Although encouraged, art is usually optional for Little Lamb students.  It is offered during our Free Choice period.  There are a few times throughout the year when we make parent gifts or do a special unit project, and at those times we ask all of the students to participate.  During these projects, teachers assist the children in achieving a similar, preplanned result; however, most of the time our students engage in what is known as ‘process-oriented art’.  Little Lamb teachers strive to provide our students with sometimes unit-related activities but always unique, creative materials with which students can experience art.   We believe that the main purpose of preschool art is the experience of using these materials, not the end result.  This means that most often the projects children bring home are imagined, created and completed by them and not the teacher.  

Each child has multiple opportunities during the year to help in the classroom by taking on a classroom job.  The child’s designated job is his or her responsibility for the entire week.  Little Lamb students in the three’s class take turns being Pet Helper, Bell Ringer, Snack Helper, and Line Leader.

Guess & Share is Little Lamb’s version of Show & Tell.  When it is a child’s turn for Guess & Share, he or she takes home a large cloth bag with either “AM 3” or “PM 3” stitched on it.  Children select an item from home that they would like to show their classmates, put it inside the bag, and return the bag and item to school the following school day.  The child is asked to give hints or clues as to what is in the bag while other children try to guess what the object is.  Parents may help their child think of clues he or she could give the children, such as “It is brown.” or “It has four legs.”

We look forward to celebrating students’ birthdays at Little Lamb.  We try to celebrate as close to their actual birthday as possible.  If a child has a summer birthday, we celebrate his or her ½-birthday at Little Lamb.  The child’s special day will be indicated on the snack calendar which is sent home every other month.  On the day of the celebration, the child receives a birthday crown and special sticker he or she can wear and a special certificate and card from the teacher.  Our puppet friend Jake (who lives in a birthday cake) visits the classroom that day.  We sing to the student, the child is allowed to decorate our Little Lamb windows with “special window crayons”, and we put several birthday puzzles and banners out around the school that day.  The child is assigned Snack Helper during the week of his or her birthday celebration, and on that day, he or she may bring something special.  Candy and/or party favors may be brought in to be distributed to the children at the end of class but are completely optional.

In October, a note is sent home to parents inviting them to request a day each month they would be interested in helping out in the classroom.  Parents are by no means obligated to volunteer; however, this is an opportunity for parents to observe their child in a classroom setting, see what fun stuff their child gets to do when they drop him or her off two days a week, and earn F.A.I.T.H. hours while doing so.  (For a description of F.A.I.T.H. hours, please see the St. John School Home Page and follow the prompts.)  Ideally parents are willing to come at the same time once each month forming a routine; however, we encourage parents to visit the classroom as their schedule permits.  Licensing rules do require that all volunteers who come on a regular basis have to have a current physical and TB test on file with Little Lamb Preschool.  These forms are available at Little Lamb Preschool and are in good standing for two years.