This is a great article is on the impact of outdoor play activities on pre-primary school children.
Click here to read the article.
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Hi, I’m Lisa Fahrnkopf, the lead teacher with the oldest group of children at our school, the 4 and 5 year old class. I have been working here since 1994 in many different roles. This is my 3rd year as lead teacher 4&5 yr. old class and I really love it. The children of this age are so ready, willing, and able to learn and experience the world! I feel it is my role to facilitate their learning by providing the environment, materials, and social coaching to help them succeed. I want them to know that their ideas are valued and respected.
My love of nature and the outdoors goes hand-in-hand with my love of teaching preschool. My husband and I love to camp and hike. We also love gardening and spend lots of time in our back yard. I love animals and currently have a pet salamander, a tortoise, and a guinea pig who comes to school with me daily.
Nature is important at school and is reflected in our daily curriculum. We have a garden in our yard, right now we are growing parsley and basil that Patches, our guinea pig, really loves. We also have 2 caterpillars who have turned into chrysalis’, we’re waiting for the butterflies….
So much learning and confidence building takes place in our play based program. Every day, we practice social skills and learn to work together, we “play” with letters and numbers and expand our knowledge of basic concepts. We explore, create, experiment, practice, socialize and learn to value and respect individuality. We learn that learning is fun and the possibilities are endless!
I feel so fortunate to work with such a talented and highly committed staff, and with parents who want to be so involved in their child’s preschool experience. This model works so well for children as the have the daily experiences of being in the classroom with teachers and parents committed to their well-being and success.
Sincerely,
Lisa Fahrnkopf
Renee Champagne
Graduated San Diego State University 1984 B.S. Child Development
Twenty plus years of working with preschool age children throughout San Diego County.
Unitarian Cooperative Preschool: Head Afternoon Teacher
August 1997 – July 2001
Lead Teacher, four year olds
September 2001- Present
What we do in the four year old room:
• We work a lot on self-help skills
• Cooperating with others
• Taking turns
• Discussing current events in our lives (what we saw on the way to school, what we did at home, etc.)
• Large motor skills ( hallway hockey, soccer, hoops, horseshoes, etc.)
• Projects from start to finish ( plant potatoes in November to harvest in Spring, life cycle of the caterpillar and tadpole )
• Field trip to watch the San Diego City Ballet performance of The Nutcracker
The possibilities are endless!!
Dear Parents,
My name is Carmelita, the Toddler teacher at the Unitarian Cooperative Preschool. I have been with the preschool for almost 8 years now, working mostly in the toddler classroom. I really enjoy this age. Watching their personalities and development blossom throughout the year is amazing. The days in the classroom usually consist of fun, and sometimes messy art, activities, and play. My education includes an Associates Degree in Liberal Studies and Child Development. Currently I am working towards my Bachlors in Early Child Development at National University. I do have two children who are so much fun. My son, who is now five has been through all four classes at the UCP, and he has mostly enjoyed the inside and outside flow of the day. My daughter will be joining the preschool in fall of 2008, and I am so excited to provide her with this great preschool opportunity. Welcome and hello to all visitors, enrollees and alumni, and thank you for your continued support for play and learning!
Carmelita
Toddler Teacher
Welcome to the UCP Community!
I have been associated with the school for the past 25 years as the Director and prior to that I was a parent in the program. I also taught preschool in Los Angeles and San Diego in both private and publicly funded programs and received my Master’s Degree from Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena. I have an Early Childhood Credential and a Program Director Permit from the State of California. My passion for this program centers in the educational philosophy, the parent involvement and the highly committed and qualified staff. The combination makes it a wonderful and rich place for children.
Patty
Hi Parents!
Once again we want to thank all of you who attended and contributed at the auction, it was a huge success. We went over our goal thanks to all of you. This money will help with the new play yards we are planning to build in the Summer of 2012 and will make the Preschool that much of a better environment.
Here’s a great article by Dr. Jane Hewes on the importance of play in a child’s development.
