Classrooms
Childcare & Learning Center Director – Carrie Singer
– ucadirector@unionchurchrobinson.org
– 412.787.7553 (phone)
– 412.787.8126 (fax)
The Baby Bears (Infant Classroom, 6 weeks – 1 yr)
Staff:Student Ratio 1:4
The infant classroom uses The Creative Curriculum to teach foundational skills through routines and experiences. This comprehensive curriculum focuses on infants’ social-emotional development, movement and physical development, language and communication skills, and cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving) development. Our caring infant room staff builds trusting relationships with students and positive partnerships with families, promotes children’s self-regulation, responds to challenging behaviors, guides children’s learning, and assesses children’s development.
The Little Lions (Young Toddler Classroom, 1yr)
Staff:Student Ratio 1:5
The young toddler classroom uses The Mother Goose Time (Little Goose) curriculum to help develop preschool skills in the following categories: social and emotional development (self-concept, self-direction, social relationships), physical development (fine motor, gross motor, health & safety), language and literacy development (letters & phonics, concepts of print & reading comprehension, communication & vocabulary, emergent writing), mathematics and reasoning development (counting & number concepts, reasoning & logic), social studies development (exploration of roles, responsibilities, and cultural traditions), science development (STEAM stations and experiments), and creative arts development (creative thinking, artistic expression, music & movement).
The Tiger Tots (Older Toddler Classroom- 2yr)
Staff:Student Ratio 1:6
The older toddler classroom uses The Mother Goose Time curriculum as well. It extends upon the lessons first taught in the young toddler classroom by further developing the skills mentioned above. It also begins to support development and learning through new social self-help routines like hellos and good-byes, diapering and toileting, eating and mealtimes, sleeping and nap time, and getting dressed. Teachers also provide many learning experiences throughout the day which focus on the value of playing with toys, imitating and pretending, enjoying stories and books, connecting with music and movement, creating with art, tasting and preparing food, and exploring sand and water.
The Early Elephants (Young Preschool Classroom, 3yr)
Staff:Student Ratio 1:10
The young preschool classroom uses The Creative Curriculum to extend foundational skills first learned in the toddler classrooms and teaches components of literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, the arts, technology, and process skills (different methods of learning). Learning centers such as blocks, dramatic play, toys and games, art, library, sensory, music and movement, cooking, discovery, and outdoor play are incorporated to further promote development. The three year old classroom also focuses on social-emotional development to encourage children to achieve a sense of self, take responsibility for self and others, and to behave in a prosocial way.
The Early Elephants also participate in the Clifford: My Big World Weekly Magazine Reading Program.
The Mighty Monkeys (Older Preschool Classroom, 4yr)
Staff:Student Ratio 1:10
The older preschool classroom prepares students for Kindergarten and incorporates many kindergarten readiness skills into daily lesson plans using The Creative Curriculum. We want our preschool students to be prepared to problem solve and think logically by the time they graduate from our program in the spring. The preschool literacy program focuses on vocabulary and language, phonological awareness, letters, words, print concepts, comprehension, and books. The mathematics program incorporates numbers, patterns and relationships, geometry and spatial awareness, measurement, data collection, organization, and representation. Science content includes the physical properties of objects, living things, and the earth and the environment. Social studies content includes how people live, work, get along with others, shape, and are shaped by their surroundings. The arts program focuses on dance, music, dramatic play, drawing and painting. Teachers incorporate technology in to their lessons so students can experience using tools and analyze their basic operations. Teachers also incorporate process skills- observing and exploring, problem solving, connecting, organizing, communicating, and representing information- as daily learning objectives.
The Mighty Monkeys also participate in the Scholastic: Let’s Find Out Weekly Magazine Reading Program.
The Zany Zebras (Pre-Kindergarten Classroom, 4-5yr)
Staff:Student Ratio 1:10
The PreK classroom is an extension of our older preschool classroom. They, too, use The Creative Curriculum and prepare students for Kindergarten. This classroom is used as overflow when we have a high volume of older preschool students. It is also used as an enrichment classroom for students who have already mastered preschool learning objectives and need more challenging work. Students extend their morning preschool lesson with an afternoon Kindergarten lesson that focuses on the same theme and skill set taught earlier in the day. The small group environment allows for differentiated instruction and individualized attention to foster student growth and academic success.
The Zany Zebras also participate in the Scholastic: Let’s Find Out Weekly Magazine Reading Program.
School Age Program (Grades K-2)
Our school age program offers students in grades K-2 before and after school care. We extend that care for early dismissals, late starts, local holidays, and holiday breaks. Teachers escort students to and from the bus stop and track weekly attendance. Parents may request school age teachers to help with homework after school. Otherwise, daily activities, crafts, and learning centers are provided to keep students engaged beyond the normal school day. Our full day school age summer camp runs June-August and incorporates a weekly theme-based curriculum that incorporates math literacy and language, math and science, arts and crafts, music and movement, health and wellness, and citizenship education every day.