Tennessee's Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten Program

When you walk into a high-quality pre-k classroom, you will see children involved in active, hands-on learning that engages the young child and fosters in him the love of learning.

A quality pre-k classroom enhances the child’s curiosity and desire to learn through participation in diverse, large and small group activities. Children experience the delight and excitement of books through interactive story time and in the quiet of the library center as well. They discover the wonder of our world through exploration at the science center. They learn to count and order their world as they assemble puzzles, build with blocks, and acquire other manipulative skills. The art and writing centers offer children the joy of creative self-expression. In the dramatic play area, children can “try on” different roles, such as fire fighter, parent, doctor or dentist. Through interactions with teachers and peers, they develop social skills and a sense of self-worth. In this quality pre-kindergarten setting, the child will develop the necessary skills for success in school.

High quality pre-k classrooms offer a variety of activities to develop a child’s thinking, language, physical and social-emotional skills. Each child has a daily opportunity to develop these skills through activities that promote:

Social and Emotional Development – Children learn to achieve a sense of well being through a better understanding of themselves, their peers and adults. They also develop an understanding of the social rules that govern their school environment and learn how to act and interact with others in this new environment. The learning environment provides opportunities for the children to

establish trusting relationships with adults and other children...the teacher responds to each child’s needs and encourages friendships among the children.
demonstrate competence and independence...the classroom encourages children to do things for themselves.
cooperate and follow instructions...children work in small and large groups together and become familiar with what is expected of them.

Language Development - Language activities promote successful communication skills by

using spoken language to express ideas... the child can retell a familiar story, or share where she went last night.
expanding vocabulary...he can identify a “car” using other terms such as automobile, Mitsubishi, Camaro, SUV.
employing language to communicate with others and to solve problems...children can express their wants and needs with words and can talk about conflicts using words rather than physical confrontations.

Physical Development - Children take part in activities that promote physical development of small (fine) and large (gross) muscles. It is critical that children recognize physical activities as an important part of healthy lifestyles.

walking on balance beam, pumping a swing (develop balance and stability)
running, jumping, hopping, and skipping (develop balance and coordination)
throwing, kicking and catching (develop balance and coordination)

working with puzzles, blocks, beads, play dough, sand and water (develop pointing, pinching, pre-writing)
using scissors, stapler, tape dispenser, hammer, screw driver and other tools in a variety of hands on learning experiences.

Early Literacy - Early literacy activities lay the foundation for the development of the ability to read and write. The quality pre-k environment is filled with literacy rich materials and activities that encourage children to engage in reading and writing activities throughout the classroom.

understanding the purpose of print, (recognizes S-T-O-P as a stop sign,the M for McDonalds,
making sense of written language, ….can retell a familiar story
gaining knowledge of the alphabet, and
expressing ideas through drawing and print
writing letters and numbers.

Math and Science - Math and Science activities provide children with hands-on experiences to help make sense of their environment. A child’s curiosity blossoms as she explores each part of her world.

Through math activities, children interact with a variety of manipulatives such as blocks, beads, and shapes to explore the concepts of:

life science...simple concepts of where and how people, animals and plants live
earth and space science...basics about the earth, the day and night sky, dirt and water
physical science... fundamental ideas about sound, movement, weight, volume, and light.

Social Studies - Children begin to understand of their roles as members of a family, a classroom and a community. In the classroom, they discover how they are both alike and different from other children. They learn how to get along and share responsibilities such as being the line leader or helping set the table for lunch. They become aware of the people and places in their neighborhood, such as the firefighters, doctors, police officers, the local grocery stores and restaurants.

Creative Arts – Through their senses of touch, taste, smell, hearing, and sight, children explore creative expression in art, music and dance. Creative art materials can reflect the culture of the children and their families as well as their community. Creative Arts include opportunities to explore

Art... various art materials, such as markers, crayons and paper, paints, collage materials, clay and play dough, enhance self-expression and communication.
Music and Dance...through a variety of musical genres the child develops a sense of rhythm. Music teaches the child about other avenues for expanding language and emotions.
Dramatic Play... children learn to “imitate life” when they take on the roles of other people in their lives. The child may assign or take on the role of mom, dad, or baby, or might role-play being the doctor or the patient, the waitress or the customer.