Curriculum

At Good Shepherd Preschool, we believe that all children can learn, grow and succeed when offered a developmentally appropriate environment. We recognize that all children are unique, and we seek to help each child reach their personal level of achievement through a balanced approach that challenges children to grow emotionally, socially, academically, and spiritually.

Our preschool curriculum offers thematic based centers, which allow children the opportunity to learn through functional and symbolic play in addition to following the GELDS. GELDS are a set of high-quality, research-based early learning standards for children birth to age five called the Georgia Early Learning and Development Standards (GELDS). The GELDS promote quality learning experiences for children and address the question, “What should children from birth to age five know and be able to do?” They are a set of appropriate, attainable standards that are flexible enough to support children’s individual rates of development, approaches to learning, and cultural context. The GELDS are a continuum of skills, behaviors, and concepts that children develop throughout this time of life. They are divided into age groups and serve as a framework for learning.

Comprehensive Innovations Curriculum for ages 1 – 3

This curriculum focuses on how teachers can encourage, facilitate, and stimulate children’s learning and growth. The curriculum identifies, explains, and supports the major developmental tasks of preschool children, including adjusting to school, making friends, exploring roles, communicating, problem-solving, and expressing feelings.

Big Day for PreK Curriculum for ages 4 – 5

In Big Day for PreK, each day is organized around three Big Experiences – Whole-Group, Circle Time, and Story Time lessons – that provide an anchor for conversation, play, and learning. Carefully selected activities ground the entire class in a common Big Experience.

Big Experiences provide integrated learning opportunities and introduce children to new vocabulary, concepts, and skills. This curriculum provides intentional instruction in all learning domains.

Faith Formation Curriculum

Good Shepherd Preschool is a Catholic preschool. Faith Formation is taught daily in each classroom. The curriculum used is from Loyola Press and is called God Made Everything Preschool Program. . Each developmentally appropriate curriculum is carefully planned so that, at completion, the children are ready to continue their faith journey into the Elementary Faith Formation Program. In addition, we teach classic Bible stories and begin learning prayers such as the Sign of the Cross, Grace before meals, The Lord’s Prayer, and Guardian Angel.

2 year olds:  “Welcoming the Little Ones” Curriculum
This curriculum is a practical guide to establishing a faith-filled classroom for children ages 12 to 36 months. It is filled with age appropriate activities centering on the theme of creation. “Welcoming the Little Ones”, guides children to explore the gifts of our world while letting them grow under the loving touch of the Holy Spirit.

3 year olds: “God Made Me” Curriculum
The “God Made Everything” series is a comprehensive early-childhood program, complete with all the components to nurture and enrich the faith and spiritual lives of children ages three to five. This curriculum is implemented through the use of bible stories, songs, and hands-on activities and explorations of God’s creations.

4 year olds: “God Made the World” Curriculum
The “God Made Everything” series is a comprehensive early-childhood program, complete with all the components to nurture and enrich the faith and spiritual lives of children ages three to five. This curriculum is implemented through the use of bible stories, songs, and hands-on activities and explorations of God’s creations.

Specials

Music 

Research has shown that children who are actively involved with music (who play it or sing it regularly):

• do better in reading and math when they start school
• are better able to focus and control their bodies
• play better with others and have higher self-esteem

Music is a fun and important part of our preschool program. The teachers play music daily in the classrooms and the children attend a weekly music class. Our Music Teacher teaches the students popular children’s songs as well as classic Faith based songs. The students have the opportunity to perform for The Prime Timers group, The Christmas Program, and The Graduation Program.

Spanish 

Recent studies indicate that the best time for a child to learn another language is in the first three to four years of life. At Good Shepherd Preschool, our students participate in Spanish class on a weekly basis. We use the Spanish Champs curriculum to help students learn the basics of Spanish through instruction, games, songs, videos, and crafts.

Science

The essence of Preschool is hands-on learning and constant investigating. Science classes will follow and supplement school wide themes, based on age and abilities. The children will learn about their environment through hands-on learning and science experiments.  Exploring nature, animals and the amazing world God has provided for them.

Events

We have many special events and special guests at Good Shepherd Preschool.  Some of these events include: