Curriculum
Gabriel’s Art Kids provides an innovative approach to early childhood education. Typically the arts are seen as something to be infused into a curriculum to enrich it. At GAK we know that "art," is understood as spontaneous creative play, is what young children naturally do—singing, dancing, drawing, and dramatic play or dress up. We also know that the arts engage all the senses and involve a variety of modalities including the kinesthetic, auditory, and visual. When teachers engage and encourage children in arts activities on a regular basis from early in life, they are laying the foundation for, and even helping wire children's brains for, successful learning.
We have developed an arts rich curriculum designed to expose young children to academics using an arts experience through a variety of materials and disciplines to stimulate imagination, visual awareness and fine and gross motor skills.
We have developed an arts rich curriculum designed to expose young children to academics using an arts experience through a variety of materials and disciplines to stimulate imagination, visual awareness and fine and gross motor skills.
Each day your child will enjoy a supportive, unhurried environment with:
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✬ Circle time songs and stories
✬ Dramatic play areas and dress up ✬ Music: time to sing, move, listen and make music ✬ Art projects using a variety of materials and mediums for the student to experience ✬ Sensory activities ✬ Indoor and outdoor gross motor play ✬ Time to socialize and develop friendships - time to share and learn about each other, listen to stories, do plays, gather information and enjoy contributing to the group. ✬ A range of intellectual and academic activities reflecting different learning styles, interests and abilities. This includes, math, science, language arts, multicultural lessons and plenty of time for hands on exploration of their school. Always Available: blocks, puzzles, games, books, writing centers, fine and large motor-skill opportunities. |
Gabriels Art Kids provides an environment that is safe, nurturing, and open to all learning possibilities and styles. We don't use just one philosophy of educating, we use parts of all; Montessori, Reggio Emilia, The Project Method and Constructivism. We encourage children to experiment, take risks, make mistakes, and try something new in their quest to succeed. Discovery, hands-on, experiential, collaborative, project-based, and task-based learning are a few of the ways we engage students. Opportunities for art, music, creative dramatics, puppetry, science, small and large motor-skill development and school readiness are the core of the curriculum. Individual creation and exploration are coupled with collaborative projects such as group paintings and large sculptures.
When we provide children these opportunities we do find that they retain more information that is often tested on our state and national standardized examinations. When provided with supportive and stimulating environments, children eagerly engage in language learning, literacy practices, math play, and science exploration.
The knowledge that children gain in early childhood is crucially important for their futures, with a quality pre-K experience helping to lay the foundation for the kinds of skills, knowledge, and behaviors that children will be expected to master during school.
Benefits of Arts Rich Education for Children and the Need in Preschools
How Art Promotes Development:
Social/Emotional Development
When we provide children these opportunities we do find that they retain more information that is often tested on our state and national standardized examinations. When provided with supportive and stimulating environments, children eagerly engage in language learning, literacy practices, math play, and science exploration.
The knowledge that children gain in early childhood is crucially important for their futures, with a quality pre-K experience helping to lay the foundation for the kinds of skills, knowledge, and behaviors that children will be expected to master during school.
Benefits of Arts Rich Education for Children and the Need in Preschools
- Preschool-age children are primed for learning and greatly accepting of most art forms.
- Compelling evidence exists that early arts experience has an impact on all aspects of a child’s learning and development and that, in many ways, “earlier is better.”
- Stimulates and develops the imagination and critical thinking, and refines cognitive and creative skills.
- Has a tremendous impact on the developmental growth of every child and has proven to help level the "learning field" across socio-economic boundaries.
- Strengthens problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, adding to overall academic achievement and school success.
- Develops a sense of craftsmanship, quality task performance, and goal-setting—skills needed to succeed in the classroom and beyond.
- Teaches children life skills such as developing an informed perception; articulating a vision; learning to solve problems and make decisions; building self-confidence and self-discipline; developing the ability to imagine what might be; and accepting responsibility to complete tasks from start to finish.
- Nurtures important values, including team-building skills; respecting alternative viewpoints; and appreciating and being aware of different cultures and traditions.
Source: Americans for the Arts, 2002 and Arts Education Partnership, Children’s Learning & the Arts: Birth to Age Eight
How Art Promotes Development:
Social/Emotional Development
- Shows ability to adjust to new situations i.e. draws picture of family members after saying goodbye to family members
- Demonstrates ability to be independent i.e. able to choose desired materials needed to create individual art experience.
- Observes objects and events with curiosity i.e. picks up objects from nature walk (leaves, acorns, pods, and stones) and is able to incorporate as a medium of art.
- Recognizes patterns and can repeat them i.e. paints a series of rainbows all with stripes of blue, yellow and green
- Controls small muscles in hands i.e. uses clay or play dough to make ropes and balls,
- Uses tools for writing and drawing i.e. tries out a variety of drawing implements such as markers, pencil crayons, and crayons.
- Express self using words and expanded sentences i.e. describes his drawing
- Writes letters and words i.e. indicates early stages of emergent writing
