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curriculum > preK/kindergarten
 Believing
in the importance of the early childhood years, the staff at Haddonfield
Friends School seeks to provide children with a nurturing learning
environment. The program includes Pre-Kindergarten 3/4, 4/5, and
Kindergarten classes for children who are developmentally three,
four, and five years of age.
In all of the classes, creative play activities are important.
Free play encourages young children to communicate, exercise free
choice, and gain confidence. Through interaction with peers and
teachers children learn acceptable ways to handle conflict, verbalize
their own feelings , and accept the feelings of others. In a child-sensitive
environment children learn to be independent while building a strong
sense of self-esteem.
The children are surrounded by a print-rich environment designed
to enhance their emerging literacy. Language growth and development
are central to the program and are encouraged through dramatic play,
class conversation, reading, and story telling. Children coming
into kindergarten begin to express their written ideas and are encouraged
to do so using informal "inventive spelling," a phonetic
approach to writing found helpful for children beginning to engage
in writing experiences.
All early childhood classes benefit from participating in Spanish,
music, and physical education on a regular basis. In addition, all
children become acquainted with the school library. These experiences
are integral to the complete educational experience at Haddonfield
Friends.
The school philosophy is reflected throughout the early childhood
program, providing children with a stimulating, thoughtful, encouraging
environment where learning is a natural part of socialization.
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