Crescent Heights recognizes the uniqueness of the early learner. Student-initiated play supports development of receptive and cognitive abilities, representational abilities, and relational abilities.

Play in our kindergarten classroom is adaptive to learners’ needs, involves choice, promotes agency, provides rigorous opportunities for inquiry into both important concepts and personal interests, and develops social skills. Opportunities for play are balanced between open ended free play and centers for reinforcing specific learning (which may include literacy and numeracy centers). Intentional provocations support students in constructing their own understanding of the relevant Unit of Inquiry concepts.

Relationships are a principal component of the experience for our early learners and through our small class size of sixteen students, teachers have more time to develop meaningful connections with each learner – to really know their students.