The KTS enriched Kindergarten program welcomes students into the world of formal schooling and gives them a strong foundation upon which their future academic studies build. Using structured classes and group lessons, students are provided with an engaging learning environment that fosters both academic and social development. As with all KTS programs, the Kindergarten program focuses on the whole student and offers children an inclusive and empathetic class and school community.
The Kindergarten curriculum balances learning-based play centers with the formal development of academic skills. In particular, our program emphasizes early literacy skills, phonemic awareness, numeracy, and science. Students also have weekly classes in French, Visual Arts, Mathematics, Physical Education, and Music. Moreover, our small class size allows students to get ample individual attention and affords teachers the opportunity to engage students using innovative and experiential pedagogical approaches.
LITERACY
The Kindergarten program focuses on building literacy skills through structured literacy. In this program, phonological awareness (the ability to notice, think about, and work with sounds in words), phonics (the relationship between sounds and written symbols), as well as decoding and encoding (using knowledge of sound/symbol relationships to read and write words) and encoding are explicitly and systematically taught in order to foster later reading success.
NUMERACY
Through both structured and play-centered activities, students build numeracy skills where they develop an understanding of number sense, patterns, and basic mathematical relationships. These skills prepare students for our Grade 1 to 8 program.
SCIENCE
Students are encouraged to grow as young scientists and learn about their world through hands-on activities. The curriculum also includes ample outdoor explorations and activities to encourage students to learn more about, and engage with, the natural world.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Our students benefit from a Physical Education program that includes both formal and less structured physical activity.
MUSIC
Students also take weekly music classes, taught by a specialist music teacher, who introduces students to the foundations of musical expression and appreciation.
LIFE SKILLS
Independence
In addition to academic skills, the KTS Kindergarten program also works to instill in children a sense of independence where they mature into confident and capable young people who are empowered to do things for themselves.
Friendship Skills
Learning how to manage the dynamics of peer relationships is an important element of social development for children of Kindergarten age. The KTS program helps children navigate these relationships and teaches them how to interact with others in constructive and positive ways.
Problem Solving and Decision Making
Throughout the Kindergarten program, children are encouraged to develop their problem solving skills and make good decisions about their daily life. To facilitate this, our teachers expose students to a range of techniques to solve problems and focus on teaching them how to make healthy decisions for themselves.