Teller offers Qualistar top-rated Early Childhood Education classes. Our 4-year-old preschool program utilizes Tools of the Mind, a research-based curriculum that focuses on the development of children’s self-regulation (executive function) and literacy skills. The goals of our preschool program are to:
Children must be 4-years-old on or before October 1st of the year of enrollment to be eligible.
Learn more information about Denver Public Schools preschool programs.
Our Kindergarten classrooms use an early childhood curriculum designed for preschool and kindergarten children called Tools of the Mind, often referred to as TOM. The sole purpose of TOM is to foster children’s executive functioning, which involves developing self-regulation, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. Executive functioning skills are foundational building blocks that children need in order to be successful in their education throughout the years. TOM uses an integrated play-based approach by incorporating social emotional learning, science, and social studies, into the core content subjects of math, reading, and writing. Our classroom isn’t a traditional classroom with assigned desks and seats for each kiddo, but instead is a classroom built on opportunities for free choice, learning through play, small group learning centers, and more. Additionally, TOM follows the philosophy of learning to write in order to read, which has proven itself highly effective by producing strong writers and readers who are ready for the First Grade. By the end of the year, our Kindergarteners develop the underlying cognitive, social/emotional, and academic skills to be successful in first grade and beyond.
Our Kindergarten teachers also use a tool called TS Gold which is a developmentally appropriate, ongoing, observation based assessment. Our teachers use TS Gold to observe children in the classroom during regular, everyday activities throughout the year. Unlike formal or standardized assessments, which offer a narrow picture of a child’s ability at a given moment, ongoing assessments offer a broad, more meaningful picture of development. TS Gold helps our teachers plan instruction that is individualized and scaffolded to each child’s developmental level.