Curriculumbart

The Learning Tree focuses on three important developmental
learning areas: socio-emotional, cognitive and physical
development. Through attention To these areas, an integrated
and effective developmental approach To learning is achieved.

Socio-Emotional Cognitive Physical

Socio-Emotional

At The Learning Tree, children gain independence and
self-control by learning To trust others and by learning the
appropriate ways To take initiative while respecting others.
Children are also encouraged To make decisions, use reasoning
skills, practice listening, explore their environment and express,
understand and handle their feelings. They are also guided To
expand their attention by choosing To persevere at specific
tasks for extended times.

The Learning Tree focuses on helping young children enhance
self-esteem, exhibit positive attitudes and demonstrate
pro-social behavior. This is achieved by encouraging children
To help each other, giving them words they can use To express
how they feel and encouraging cooperation instead of
competition.

Cognitive

Children learn by doing. They learn simple concepts, then build
on them To tackle bigger and more complex tasks and ideas. By
using their senses, infants and toddlers discover that objects
have weight, volume, color and texture. Preschoolers and
kindergartners learn by interacting with materials and with
other people.

Language development is an important cognitive skill. As
infants learn that sounds have meaning, they begin To practice
cooing and babbling and producing their own sounds. This
leads To being able To understand and respond To words and
they begin To name objects. As they grow, toddlers expand
their vocabulary by listening To family members, teachers and
other children. Preschoolers use words as symbols for people,
things, movements, feelings and ideas. They also develop the
ability To talk about their observations as they explore the
world. This is the beginning of emerging literacy.

At this stage of their early childhood development, young
children learn To group and classify things. This includes
descriptive classifications like size, color and shape. The ability
To classify is a critical thinking skill that allows children To
make sense of their experiences and the world around them.
Through the development of language and the ability To think
in terms of classes, numbers and relationships, children acquire
the foundation for such abstract skills as reading, writing and
computing.

The Learning Tree focuses on helping young children acquire
learning and problem solving skills, expand logical thinking skills,
acquire concepts leading To a fuller understanding of the
immediate world, participate in make-believe play, expand
verbal communications skills, and develop beginning reading
and writing skills. Ways To facilitate these learning processes
include calling attention To sensory experiences during the
course of the day, comments on a child's ideas, or providing
basins of water so that children can see what sinks and what
floats.

Physical

Gross motor development includes activities like throwing,
catching, skipping, climbing and balancing. The Learning Tree
environment provides a safe space, equipment and plenty of
time for children To practice new skills. Mastering gross motor
skills leads To the ability To gain fine muscle control and
coordination.

Fine motor skills are refined through activities like building
block towers, stringing beads, drawing circles and placing pegs
in holes.

When children string beads, learn To zip, or line up shells, they
are refining their eye-hand coordination, their small muscle
skills and their sense of direction. Developing these skills lays
the foundation for cognitive abilities needed for reading,
writing and math.
The Learning Tree focuses on helping young children enhance
their gross and fine motor skills and use all senses in learning.
This can be achieved by scheduling time for active play every
day, and using a variety of materials and equipment that
require children To use their new motor skills.

By focusing on children's socio-emotional, cognitive and
physical growth, The Learning Tree promotes an effective
developmental approach To learning.