By Nance Ebert, Contributing Writer
Northborough – In a high school setting, the preschoolers enrolled at the Algonquin Regional High School’s Tiny Tomahawk Learning Lab Preschool program have the added benefit of having their lead teacher, Susan Muise, director, as well as many high school students assist in their days’ activities.
The program first began in 1978 under the direction of Meg Stebbins. Susan Muise taught in a similar program in Bedford for five years prior and did her student teaching with Candace Loughlin, this program’s previous director. This is Muise’s first year running the program.
“There are so many benefits to having the students enrolled in my classes get actual hands-on experience with the preschoolers,” she said. “Many of the sophomores, juniors and seniors that choose to take early childhood development or early childhood education want to work with children in some capacity. Some want to become teachers, speech therapists, go into medicine and more.”
The lessons incorporated into the preschool are based on the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks for Preschool and under Muise’s supervision, the high school students provide classroom instruction and interact with the young ones.
“The preschool program meets three times each week for a total of four hours. It’s very beneficial for children on the younger side of age 3 as well. It helps get them a traditional preschool experience with several high school students to assist,” Muise explained. “I see a huge impact this has on the children and the young ones really look up to and learn from these high school students. The high school students benefit by taking the role as a leader and setting positive examples for the children.”
The Tiny Tomahawk Learning Lab Preschool follows the bell schedule for the high school. The program is priced reasonably and draws participants from Northborough, Southborough, and surrounding towns. Students are enrolled on a first-come, first-served basis. The program begins two weeks after the high school begins in order to enable the students enrolled in the electives time to prepare lessons, many of which are theme-based.
“I inherited a well-structured program,” Muise said. I really can’t take credit for how smooth it runs. I love teaching the coursework, motivating and challenging the students, and watching the interaction between the preschool students and the high school students.”
For additional information, visit Algonquin Regional High School’s website http://algonquin.nsboro.k12.ma.us/pages/ARHS and click on the “Tiny Tomahawks” link.