Our approach allows us to meet the individual needs of all students through a structured, choice-driven, materials-based curriculum. We accomplish this task in our mixed-aged classroom by providing multi-leveled materials that children can use to develop early as well as advanced language, math, fine motor, artistic, scientific and sensorial skills. Providing carefully chosen materials stimulates and challenges children to construct and enhance their conceptual knowledge base. Through hands on work with materials, children develop an understanding of their environment. Through observation, discussion, and work with the children, the teachers develop an understanding of them. In this way, the dynamics oscillate between the child and their work, the child and their teacher, and the children with each other. The interplay of these classroom relationships fosters each child's unique development. Each year at RHP we work to develop a true community of learners who are equipped at this early period of development to think critically and to respect, support, and learn from all the members of their community.
At RHP, children from two and a half to five years old work together in the same classroom with the same materials. Our approach allows us to meet the individual cognitive and social-emotional needs of all students in the classroom through a structured, choice-driven, materials-based curriculum. We accomplish this task in our mixed-aged classroom by providing multi-leveled materials that children can use to develop early as well as advanced language, math, fine motor, artistic, scientific and sensorial skills. Providing carefully chosen materials stimulates and challenges children to construct and enhance their conceptual knowledge base. Through hands on work with materials, children develop an understanding of their environment. Through observation, discussion, and work with the children, the teachers develop an understanding of them. In this way, the dynamics oscillate between the child and their work, the child and their teacher, and the children with each other. The interplay of these classroom relationships fosters each childís unique development. Each year at RHP we work to develop a true community of learners who are equipped at this early period of development to think critically and to respect, support, and learn from all the members of their community.
Born and raised in the Bronx, RHPís Teacher-Director Emily Rabinowitz-Buchanan graduated from Vassar College in 2003, with a B.A. in Urban Studies and Certification in Childhood Education. Upon graduation, Emily returned to New York and began teaching preschool at the Washington Market School in Manhattanís downtown neighborhood of Tribeca. Over the next three years she taught children ages 3-5 in a full-day, mixed-age classroom.
From the fall of 2005 to the spring of 2006, Emily attended graduate courses in Early Childhood Education at Hunter College. In the summer of 2008 she received her M.A. in Developmental Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University.
Emily believes that children succeed in classrooms where they are given the freedom to pursue their interests under the guidance of a supportive teacher. She strives to create classroom communities, where each childís spirit and passions are honored and encouraged. Emily is thrilled to have been a part of the RHP team from its beginning and is looking forward to many wonderful years at RHP.
Julia Niego grew up in Connecticut. She received her BA in Behavioral Neuroscience, at Colgate University, where she became fascinated with cognitive development and the role of environment in early learning.
Upon moving to New York, Julia obtained a position as a full-time nanny. Watching first-hand as two children grew from infants to you ng boys brought into sharp focus all she had learned about brain development. After working for two and a half years to create an enriched learning environment in the home, Julia knew she wanted to pursue a career shaping rich learning experiences for children in these vital early years of life.
Julia has been honored to be a part of Red Hook Playgroup from the beginning, working with teachers and parents to create a passionate, progressive learning environment in her own community. She is currently pursuing a MS in Neuroscience and Education at Columbia Teacherís College. Julia is excited to be a part of this growing field, and to use her knowledge of childrensí development and learning to further enrich the RHP environment.
Gyrchel Moore was born and raised on the island of Trinidad and Tobago. After graduating high school at the age of fifteen she migrated to the United States with the intention of furthering her education. On her arrival to the United States, Gyrchel, who has been a dancer since the age of seven, began dancing, performing and working with an organization in Brooklyn. In her time with this organization she volunteered and assisted in teaching both modern and West African dances. She also attended Kingsborough Community College where she majored in Education, and then transferred to Brooklyn College. She is currently a junior majoring in Early Childhood Education.
ìI learn something new about myself everyday by working with these children,î says Gyrchel, who is enjoying every moment of her time at RHP. Gyrchel believes that children should be able to express themselves as creatively as possible. She has integrated the concepts of movement, expression, and dance into the RHP curriculum, and recently led a two-week summer program in African Dance and Drumming. She looks forward to continuing her work with RHP.
Uses materials (Montessori materials in particular) to explore concepts that rely on the senses != gradations in color, texture, scent, size, shape and sound. Materials include knobbed and knobless cylinders that gradate in height and width, as well as a ìbrown stairî that is made up of rectangular prisms that gradate in size and a ìpink towerî that is made up of cubes that gradate in size. Materials on the sensorial shelf also allow the child to do work that develops their ability to sort and organize according to property.
Uses materials to explore mathematical concepts such as quantity, counting, number recognition, ordering, sequencing, the decimal system, shape recognition, patterning, one-to-one correspondence, measuring, adding, subtracting, dividing, identifying part/whole relationships, number recognition, fractions, and probability.
Uses materials to explore language concepts such as letter recognition, sound/symbol correspondence, symbol recognition, matching, vocabulary, story telling, sequencing, writing, initial sound recognition, spelling, and reading.
Uses everyday materials to help children develop fine-motor skills and sense of independence and ability to do ìadultî work. Materials used include spoons, tongs, tweezers, chopsticks, clothespins, hand-beaters, plastic knives, apple corers, graters, peelers, juicers, pouring vessels such as pitchers and cups, needle and thread, and hammer and nails.
Uses materials to learn about animals, plants, life sequences, geography, weight and measurement, and volume. Science classes are also taught twice a week to the whole group.
Uses materials to help children explore concepts of rhythm, beat and tempo. Music classes are also taught twice a week to the whole group.
We see art as integral to childrenís ability to synthesize and experiment with their experiences of the world around them. Through art children explore texture, color, and color mixing, as much as they explore size shape, proportion, positive and negative space, symbol making, representation, and interpretation. Materials are available at all times for children to engage in a number of art experiences, according to their interest. Art classes are also taught twice a week to the whole group.
Allows for social-emotional development and language development through interactive play based around common life experiences and environments, such as the home and family life, the doctorís office, the babyís room and care of babies, the classroom and the office.
Children use unit blocks to build and explore mathematical, scientific, sensorial, language, and artistic concepts. Block constructions and the process of building (particularly with a group) is a formative experience for children that is fulfilling in a variety of ways. Childrenís block constructions change over time and reflect the development of concepts such as patterning, symmetry, volume, scale, and part/whole relationships. Children also develop social-emotional and language skills through the process of working with a group of peers to create a unified whole.
Children explore concepts of size, volume, weight, and texture as well as develop social-emotional skills and concepts through work with the medium as well as with peers.
Children can choose books to read alone, with friends, or with a teacher from our ever-expanding library of fiction and non-fiction childrenís literature.