Lower School Curriculum

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Nursery

For many families, it all starts here. The Nursery classroom is where a child will begin to become an independent individual and a lifetime learner. Trevor’s Nursery program lays a strong foundation for enduring skills and knowledge. 
 
Nursery is a nurturing program that fosters a trusting relationship between students and teachers. This trust allows a child to feel safe to take positive risks to engage, explore, and create. Central to the curriculum is the focus on social and emotional development—becoming familiar with the classroom and teachers, learning to be comfortable in a group setting, developing routines and accepting transitions, establishing emotional security, developing relationships with teachers and peers, and exploring the world. To that end, the homeroom serves as the primary space for the Nursery, reducing the number of transitions for the children. 
 
A Nursery student’s work is his or her play. A typical three-year-old is still in an egocentric stage of development, and while play might only be in parallel, there is a growing understanding of others beyond oneself. Play time is called Choice Time, a deliberate means of introducing the fundamental concept of making choices. 
 
Regular use of outdoor spaces with climbing equipment and large blocks greatly enhance the young students’ development of gross motor and social skills as well give them an opportunity for imaginative play. Sand and water tables are vehicles for exploring mathematical and scientific concepts as well as strengthening fine motor skills.

  • Nursery Mathematics

    Counting games and songs are instrumental in teaching numbers in a fun and accessible way. Cooking can also bring math and science to life, as students ponder questions such as, “How many cups of flour do we need to make play dough?” And, “Is a cup the same size as a spoon?”

  • Nursery Science

    Nursery children are endlessly curious, always observing the world around them. They ask themselves: “What happens if we do this? How does this feel?” They are like sponges, soaking up all the sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and feelings that they encounter. Nursery teachers carefully plan rich and thoughtful scenarios that stimulate learning. Tools such as wooden blocks, water and sand tables, discovery tables, bowls, spoons, and hourglasses, add to the experiences that lay the foundation for future understanding of concepts in physics, chemistry, biology, earth science, and more.

  • Nursery Social Studies

    A young child’s world starts with a strong sense of self. Teachers help to expand this sphere of understanding to other people in their lives. Who are the people in your home? Whom do you love? Who are the people in your class? Whole group activities such as Morning Meeting allow for sharing stories about family life and school news.

  • Nursery Physical Education

    Oh, how three-year-olds love to move! Teachers channel this passion with playful, structured movement activities such as dance, yoga, and games—all of which contribute to students’ body and space awareness and development of gross motor skills. Nursery students learn about safety by introducing the concept of one’s own body in space, with the labels “My Body” and “Your Body.”

  • Nursery Music

    Music is the natural medium for learning in young children. There is an innate interest in all things musical, especially when it is tied to movement. Songs and instruments are regular features in the classroom. Stories, games, language, and even directions are taught with music.

  • Nursery Spanish

    Young children have a neuroplasticity that enables them to learn language relatively quickly, especially when puppets, dancing, singing, and food are involved! Through engaging activities, children are exposed to basic vocabulary words, proper articulation, and pronunciation. These lessons help to develop both speaking and listening skills.

  • Nursery Art

    In Nursery, art is about exposure to a variety of materials and giving students the opportunity to explore them. Tearing, gluing, drawing, and painting are among the artistic activities that contribute to fine motor skill development and help to open a child’s eyes to his or her ability to create art.

Faculty

  • Photo of Jonah Dragan

    Jonah Dragan

    Nursery, Head Teacher
    Bio
  • Photo of Stephanie Huamani

    Stephanie Huamani

    Nursery, Associate Teacher
    Bio
  • Photo of Eugenia Nascimento

    Eugenia Nascimento

    Nursery, Head Teacher
  • Photo of Timothy Nolan, Jr.

    Timothy Nolan, Jr.

    Nursery, Associate Teacher
    Bio
Ambitious academics.  Engaged students.  Balanced lives.

List of 2 items.

  • Nursery - 5

    1 W 88th St. 212.426.3300

  • 6 - 12

    312 E 95th St. 212.426.3360