Class Information
Live Oak offers four different options for early childhood education:
Live Oak's daily schedule and curriculum encourages child centered learning, supplemented by teacher provocations to allow children to become independent thinkers, experience risk taking and experiment with the world around them. We believe curriculum that builds upon a child's strengths and interests fosters higher learning.
At Live Oak, we believe in using five basic materials for our curriculum's foundation: blocks, clay, paint, water, and sand. All of these materials assist in promoting inquisitiveness and reflection. We value the importance of enhancing this curriculum with dramatic play, gardening, music, literacy, and science and math.
"Star Tom," a local musician, meets with each class every other week for special music time.
Another enrichment program revolves around ceramics - Miss Stephanie, an accomplished ceramicist, uses Live Oak's portable potter's wheel to give children the opportunity to work with clay on an even higher level.
While both the TTH and MWF classes have exposure to all of the basic materials, the MWF (or second year) children receive additional enrichment opportunities in various curriculum areas:
The most special of all, is how our daily life at Live Oak is influenced by a tiny, imaginary mouse named Forrest. This is a special surprise for all our new Live Oak friends to learn about and we are thankful our parents understand the importance of keeping this a secret once they learn about Forrest, so the children can experience the "magic" of our most tiny Live Oak friend!
- Tuesday/Thursday: First-year students in Live Oak's preschool program attend classes two days each week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, for three hours per day. Children attend either 8:30am-11:30am or 1:00pm-4:00pm. Generally speaking, children in these classes range in age from 2.5 years to 4 years old. The only prerequisite for students in this class is that they are potty-trained.
- Monday/Wednesday/Friday: Second-year students in Live Oak's preschool program attend classes three days each week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, for three hours per day. Children in these classes are either 4 or 5 years old. Children either attend a morning session from 8:30am-11:30am or afternoon session from 1:00pm-4:00pm.
- Extended-day: Second-year students in Live Oak's preschool program also have the option of attending class for an extended day. If they attend the MWF morning session, they can add on an extended session until 1:30pm. If they attend MWF afternoon class from 1:00pm-4:00pm, they can add an extra hour by arriving at noon. Children in these classes are either 4 or 5 years old.
- Mixed Age Groups: In recent years, our afternoon classes and summer camp program have been mixed ages. When children from age 3-5 are grouped together in preschool classrooms, there are multiple and unique opportunities across the board for developmental growth and learning. Our educators place strong emphasis on knowing and respecting each child as an individual and meeting them where they are in terms of their place of development.
Live Oak's daily schedule and curriculum encourages child centered learning, supplemented by teacher provocations to allow children to become independent thinkers, experience risk taking and experiment with the world around them. We believe curriculum that builds upon a child's strengths and interests fosters higher learning.
At Live Oak, we believe in using five basic materials for our curriculum's foundation: blocks, clay, paint, water, and sand. All of these materials assist in promoting inquisitiveness and reflection. We value the importance of enhancing this curriculum with dramatic play, gardening, music, literacy, and science and math.
"Star Tom," a local musician, meets with each class every other week for special music time.
Another enrichment program revolves around ceramics - Miss Stephanie, an accomplished ceramicist, uses Live Oak's portable potter's wheel to give children the opportunity to work with clay on an even higher level.
While both the TTH and MWF classes have exposure to all of the basic materials, the MWF (or second year) children receive additional enrichment opportunities in various curriculum areas:
- A local musician teaches the children about music from all over the world and shares with them instruments from nations in Africa.
- Miss Tawnie and Miss Elizabeth who are fluent in Spanish, teach Spanish songs throughout the year.
- The MWF children also go on several walking field trips that might include walking to the local art gallery, bakery or arranging rides to the local pumpkin patch.
The most special of all, is how our daily life at Live Oak is influenced by a tiny, imaginary mouse named Forrest. This is a special surprise for all our new Live Oak friends to learn about and we are thankful our parents understand the importance of keeping this a secret once they learn about Forrest, so the children can experience the "magic" of our most tiny Live Oak friend!