“We strongly believe in the power of an early childhood education when it is offered by educated, thoughtful, grounded caregivers. After 3 great years at SFPCC, we continue to marvel at the teachers' excellence and the constant support and respect directed at staff by the Center's administration.”

Preschool 1

Preschool 1 builds on the increased sense of independence that children are experiencing at this stage of their development. Our class size grows to 17 children, with three teachers and two teaching assistants. A number of new children join the class in Preschool 1, making the transition from toddler to preschool an exciting one.

“Dramatic play” becomes a predominant and popular area in the Preschool 1 classroom, as children start to knowingly engage each other in cooperative play. As their language abilities broaden, they fully grasp the difference between “pretend” and reality” and are able to move more readily between fantasy and real life situations. Every day, children are encouraged to role play different personas—storekeeper, astronaut, parent, firefighter-- within this safe environment, further strengthening their communication skills as well as their creativity.

Self-help skills become more developed in this classroom, as most children complete toilet training and grow more emotionally mature during this year. Social interactions are more advanced, and children are able to take on new challenges in their cognitive and motor abilities.