Gethsemane Lutheran Preschool

Spiritual Development

Prayer is incorporated in our school day several times each day, including learning grace prayers before snack time. The children learn that God loves them, which is reinforced constantly, not only verbally, but also through Bible lessons and frequent discussions.

The children have a weekly chapel time, with a Bible story or theme. There is usually a creative art project to accompany the chapel lesson. The Beginner’s Bible is used to teach many of the Bible lessons though we occasionally use other resources.

Social and Emotional Development

We believe this area is important for a child’s development for future years of school and for life. Often preschool is the first place for children to learn to interact with other children and adults (besides family members). We assist children in learning how to interact with other children in appropriate ways, encouraging them to develop friendships and use language skills to express feelings, needs, and resolve conflicts if they arise. We provide a rich, caring, and enjoyable environment at preschool.

Creative Development

Gethsemane Preschoolers are nurtured creatively through either centers available for children to explore different mediums or projects completed as a class lesson. We believe that children should have opportunities to create projects where there are no specific guidelines as well as some projects that have direction. Projects that have some guidelines are used occasionally to give children specific work with following directions, cutting, pasting, etc., but still allowing the children to complete the project as they decide. We use varied mediums and materials throughout the year to give the children many different experiences creatively.

Physical Development

Gethsemane Preschool has an Activity Room for use in assisting children in the development of their physical large motor skills. The children visit the Activity Room each day for thirty minutes. The first part of this session involves children in working on a specific skill in a group setting (e.g. ball handling skills, a music and movement activity, relay, parachute activity, etc.). The remainder of the session gives the children opportunities to experience varied equipment in the room as they choose. The Activity Room also is a rich experience for the children to learn to socialize and interact with each other in appropriate ways.

Academic Skills

• Name-Recognition: Tracing name, writing name with model, and gradually writing name without model, (name written with uppercase first letter, and rest of name in lowercase letters).
• Colors and Shape Recognition
• Mathematical Skills: Sorting, patterning, counting, sequencing skills, more/less, graphing, number recognition, beginning adding/subtraction concepts.
• Fine Motor Skills: Pencil Grasp, Cutting, Drawing, Writing, Painting
• Science/Social Science Units/Activities: In combination with thematic lessons each month, including sensory table experiences, seasons, magnets, caterpillar to butterfly, ladybugs, animals, awareness of different cultures around the world, and community helpers.

Our Daily Routine