Day Care vs. MPCS Preschool: What's the Difference?

CO-WRITTEN BY SHAUNDA BROOKS AND SUSAN LATON

Inside the quaint and cozy Sewell Cottage at Mount Paran Christian School, the preschool staff works enthusiastically to provide an exemplary instructional program which sets MPCS students up for success as they advance to kindergarten. We are often asked how MPCS preschool differs from other early-childhood programs offered in the community.

Love and Safety First

Students at the MPCS preschool are met with warm greetings and hugs to begin every single day. The morning is filled with reminders of God’s love for each child through songs, Bible verses, and lessons. Whether in art or science, lessons of God’s handiwork and love for His creation are evident. Children feel safe and learn in an environment where undconditional love is felt and mistakes are welcomed as a part of growing up. Parents can be confident that when their child is at school, they are well cared for and deeply cherished. MPCS teachers nurture the social and emotional needs of each one of our young students.

Comparing the Difference

If you visit the Sewell Cottage, there is no doubt you will feel the difference immediately as you observe the interaction and engagement in the classrooms. We are confident that MPCS preschool provides a loving environment and a solid spiritual foundation while ensuring the age-appropriate academic rigor and self-confidence needed for the student’s academic success. Below we have listed the comparisons and identified distinguishing academic differences between the MPCS preschool and other pre-kindergarten programs.

How Does MPCS Stack Up?

Within the preschool classroom, every activity is intentionally planned to accomplish readiness goals. Utilizing degreed and Georgia-certified teaching staff, research-based best practices are implemented. Small student-teacher ratios allow individual enrichment for both the emerging and beginning reader. The best predictors for how well students read in later years are phonemic awareness and letter knowledge (Share et al 1984). For this reason, literacy skills are intentionally fostered through whole group and small group instructions.

Through on-going formative classroom assessments, as well as quarterly summative evaluations, there is documented evidence that preschoolers enrolled in the MPCS preschool demonstrate a higher level of kindergarten readiness than students entering kindergarten from other programs.

In annual summative assessments of both current and prospective rising kindergarten students entering the MPCS kindergarten, data collected reflects the following mastery levels for kindergarten readiness:

A Full Range of Opportunities

Our preschool program incorporates a total-child educational approach to achieve kindergarten readiness skills. Through research on child development, teachers incorporate activities which allow for maximum skill development. Technology classes enrich academic development. Children master programs which re-enforce letters, sounds, and numeration with colorful and engaging activities using iPads, Smart tables, and Osmo systems. Every week the certified P.E., visual art, music, and Spanish teachers impact learning by teaching specific skills which support the students' growth in gross and fine motor development. Skills such as eye-hand coordination, ability to focus, attending to a task, building stamina, and cross-body movement are incorporated to develop the early learner’s brain. Visual and tactile exploration within the classroom help to engage and develop young minds.

Shea Buehler has a Masters in Educational Leadership, is gifted-certified, and serves as the Director of Preschool at Mount Paran Christian School. Susan Laton teaches Advanced Pre-K and is gifted-certified. Shaunda Brooks is the MPCS Director of Admission.

To learn more about how about the MPCS preschool programs, please click here. 
Visit the MPCS preschool anytime! Click here for details.

Click to share this article on Facebook.