The new year is upon us and that means, another year of Child Care Practicum, or preschool.

Every year, a class of preschoolers attends Leyden between periods 2 and 3. If you’ve ever seen your fellow Leyden classmates leading children through the halls, that would be the preschoolers. Students range from 2 to 5 year olds in the program. Students who attend the program are from the community and are incorporated into the program by word of mouth or an older sibling attending the program.

Child Care Practicum is no ordinary preschool. “The high school students plan out the curriculum. They are given subject areas, but they plan out the lessons based on the Illinois State Objectives. Everything is student driven,” stated Mrs. Jennifer Maldonado, one of coordinators of the Child Care Practicum program. The Illinois State Objectives are a set of guidelines that each student-teacher needs to follow in their lesson plans to make sure they are on the right track in order to make their preschoolers have a happy and educational experience.

Leyden classmates lead the children in activities concerning the eight subjects: math, science, language arts, music, art, p.e., computer technology, and social studies. Every day there is a lesson in place to make the day interesting and interactive. Leyden students aim for preschoolers to have a well-rounded base in order to be successful in kindergarten.

To be able to take preschool, students need to take Child Development or Human Development as a prerequisite. In these classes, student learn how the child’s mind and body grow. The students take the skills they learn and apply it in the preschool.