EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM

Welcome to Early Childhood at Hong Kong Academy!
The Hong Kong Academy Early Childhood group consists of grades K3-Y1. We pride ourselves on creating an environment where students love coming to school and are challenged to achieve their personal and academic potential, while developing a lifelong love for learning. Hong Kong Academy believes in fostering a strong sense of school community, which is supported by small class size and only two classes at each grade level. Each class has two full time teachers and parent involvement is encouraged.

The K3 and K4 programs study four PYP units of inquiry each year, integrating Art, Music, Physical Education and Mandarin wherever possible. In addition, the students are exposed to language arts, mathematics, science and social studies through each PYP unit in a developmentally appropriate fashion. The children explore these concepts during hands-on centers as part of the daily routine. A key feature of K3 and K4 is the development of reading and writing through a variety of approaches, from journal writing/dictation, to finding rhyming patterns in poetry. Each early childhood class is partnered with an older class for library/buddy time. Students are encouraged to speak in front of both small and large groups and perform in two Early Childhood assemblies each year. Math is activity based and follows the Everyday Math curriculum. Children are able to explore concrete materials which enable them to develop number sense and reinforce concepts taught, such as patterning, space and shape, graphing, estimating, numbers, number operations, and problem solving. Opportunities for free play allow children to explore their areas of interest while developing their social awareness and language skills. These activities include art, blocks/building, dramatic play, puzzles, number and early literacy games. In addition, the children have snack and recess each day.

Both K3 and K4 classes benefit from having English Teachers and Mandarin Co-teachers in each class. K3 students attend school from 8:30 to 11:30 with a maximum class size of 14. K4 students attend school from 8:30 to 12:30 with a maximum class size of 16.

The K5 and Y1 students study six PYP units of inquiry each year, integrating not only Art, Music, Physical Education and Mandarin, but Information Technology as well. Each grade has 45 minutes of Mandarin instruction every day as well as library and a session with their library buddy class. The K5 and Y1 curriculum builds upon prior knowledge to develop fundamental reading and writing skills. Shared reading, read aloud, guided reading, and small group reading, using leveled readers, are utilized to meet students needs at their instructional level. The language arts program combines verbal and auditory activities including print work and journal writing. Y1 also begins vocabulary and spelling activities. Both classes are expected to perform in two Early Childhood assemblies each year.

Everyday Math is used in K5 and Y1 and continues to build on concepts introduced earlier. Over the course of the year, the children are exposed to geometry, measurement, money, time, pattern, sequence, function, algebra, and place value. Math continues to be hands-on and activity based. In this way, students solve problems and move from concrete to symbolic operations. Students have free time each week to play games or select a favorite activity. Children have snack, lunch, and recess each day.

K5 has a reading extension program that encourages children and parents to read together at home each night when the children are considered developmentally ready. More formal homework is introduced in Y1. There is reading each night and a math worksheet that reinforces what they learned in class each day. In addition, there is Mandarin homework that begins with optional listening exercises and simple character writing, based on ability.

K5 and Y1 have two full time teachers in the classroom every day. All students attend school from 8:30 to 3:30 except for Wednesdays, when the day runs from 8:30 to 12:30 (no lunch). The maximum class size is 18 students.