3:15 | Closing Circle |
| 3:15 - 3:30 | Table Toys / Full Day Dismissal |
| 3:30 - 4:00 | Snack |
| 4:00 - 6:00 | Extended Day Program |
A LOOK INSIDE THE CLASSROOM
Throughout the week, you will find our preschoolers engaged in a range of inquiry-based and exciting learning experiences, which might include:
- Listening to their mom or dad share favorite family stories and talk about their own families as part of the preschool unit of inquiry on families
- Going on a shape hunt around the school and using classroom iPads to snap photographs of the real-life shape examples they see
- Building towering skyscrapers, sturdy bridges and long tunnels with blocks
- Working collaboratively to design and perform a play, complete with props, costumes and settings, to be performed for other preschool classes
- Planting vegetables and flowers for a class garden, and showing responsibility for caring for their plants
- Using recycled materials, including cardboard boxes, to create a model of the spaces and structures in their communities
- Applying their understanding of how books work to create their own stories, putting together simple sentences and adding illustrations
POTTY TRAINING
Students at World of ABC Preschool are not required to be fully potty trained until they are in our PreKindergarten-3 program. Potty training is a very important time in a child’s life and can be difficult for many parents. Our qualified and experienced teachers will work alongside you to ensure that your child is potty-trained in a developmentally appropriate and timely manner. Most children show signs that they are ready for potty training between 18 and 24 months. However, most children show other signs indicating that they may be ready to start potty training, which is often better than using age as the main indicator. To help your child be as successful as possible in this process, we have provided parents with an in-depth guide of what to look for and tips to keep in mind. Please click here to read more about World of ABC’s philosophy and policy on potty training.