Kindergarten at Mayfield Junior School

Joy in Learning

The center of the Kindergarten program is the homeroom classroom. Mayfield has three kindergarten classrooms each led by a teacher and an associate teacher. Each classroom is a safe supportive space where the day begins. Students take on responsibility with various classroom helper roles and a sense of belonging is nurtured.

Core curriculum subjects such as language arts and math are taught in the homeroom classroom. Each lesson is introduced through a variety of teaching modalities which include videos to introduce each lesson, practice work and games, vocabulary, and math concepts. There are always plenty of hands-on activities to help with understanding the math concepts they are learning.

Additional subjects taught by specialists are art, music, science, Spanish, library, technology, guidance, and physical education. All of this activity and learning is balanced with ample time for play.

Read more about the kindergarten curriculum here.

Program Highlights

As a Holy Child school, Mayfield Junior School embraces the development of the integrated, whole person at every grade level including kindergarten. With intention we provide our youngest students with opportunities for intellectual curiosity, social/emotional growth, and the development of skills and confidence for success and happiness in school and life. Everything is learning.

Enrichment

In addition to core academics, the kindergarten weekly schedule includes science, art, Spanish, design and engineering, time in the library, PE and guidance. Whether learning basic coding with BeeBots, observing chemical reactions in science or practicing Spanish vocabulary in a song or game, enrichment classes are often designed to integrate with the academic program while also developing creativity, critical thinking and problem solving skills.

Service Learning

In kindergarten, service learning focuses on a local animal shelter, Pasadena Humane. Students visit the shelter to learn all the shelter does and what they can do to help. Their natural empathy quickly turns into action. They make cat beds, cat toys, and bake dozens of dog biscuits in the shapes of bones, fire hydrants and hearts. They also write colorful heart-shaped "Adopt Me!" cards to hang on the shelter’s cages and organize a towel drive on campus. Through purposeful curriculum integration and opportunities for real life experiences, the importance of service is encouraged in both hearts and minds.

KPals Program

A simple connection - reading together, sharing stories, maybe collaborating on a project, becomes magic when sixth graders and kindergarteners pair up for KPals. For twenty minutes on alternate Thursdays sixth graders head to the Primary Courtyard to share a moment with a kindergarten friend. The K-Pals program was created over 10 years ago to build relationships through reading and has grown in recent years to include many activities and interactions. Both age groups so look forward to this time together that time flies by, friendships grow and memories are made.

List of 3 items.

Building Confidence
Read more
In kindergarten, children have many opportunities to strengthen their confidence and to believe in themselves and their abilities. In the classroom, each child is viewed as an individual who brings his/her own gifts, talents and skills to the group of learners. There is a strong emphasis on growth mindset in every endeavor. In physical education they are given the opportunity to strengthen their bodies and demonstrate what they can do independently as well as in small or large groups. Technology is integrated as both a computer science class and across subject matters. The children create on iPads, use various tools to record their work, and are able to share what they have done with their parents through an electronic portfolio called Seesaw. Activities in the ‘D-Lab’, during Maker Space time and rotations, allow students to create, make, build, and begin to develop design thinking and problem-solving skills.
Independence and Good Habits
Read more
Many opportunities to practice being independent and responsible are integrated into daily activities. Participation in a regular routine promotes good habits and organizational skills. With encouragement, students develop a sense of personal accomplishment. As they complete their work, effort is recognized and improvement celebrated.
The Impact of Friendship
Read more
Through various classroom and school-wide activities, kindergartners learn to establish trusting relationships with their teachers and peers. Upon entering a kindergarten classroom, you are greeted with smiles and a myriad of personalities. In one corner, you might find a group of children building an entire city out of blocks while in another corner of the room, a child is quietly reading a book. Strengthening social and emotional skills is a top priority that is seamlessly woven through the kindergarten curriculum. Teachers intentionally support children’s social and emotional health using literature, providing effective praise and cues as well as modeling appropriate behaviors. Considering the tremendous impact that friendship can have on a child’s well-being, children are provided with a safe and joyful atmosphere where they are encouraged to practice kindness and empathy.