When you step into either Lindsay Berdan’s or Sharon Schiro’s preschool classroom at GFW Public Schools, you are immediately struck by the sense of wonder, imagination, and fun that is on display. GFW’s preschool program provides an inclusive learning environment that recognizes children's abilities, interests, needs, and learning styles.
With a mission that believes all children are unique and can learn. GFW provides a safe, developmentally appropriate environment that promotes social, emotional, cognitive, and physical learning.
For the Bright Beginnings Class taught by Berdan, students who turn three by September 1 can attend school three days a week in half-day sessions to experience hands-on learning supported by an Early Childhood teacher, an Early Childhood Special Education teacher, a Minnesota Reading Corps member and a paraprofessional.
“For three-year-olds, it’s really about getting kids comfortable with being at school to work on social skills, learn to adjust to a schedule, and get used to learning with others in a classroom,” said Berdan. “Everybody jokes that all we do is play all day, but it’s actually far from it!”
For many students, this is their first time being in a classroom setting, so the big things they need to learn include sharing, regulating their emotions, and treating others with kindness. For the Exploring Together classes meant for four and five-year-olds, the class meets four half-days per week. Students are introduced to many new learning concepts in support of early reading and math skills. The main goal of this program is to help the children get ready for a positive Kindergarten experience.
“We do the social emotional piece but also pick up the learning where the three-year-old class stops to really get them ready for kindergarten,” said Schiro. “We have four centers in our room that students can participate in after our circle time, including reading corp, the literacy center that follows the Amplify curriculum that is used in K-5, math center, and independent carpet center where they can do some activities with some guidance to get creative.”
Getting creative is a big part of preschool at GFW. With multiple adults in the room, there is ample structured free time with chances to interact with other students and learn through play-based activities. GFW Preschool is all-inclusive, which means that students with special needs are included in classrooms alongside regular education students. This way, each student gets the same experience and has the same opportunities.
Students with special needs can also attend an additional day each week along with students from the Early 3’s Program, which serves young learners who turn three after September 1 on Mondays.
“My students really love circle time where we are singing the days of the week and months -— singing and doing actions, reading stories, they love getting to be together and start their day together,” said Berdan. “In preschool, we are the STEAM, music, general ed, special ed and everything else teachers. We are really able to adjust based on the needs of the kids and support play-based learning based on their interests and needs.”
There is a wide variety of activities throughout the school year. Just ask Mrs. Schiro about the annual leprechaun hunt on St. Patrick’s Day. Other favorite activities include the end-of-year graduation ceremony that celebrates students entering kindergarten the following year. Thanks to the new school facility, the preschool classrooms are now right next to each other, enabling collaboration.
“Now that the older kids are in the building, they come over and visit at breakfast and lunch and say hi to the kids, and littles just love it, so we hope to do more of that next year,” said Schiro. “This does not even feel like work to me because it’s so enjoyable to come here and be a part of these kids’ introduction to learning. Our kindergarten teachers have said they can tell the kids who have gone through the GFW PreK program, and that means a lot!”
Whether it’s getting the foundational tools they need to become strong raiders, playing outside or in the gym, or coming up with new activities to do together, GFW Preschool students look forward to school and to what comes next. The teachers say that the feeling is mutual and that the program does great things for students and their families.
“It’s a lot of fun for the students, and even if parents think that their child may not be ready for preschool, we always say to give it a try,” said Berdan. “You see that growth so quickly, and you will see what they are capable of!”