The curriculum utilizes materials and methods as they best suit young children's needs and interests. MCNS begins with the understanding that each child needs to be appreciated and accepted and to appreciate and accept himself or herself. Children participate in a variety of individual and group activities. Strong emphasis is placed upon exploration and discovery and development of personal satisfaction, independence, self- management skills, and motivation. In addition, focus is placed on each child's relationships with his or her peers and with teaching adults and what it means to be part of a group. The development of positive social skills is a strong mandate of the school. Intellectual growth is fostered by appropriate materials and activities which help to develop early conceptualization in such areas as science, social science, and math: by encouraging the development of language, communication, and listening skills; and by initiating basic reading-readiness skills. Listening to stories and other language arts experiences, music, and group discussions are daily activities. In the Older Group, the children are encouraged to begin to compose and write stories on their own. The curriculum naturally includes many activities which allow the children self-expression and help develop creativity, with importance placed upon the creative process rather than the final product. It also includes many opportunities to foster the development of appropriate manipulative and gross motor skills, including weekly movement classes.
Holidays may or may not be acknowledged; but when they are, the teachers and children explore and celebrate them in a manner which de-emphasizes sectarian religious beliefs or commercial hype. Instead, focus is placed on seasonal or cultural themes and traditions as they relate to the children and their experiences in and out of school. Parents are encouraged to share their own ethnic cultural events or holidays with individual classes as a way of enhancing the school's program. Out-of-neighborhood trips are a part of the school year as well.
The school's goal is to help each child grow in self-awareness and self-acceptance and in awareness and acceptance of others, in curiosity about the world, in knowledge, and in readiness for future learning experiences. MCNS, a happy, enriching, and stimulating school for children, hopes to both help youngsters move out into the world with confidence and launch them successfully on their challenging journey toward a fulfilling adulthood.
