At LMS children explore their own identities as they interact empathetically with people from diverse backgrounds.

LMS aims to nurture in each student the construction of a knowledgeable, confident identity as an individual and as a member of multiple cultural groups (such as gender, race, ethnicity, or class). We enable children to have comfortable, empathetic interactions with people from diverse backgrounds. We also foster each child’s ability to recognize bias and injustice, and cultivate each child’s ability to stand up, individually and with others, against bias or injustice.

Toddlers make sense of the world by experiencing and mastering routines.

During the Toddler years, children are transitioning from an unconscious absorbent mind to a conscious absorbent mind. They begin to make sense of the world through various experiences and by mastering routines. Toddlers learn familiar vocabulary words associated with time, and they begin to understand the meaning of these terms. As they interact with friends, Toddlers become part of a group that is outside of their family. This helps them develop empathy as they realize that their actions impact others. As they begin to understand that they are part of a school, toddlers realize that there are classrooms, students, teachers, and buildings outside of their own.

Toddlers absorb language with extraordinary ease.

Language development is a major area of growth in the first three years of life. Children at this age absorb language with ease. Among toddlers, there is a wide variety of language abilities. In our Toddler classroom, children develop language through peer interactions and teacher modeling. Our goal for the toddlers is to further develop their language skills in articulation, communication, and vocabulary through conversations, activities, and modeling.

Toddlers begin to build mathematical concepts by exploring our specially prepared environment.

As toddlers explore their environment, they are exposed to basic mathematical concepts such as one-to-one correspondence, rote counting, geometric shapes, vocabulary, the concept of number, number symbols, problem solving, and early concepts of measurement. The materials in our specially prepared environment allow the toddlers to sort, match, count, and absorb the language of math.

Toddlers sing songs, use musical instruments, dance and move to music, and practice keeping rhythm.

Toddlers are exposed to music in a variety of ways. In our classroom, we sing songs, use musical instruments, dance and move to music, and practice keeping rhythm. Toddlers also experience different types of music.

In all of our activities in the Toddler room, we try to incorporate movement.

Toddlers are in a sensitive period for movement.  In all of our activities, we try to incorporate movement. We also have a specific large motor area of the classroom with equipment that enables the toddlers to be active.  In addition, the toddlers visit the playground every day, weather permitting.

Toddlers' routines and activities foster independence and self-care skills.

The routines and activities of our Toddler classroom are designed to foster independence and self-care skills. Toddlers practice dressing and undressing, caring for their environment, and caring for their personal belongings. They learn everyday skills including pouring, scooping, spreading, and cutting.

Toddlers interpret their world through movement and by the use of their senses.

During the Toddler years, children learn to interpret their world through movement and by the use of their senses. We introduce them to specialized Sensorial materials that help them learn to compare, contrast, and discriminate. (These materials are described in greater detail in the Mathematics Curriculum.)

When there is a bilingual teacher present in the toddler team, integrating Spanish into the classroom is spontaneous and informal. No formal expectations or assessment is made with regards to Spanish learning. The bilingual teacher often speaks to the children in Spanish, identifying objects, making requests of the children, playing games, singing songs, etc.

 

Toddlers are exposed to Spanish spoken by a native speaker.  This occurs through spontaneous conversations and interactions throughout the day, and also through books, songs, and activities. 

Toddlers are exposed to a variety of art media, tools, vocabulary, and colors.

Toddlers are introduced to art materials in a carefully sequenced order, moving from simple to more complex throughout the year. With lots of freedom to explore, the children develop creativity and an appreciation for art.