The Panda Class serves Unity's 2-year-old toddlers, focusing on social-emotional development, both gross and fine motor skills, and introducing children to the Unity community.

 

Jen, our morning lead, has taught in the Panda Room for eight years and has twenty years of experience at Unity. Her co-teacher, Chaylee, is in her second year as a lead and previously served as a teacher assistant in the Panda Room. She brings four years of early education experience. Our assistants, JoAnne and Frances, further strengthen the team.

JoAnne has been at Unity for nine years and has twenty-six years of experience in education. Frances has worked in early education for over two years and is going on her second year here at Unity.

 

Throughout the day, the Panda's practice identifying and regulating emotions and building bonds and relationships with teachers and friends in the class. Throughout the year, we learn to recognize our names, practice counting skills, engage in fine and gross motor activities, learn to use the space around us, value our environment, and build friendships.

 

Our classroom space is arranged to let children experiment and explore, learn through hands-on activities, and relate to the world around them. We use the garden every Thursday, the barn on rainy days, take field trips, and perform community service. We encourage our panda students to take responsibility for their own messes to build independence. We teach them how to use their words with one another and develop teamwork as a class. We aim for each student to feel welcomed and loved in the Panda Classroom.