About Our Classrooms

We use the Teaching Pyramid method in our classroom, which is a positive approach to discipline.  

 "The Teaching Pyramid is a systematic framework developed by CSEFEL that incorporates Early Childhood Positive Behavior Support (EC-PBS) through promoting social-emotional development, providing support for children's appropriate behavior, preventing challenging behavior, and addressing problematic behavior." 

If you would like to learn more about the teaching pyramid or Positive Descriptive Acknowledgements (PDAs), please see the link and articles below. 

https://cainclusion.org/teachingpyramid/

https://www.laurafishtherapy.com/Forms/PDALFMay2017.pdf

https://cainclusion.org/resources/camap/CACSEFEL/TellMeWhatToDoInstead_FamilyCA.pdf

Here at NFCU we use the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale (ITERS) and the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS) to set up our classrooms. We focus on creating an age appropriate environment that encourages social-emotional, academic, and physical growth and development. 

In our infant and toddler rooms we focus on child-led learning. We allow them to play and explore and focus on building strong bonds and relationships with their teachers and classmates. 

We continue to encourage learning through play and allow time for child-led learning and exploration as the children age, and in our 2-year-old room we begin teacher-led learning as well. Our 2-year-olds begin a short circle time, classroom activities, and group story time. They begin to explore numbers. shapes, colors, letters, and letter sounds. We also focus on STEM activities and language development. 

We continue to expand on this teacher-led learning as they enter each new classroom, while still giving ample time for play and exploration. 

For our 4-year-olds entering Kindergarten in the fall, we offer a full Preschool program. We use Handwriting Without Tears, ScholarVille Phonics, and teach beginning math concepts.  This program prepares them to be successful in any Kindergarten program.  We also offer a full Graduation celebration as they move onto Elementary School.

We offer large playgrounds, with lots of green space for the children to play. When weather permits we provide an abundance of outdoor time with optional outdoor classroom activities for our 3 and 4-year-olds. 

" In concert with modern child development research findings, the concept of the Outdoor Classroom is built upon the premise that children are complex beings. To nurture the whole child, childhood education needs to follow the fundamental principle that children are learning everywhere and all the time. Instead of developmentally inappropriate early academics, children need a broad variety of learning experiences and opportunities to grow in areas such as science, mathematics, executive function, gross and fine motor development, social-emotional development, language development, and creative expression. The Outdoor Classroom evolves from the real needs of children, offers activities that are personally meaningful to them, and fully embraces developmentally appropriate practices in early care. " - Outdoor Classroom Project

We have many bi-lingual teachers and staff and have many dual language classrooms.