ABOUT BUNTYN PRESCHOOL
Buntyn Preschool operates 5 days a week from 7:30 am-5:30 pm August-May. Families are given the option to enroll for summer camp any number of days per week, any weeks of the summer in June and July. For more information, to schedule a tour, or for a copy of the school calendar, email us anytime.
We are closed for a week at the end of May, in the beginning of August, for Spring Break in March, July 4th week and for two weeks around Christmas and New Years. We offer a Christmas Camp to families over Christmas break and provide a babysitting list of teachers willing to babysit over school breaks.
All of our teachers use the Brightwheel app daily to log activities and pictures for parents to stay involved with their child's day. Parents can communicate regularly and at the touch of a button with all admin and teachers through the app.
Buntyn Preschool utilizes a play-based approach to curriculum in preschool classes. This philosophy encompasses three aspects of learning: environments, interactions, and experiences. Our play-based approach is based on observations that children learn by doing. Children learn and recall more information when they discover facts and answers for themselves. This reinforces feelings of competence and confidence to approach new tasks. Our indoor and outdoor play environments are designed to encourage experimentation with real objects and provide meaningful context. We stock our classrooms with developmentally appropriate materials that challenge children’s abilities and invite them to explore. We set up distinct areas to facilitate particular kinds of play—an area for creative messy projects, a quiet cozy nook for perusing books, and well planned intentional and purposeful centers,—but we also encourage children to make connections across interest areas. We are pleased when a child who is building in the block area brings over a book about bridges for reference or includes play food in the kitchen he has just built.
The teacher’s role in a play-based classroom is facilitator or coach. Our activities are designed to encourage children to dive into play rather than wait for directions. Teachers plan for a range of developmental abilities and strive to provide varying levels of challenge to meet children’s individual needs. Teachers also provide model scripts for children to use when negotiating for materials and space. They redirect play that becomes unfocused or destructive towards engaging play, which is tied to specific goals.
Our approach to learning can also be described as a constructivist approach. Children are constantly building on previous knowledge and refining what they know with new experiences. This method emphasizes process over product, promotes higher level problem-solving skills and encourages children to plan, reflect, and develop self-reliance and initiative. Teachers scaffold learning by challenging children to explore concepts that are just beyond their individual comfort zones, by providing feedback and resources when children become frustrated, and by posing questions and problems that lead children to new concepts.
We welcome you to come tour our school! Buntyn offers an equally challenging and nurturing co-educational environment. We pride ourselves in preparing your child academically and socially for the next level of schooling. Our classes are small and fill up quickly. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Our Core Curriculum
Our activities and materials vary from class to class depending on the developmental needs of the children in each group. There are some aspects of our curriculum that apply to all age groups:
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Children go outside every day, weather permitting.
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Children listen to stories and are read to every day.
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Children sing and listen to music every day.
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Children participate in the “work” aspects of a class-community: planning, setting up, and cleaning up activities.
A large group of time is dedicated to interest centers (creative arts, early literacy, math, movement, science, and social skills). We believe we best prepare your child for the next level of schooling by encouraging exploration of these particular areas.
Our History
Buntyn Preschool is one of the most established preschools in Memphis, founded in 1946 as a ministry of Buntyn Presbyterian Church. The excellence of Buntyn Preschool is exemplified by the number of students whose parents, even grandparents, attended this special program.
Our small size is an asset ensuring high quality care and attention. Our teacher/student ratio is among the best in the city. Buntyn Preschool teachers are knowledgeable, experienced, and committed to professional development. While our facilities are unique, it is the quality of teaching that makes Buntyn one of the most sought-after programs in Memphis.
We realize learning must fit the child, not the other way around. Our students are secure, happy, and eager to come to school each day! Come see the school in action. We will work with you to arrange a tour!