We believe that Kindergarten is a time for children to test their readiness in an environment
that allows them to explore situations and concepts at a pace they are comfortable with.
We address curriculum in a very holistic way providing experiences and materials that foster
all areas of development rather than having a narrowly defined curriculum that focuses on
intellectual growth alone.
The curriculum emerges from where each child is developmentally and addresses each child's need
for individualized programming. Children who are five deserve daily opportunities to apply and
refine their knowledge and skills as they work with a wide variety of concrete learning materials.
Children learn best when they engage in this type of hands on learning and have frequent chances
to interact with their classmates and teachers discussing their discoveries and theories within
the context of meaningful class experiences that reflect real life situations.
The Kindergarten day goes from 8:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The teachers carefully plan a predictable
schedule of activities that remains fairly constant over the course of the year. Themes are commonly
used to help integrate information and activities; they also provide a meaningful context for the
children's learning. Children periodically meet for group throughout the day for shared readings,
discussions, music, and games. A light snack is served in both the morning and afternoon portions of
the day. Regular exercise in the gym or on the playground, as well as walks in the surrounding area,
are an integral part of the daily program. As with breakfast, lunch is served family-style in the
classroom. A rest period is offered to all the children after lunch.
Each day the children have the opportunity to work for about one hour in a variety of learning centers
throughout the classroom. The centers are comprised of concrete materials and learning games for the
children to work with as they explore concepts and master skills throughout all areas of the curriculum.
Children are encouraged to work at a pace comfortable for their level of ability with the teachers
acting as facilitators, moving from learning center to learning center to help guide the children's work,
provide support, and stimulate additional thinking. A high level of interaction among children and with
teachers allow the children to continually examine and refine their understanding of ideas to achieve
a more accurate knowledge of their world.
Each day children participate in project time for about one hour. During this time children are exposed
to various open-ended activities that serve to develop their fine-motor skills and promote their creativity.
Children may work with art materials, play-dough, clay, sand, fabric, and various writing instruments. Each
child also has a journal they keep in the classroom which may be accessed at any time. Children frequently
experiment with drawing, inventive spelling, and writing/dictating stories in their journals. Project time
is also and opportunity for the children to work together in groups and use their new skills in practical
ways. Children may make props and signs for the dramatic play area or design puppets for a retelling of a
favorite story.
Each afternoon time is set aside for extension activities that involve hands-on experimentation. This time is
often used for conducting simple science experiments and cooking activities.
Children are encouraged to draw upon all their senses in collecting and analyzing information; discussion
flows naturally between children and teachers as the children work with the materials independently and in groups.
Many times the Kindergarten will plan field trips to the surrounding community to accompany its current unit of study. The
University setting is a rich source of field trip opportunities including WPTS, Pitt's radio station, the School
of Engineering, and the University's School of Dental Medicine. The Carnegie Museum of Natural History and the
Carnegie Children's Library are both within walking distance of the Kindergarten program and are frequented
throughout the school year.
 At the conclusion of the Kindergarten
day many children attend the after-school program. Housed in the same classroom as the Kindergarten program and
staffed by the same teachers, children are free to direct their own play, choosing from a rich variety of games,
puzzles, building materials, instruments, books and puppets.
The classroom also has a computer, woodworking bench, and sand/water table. Children regularly play in the gym or on the
playground in the afternoon as well.
Children may start their day off in the before-school program in the Kindergarten classroom. At the UCDC we have
adopted an extended-family concept to provide support, encouragement, and assistance to the working parent and
student parent. A nutritional breakfast is provided daily and served family-style for those children who arrive
before the official start of the Kindergarten program.
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