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Westminster Preschool Learning Centers

At Westminster Preschool, we strive to create a learning environment for kids of all ages from 6 weeks to 12 years old. We focus on six main learning centers: Literacy - Reading & Writing, Creative Arts & Music, Blocks & Building, Science & Discovery, Math & Cognitive Thinking, and Dramatic Play. Developmental screening and assessments are done regularly and lesson plans are developed around the need of the individual children. Parent-Teacher conferences are conducted three times a year, or upon request. 
 
Literacy - Reading & Writing
Creative Arts & Music
Science & Discovery
Math & Cognitive Thinking
Blocks & Building
Dramatic Play

Teachers, Caregivers, and Staff

The Lark’s Song Well-Being Program for Early Education is organized in alignment with The Indiana Early Learning Foundation Standards and based on the experiential learning principles by David Kolb, Lark’s Song’s PERMA+ME seven facets of well-being, and life purpose literacy concepts developed by Bill Millard. It has been created by Megan Gilmore, Erica Eyer, Danielle Svantner and other members of the Westminster Preschool team.

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Our curriculum is evidence based and includes our knowledge of the science of brain development, early childhood theories, and the importance of play in early learning. 

 

Our curriculum framework is aligned with our philosophy and addresses developmentally appropriate practices, social, emotional, creative and physical growth and development of all children.  Our curriculum was designed with the background knowledge of our community and families served by the school. 

 

Curriculum is open for modification and improvement based on information gained through observations, assessments, children’s interest, behaviors and work in learning and play centers. 

 

Curriculum and lesson plans reflect the culture and background of our families. Each child should see representation of their families and culture in the classroom and in the activities. Ways we should do this is by, including dolls and picture of people that reflect the children, books on different types of families, songs and stories from different perspectives and cultures, culturally appropriate classroom print and signs, use of environmental print and basic spoken words in the child native language. Teachers should use daily routines, transitions, and lessons to continually develop children’s self-awareness, language acquisition, and social interaction skills.  Children should be given the opportunities to use developmentally appropriate materials to participate in group and self-selected activities. Children’s interest should be built upon and reflected in your lesson plans. 

 

Westminster employees are knowledgeable of the curriculum content and developmentally appropriate practices. We expect to learn about best practices in early childhood education and how to plan meaningful, intentional and engaging activities for their classrooms. 

 

Teachers are expected to work with the children in encouraging, positive and nurturing ways. Our goal is to inspire children to get curious, and enjoy learning. Staff should be aware of differences in social, emotional and cognitive development of their children and respond to children accordingly. Lessons should be scaffolded to meet the developmental needs of the children in your care. All children should be given the appropriate attention and learning activities that foster their growth and development physically, emotionally, socially and cognitively. 

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When you think back on your childhood, what happy play memories come to mind? Adults today tend to think back on their childhood play memories with nostalgia and often call them the “good old days.” Memories of joyful and meaningful play experiences help bind families together emotionally, even long after children are grown. Are our children experiencing the same kind of joy, meaning, and family bonding in their play?

 

Here are five elements essential to meaningful play that create those rich memories we treasure:

 

1. Children make their own decisions.
When children choose how to play for themselves, they experience freedom in making those choices. They also begin to see connections between choice and the consequences or results of that choice. The type of toys or materials parents offer can help their children make more meaningful decisions. Open-ended materials can be used in many ways so children can decide for themselves how to use them. For example, a child can imagine a block to be a fire truck or any number of things. A toy fire truck, on the other hand, is usually used as a fire truck. Foam pieces, little wooden sticks, ribbon scraps, and other reusable resources are all open-ended materials that inspire creative thinking and delight when children use them to make something no one has ever made before.

 

2. Children are intrinsically motivated.
The impulse to play comes from a natural desire to understand the world. This play impulse is as strong as your child’s desire for food or sleep.1 It is this intrinsic motivation that allows a child to regulate her own feelings and desires in order to keep playing. Because children eventually find it more important to be part of play with their friends than to satisfy their own wants and needs at that moment, children learn self-control. And self-control has been shown to lead to success in later years, especially in today’s information age, where distractions are part of daily life.

 

3. Children become immersed in the moment.
In true play, children are so fully engaged that they lose awareness of their surroundings, time, and space. In this risk-free atmosphere where reality is suspended, children have the security and safety they need to experiment, try new ideas, and investigate the laws of nature. Although they are immersed in their play, children still can recognize reality versus fantasy, something parents often wonder about.

 

4. Play is spontaneous, not scripted.
Often, play is totally unplanned. Other times, play is planned but a child impulsively makes a change. One child changes his mind, or perhaps a toy does not cooperate. This sense of the unknown provides children with opportunities to develop flexibility in their thinking and decision making, which is a vital life skill.

 

5. Play is enjoyable.
Play always has an emotional response attached to it. Without this emotional connection, the experience is simply an activity; it is not PLAY. Enjoyment is the direct result of engaging in play. It is FUN! These five essential elements of play outline why play provides your child with a rich experience. And isn’t that what we want for our children, to develop play memories that will become the “good old days”?

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resource:https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/five-essentials-meaningful-play

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Play Through Learning, Learning Through Play

Our preschool uses the app

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to communicate and send photos of your child during preschool, allowing you to receive real-time updates of your child's daily activities. In addition, easily make payments and view billing history through the app.  

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Westminster Preschool - Marion Indiana
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