Rumsey Pre-K and Kindergarten students are connected
...connected to themselves, to each other, and to the natural world around them.
Children naturally learn with an undeniable eagerness. At Rumsey, it's our job—our passion— to cultivate the ideal community for four-year-olds (Pre-K) and five-year-olds (Kindies) to explore their budding imaginations and develop an appreciation for the importance of effort. Research proves that children learn best through active, exploratory experiences; taking this to heart, our Pre-K and Kindergarten curriculum is structured with the perfect blend of exploration-based play and teacher-led investigation.
We infuse the element of play into the Pre-K and Kindies discovery-based curriculum. If a student alights on an object of wonder, the teacher may steer the class to pause and mine deeper into the science behind the object. In the process, the child feels empowered to share more of their inner world to their peers and the teacher can guide a meaningful discussion relevant to that moment. In our Pre-K and Kindergarten program, we are intentionally building a foundation of life skills, critical thinking, and an overall love of learning.
Founded in 1900, we honor the strength of our tradition; and, we challenge ourselves and our students to grow without limit from the foundation of our deeply-rooted history. Our students learn to live out our core values of honesty, kindness, and respect. As a result, they find the courage to be themselves and enjoy the benefits of friendship and connection.
Play—in all its delightful forms— is the foundation of our Pre-K and Kindergarten program's dynamic balance of structure and freedom. Throughout each inquiry-based lesson, children are encouraged to be active, stretch their creativity, build relationships with one another, and act out their limitless imaginations! At every turn, the Rumsey Hall campus is filled with child-sized elements to explore.
Rumsey Hall faculty members are a treasured resource. Every day, our teachers shine their light on their students through their kind words, warm-hearted listening, and overall approach to a thriving class built on mutual respect. Children who attend the Rumsey Hall Pre-K program are trained to value compassion and goodwill within themselves.
We understand that early learners move quickly; as a result, we've structured our Pre-K and Kindergarten program to embolden children to explore the wonder of the moment. If a particular object or event piques their curiosity, we take the time to expand that happening into an individual lesson. For instance, if a child dislodges a stone from the riverbed of our on-campus wonderland known as "Treasure Island" to reveal a crawfish (it happens a lot here!), the teacher will join in the joy of discovery with the child. Using their ecological toolbox, the teacher will turn that moment into a developmentally-appropriate class investigation. From there, our teachers guide the class to dig deeper into the subject as a connected group.
What happens in the Pre-K and Kindergarten class is not scripted: we believe that children are capable of their own learning and provide them with the expertise to launch into a play-based academic experience. Our emergent curriculum empowers children to be the masters of their own destiny and connects them to a style of learning they can take with them throughout their entire academic and social-emotional journey.
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