Kindergarten
At The Saklan School, we honor your child’s transition into kindergarten by providing them with rich learning experiences combined with a warm environment to help your child thrive. Through our hands-on, project-based curriculum, we honor students' authentic interests and talents.
The Saklan School Kindergarten Curriculum
Math
Our kindergartners learn math concepts through hands-on exploration. We use the Sadlier-Oxford Progress in Mathematics Program and lay the foundation of connecting mental math and logical reasoning skills to mathematical concepts and applications. We emphasize number concepts, patterns, counting, addition and subtraction, graphing, classifying, sorting, place value, number writing, and shapes. We also use counting collections, math centers and a variety of other resources such as YouCubed and IXL.
Social Studies
Our kindergarten classroom uses an integrated approach to develop respect and understanding for individual differences and commonalities. We emphasize the understanding and creation of community. Students learn about the school community, their immediate community, and those of the world around them. Students learn about friends and families, as well as sharing, taking care of the environment and animals. Various celebrations from around the world are studied in conjunction with fairy and folk tales.
Language Arts
We apply the Wonders Reading Program in our kindergarten classroom, all letters and sounds, many sight words and word families are introduced with the goal of mastery by the end of the year. Teachers provide many opportunities and experiences for these young students to learn language in all its varied forms: reading, writing, speaking and listening. Literacy is also integrated into many other aspects of your kindergartner's day, including a love of literature with weekly visits to our library, journaling, art, science, math and social studies.
Science
Science is integrated throughout the Kindergarten curriculum. We concentrate on inquiry-based and hands-on methodologies. Your kindergartner's natural curiosity will be nurtured as they learn to question and explore to find the answers to their questions about the world around them. In the classroom we’ll focus on major areas such as: weather, living and non-living things, and force and motion.
Our Kindergartners also visit the science lab throughout the year for more hands-on science. The lab unit, taught by our science specialist, allows our young learners to use science equipment, go in-depth into the scientific method to encourage a genuine love of science.
Field Experiences
Kindergartners love time outside the walls of the classroom. A variety of field experiences are scheduled to support what is going on inside the classroom. Some of the opportunities include: the fire station, a garden, the Oakland Zoo and various live performances.
Specialist Activities
In addition to the core curriculum, Saklan School Kindergarteners:
- Take part in our Spanish language learning with an interactive approach, using songs, poetry, stories, games, and activities to focus on the oral elements of the language. Throughout the year, students are introduced to more complex grammar concepts, begin to read and write simple text, and learn about Latino culture.
- Enjoy Music and the opportunity it provides to discover individual talent and passion. Students are encouraged to experiment and learn about a variety of instruments, from hand drums and drum kits, to xylophones and hand bells, and apply these experiences to performances.
- Participate in Visual Arts, where students use their inner and outer world to inspire unique works of art. The students explore and express their creativity using a variety of mediums in both two and three dimensions. In our positive art community, the students work collaboratively sharing materials, ideas and cleaning up together.
- Have robust Physical Education everyday. Physical play is an integral part of our kindergartner's learning experience at The Saklan School. Young students explore the relationship between practice (routine, repetition, and intensity), and motor skill acquisition. They practice how to organize and cooperate for healthy competition.
Social Emotional Learning
A strong social/emotional learning program enables our students to successfully navigate their academic and personal life. We build a classroom community that allows children to feel safe, take risks, have pride in their accomplishments, and develop positive self-esteem.Additionally, lessons on topics such as friendship, apologizing, forgiving, I-messages, social stories, listening, giving compliments, growth mindset, identifying feelings, dealing with disappointment, joining a group, working in a group, personal space, and conflict resolution.
Teacher
• B.A. University of San Francisco
• M.A. University of San Francisco
Joanna began teaching at Saklan in 2022. Prior to joining Saklan, Joanna taught in a variety of different school communities throughout the Bay Area, most recently in San Mateo. Joanna has taught primarily lower elementary. Of those groups, Kindergarten is her favorite age group!
Joanna loves teaching foundational literacy, number sense and social emotional learning. She focuses on creating a learner-centered classroom, where each child can succeed socially, emotionally and academically. She believes not only in fostering academic growth among learners in her class but also helping their confidence and kindness to grow as well.
When Joanna is not teaching kindergarten she loves spending time with her husband, daughter and dog here in Moraga.