Chelsea Day School
Play is the work of small children. Play drives all we do and it permeates all aspects of our program. Children play to make sense of their world, to learn about themselves and each other, to develop language, to gain self-confidence and self-control and to understand and express their feelings. Our goal is to create a play environment where children have the opportunity to explore, collaborate and construct meaningful understandings of the world around them.
We receive children, listen to them carefully and support them emotionally, socially, cognitively and physically. The social/emotional development of children is intrinsic to all aspects of our educational program. Our goal for all of our students is that they freely develop their sense of autonomy and their relationships with others knowing they are safe, respected, heard and valued.
The curriculum emerges from each of the classroom communities. The content is different from year to year while being age-appropriate. Each area of study builds vocabulary, uses the scientific method, challenges mathematical thinking, supports collaboration and cooperation, facilitates social learning and offers children opportunities to express their ideas and feelings.
The Arts are explored each day through clay, paint, printing, natural materials, weaving, collage and more. Poetry, storytelling, music and play-acting build literacy skills as children collaborate with their peers. Each child’s work is unique and respected.
The Twos/Threes Classes focus on separation and language development through stories, songs and interactions with peers and adults. There are 12 children with 2 adults in each session, plus a support floater every other day. The children attend 3 mornings a week from 9am to noon.
The Threes Classes emphasize process, decision-making, personal responsibility and communication. There are 15 children in each session with 3 teachers. Children must attend 5 mornings a week and may add afternoons until 3pm.
The Fours Classes support skills of observation, organization and problem-solving. The transition to symbolic expression begins. There are 16 children in each class with 2 teachers. The children must attend 5 mornings and at least 2 afternoons.
The Arts offer a way for children to articulate their thoughts and ideas using a variety of materials, tools and resources. We focus on developing children’s aesthetic sensibilities and engaging the whole child in creative experiences.
Music plays an important role over the course of a day at Chelsea Day School. The children have many opportunities to experience music as they sing, move, listen and play musical instruments during their day. Each classroom has music with our Music Specialist once a week for 45 minutes. Children develop listening and memory skills, as well as experimenting with rhythm and pitch, musical patterns and phonic skills. There is often a collaborative effort to find or create songs and games to support various curricula in each of the classrooms.
Art experiences are part of each day, both with classroom teachers and with the Art Specialist. The curriculum has a basic framework of skills and experiences building upon one another. It is open-ended to allow for classroom collaboration and small group work. As an emergent theme is developed, classroom teachers collaborate with the Art Specialist to integrate art into the children’s explorations. We honor both process and product. We respect the child’s work, and thereby motivate the children to create for their intrinsic satisfaction. Our Art Specialist teaches in each classroom twice a week in sessions of 45 minutes each.
At Chelsea Day School, food, cooking and gardening are a prominent part of the curriculum. We believe it is important to pay attention to what we eat and where it comes from, to make informed and thoughtful choices about food, to celebrate what is seasonal and to enjoy delicious healthy foods every day. We also believe that as a school we have an obligation to be as thoughtful about what your children are eating – and what they are learning about food –as we are about everything else.
The Food and Gardening Curriculum was designed to bring healthy food to our children at snack time and to engage them in meaningful conversations about food. The children eat a variety of foods, many of which they help prepare themselves. Attention is paid to a variety of foods that will both nourish our children and challenge them to explore new tastes.
A floral and edible garden surrounds the playground on our roof. There are planters accessible to the children for digging, watering and observation. We source food whenever possible to be used in cooking projects and snacks. The garden inspires many areas of learning – still life drawings, poetry, vocabulary and story writing to name a few.
We are excited about the food we cook and grow and enjoy together as a community.
Arts Alive classes are taught by Chelsea Day School teachers and offered Monday through Thursday from 3 pm - 4:30pm. The program is available for students enrolled in the school’s Three’s and Four’s classes. Classes are inspired by the interests of the teachers, and offer a great opportunity for children and teachers with similar interests to work together, and for children to work with new teachers in small groups.
Much like during the school day, the activities offered are experiential and often integrate the various arts. Some of the Arts Alive activities that we have offered include: Playacting, Movement, Cooking, Art, Painting, and Spanish along with many others.
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