Your child is going to learn a lot no matter which Early Childhood program they attend. They’ll learn fine motor skills, how to share, and the basics of reading, writing, and math. But at Saddle River Day School in Saddle River, New Jersey, your little student will learn two lessons that are far more valuable than any of these. They will learn to love school, and they will learn to love learning.
The educators in the Early Childhood Program at Saddle River Day School know that a strong foundation is important in order for their students to succeed in any challenging academic program. They prepare their students, from PreK-3 through Kindergarten, for long-term educational success by focusing on meeting the particular social, emotional, and academic needs of each individual child.
SRDS educators know that their Early Childhood students arrive in the classroom with a range of academic and life experience. Some might be old pros at spending a day away from their parents but for others, this is their first experience of being away from home for any length of time. Some students arrive ready to read, others need an introduction to literacy before they take that step. Some are adept at social interactions, others require guidance as they practice communication and decision-making. At Saddle River Day School, each child is met exactly where they are by caring teachers who create “wonderful, warm, engaging classrooms” in which the children thrive with active, hands-on, multi-sensory, and project-based learning modules.
At Saddle River Day School, special classes including music, lab science, studio art, and technology are part of the Early Childhood curriculum. But in each school day, plenty of time is left for free play, imaginative play, and the kinds of collaborative projects that make education so fun, they almost don’t know they’re learning. SRDS Early Childhood students also learn that moving their bodies helps to keep their minds in tip top shape, so yoga and meditation are weekly features.
The ultimate goal of each SRDS Early Childhood program educator is to send their students to elementary school with the tools to be successful students and scholars. Their priority is a strong foundation in reading, writing, and math, and a familiarity with elementary school routines, skills, and structures. But it also includes instilling in these nascent students a confidence in their ability to solve problems, the courage to take risks, the resilience to try again, and the comfort of feeling as though they are part of a community that supports them. This, in the end, is the true value of a Saddle River Day School education, it prepares students for an academic career of lifelong learning and thought leadership.
For more information about the Saddle River Day School Early Childhood programs, or to arrange a visit, please contact Kristine Sweeny in the Office of Admissions: [email protected] or visit them on the web saddleriverday.org/today
