As the end of the year approaches, high school students grow restless awaiting the beginning of summer vacation. However, just down the hall, Wayne Valley Pre-School students remain eager to learn.

Child Development has been a successful program running for nearly 20 years by Mrs. Mariconda. In the Child Development classes, students learn and discuss the development of a child from prenatal stages to adolescence. Along with their studies, class discussions consist of teaching techniques and lesson ideas so that the students can fervently plan and create individualized lessons with a partner. Just in this past year the students have taught lessons varying from numbers and colors to germs to friendship to improving gross motor skills with physical activities in the gymnasium.

Child Development one and two gives each student hands on experience dealing with young children, lesson plans and the action of effectively teaching a topic. Any student in Child Development will vouch that it is extremely rewarding to see the children’s eyes light up with interest and to watch them
grow as people at the young ages of three and four.

As the students finish Child Development one and two, they are able to progress onto Child Development three where each student is provided with the opportunity to experience a real elementary school setting. Most students help elementary school teachers at the end of the day and some even get to do independent lessons.

However, the class does not consist merely of future teachers; anybody who has a passion for children and building upon the community and our future would be a good fit for this class.