Room 6

Age Group: 4-5 Year Olds

Class Size: 24 Children

Welcome to Room 6 at Crossroads! Room 6 is the largest classroom in the program with up to 24 students and 5 staff members. We serve program and nursery school children from the ages of 3 to 5. Many of the students in this classroom will be transitioning to kindergarten within a year. We are an integrated classroom that is comprised of both children with special needs and nursery school children. Our classroom activities focus on the development of skills that will help each child be successful in elementary school and beyond.

Our program is designed to provide students with hands on experiences that meet their individual needs and learning styles. Some of the skills we work on are social skills, daily living skills, attending skills, literacy, math, science exploration, social studies, and more. Learning Without Tears and Touch Math are two of many tools we use to teach these skills. Every day is exciting in Room 6 as children and staff share new experiences that help us grow.

In my class, I witness the incredible growth and boundless potential of each student, making every teaching moment truly rewarding.

Rebecca Oliver

Special Education Teacher

In our classroom, fun is not just an element; it's an essential ingredient that sparks laughter, camaraderie, and a love for learning among my students.

Julie Maitino

Early Childhood Teacher

Recently in Room 6.....

Room 6 Opens: A New Beginning for Our Students! 11.8.24

We are thrilled to announce that Room 6, the large classroom in our brand-new wing, is officially open and filled with joyful students! Thanks to the incredible support from our community of donors and the dedicated work of LeChase Construction, our vision of expanding Crossroads Center for Children has become a reality.

Walking into Room 6, you can immediately feel the excitement as students engage in play centers, explore new activities, and build friendships. This space is designed to support our students’ growth and development, providing them with the resources and environment they need to thrive.

To our generous donors, thank you for believing in our mission and helping us get this far. Your contributions have not only created a beautiful new learning environment for Crossroads, but have also built a future filled with hope and possibility for our children.

And a special thank you to LeChase Construction for your expertise, hard work, and exceptional commitment to creating a safe, supportive, and inspiring environment for our students. From foundation to finishing touches, your team has truly gone above and beyond to bring this project to life.

We’re excited to watch our students learn, grow, and flourish in this beautiful new space. Check out students engaging in play centers in their new beautiful, spacious classroom.

9.20.24 Click for our visit with Hope today!

9.5.24 Our new school year in our beautiful new building is off to a fantastic start, and we’re already noticing the positive difference in the sound levels—it’s so much calmer here! Check out these adorable snapshots of children in Room 6 enjoying play centers and settling into their new space!

Please note that in our old building, our room number was 5, and we are now known as Room 6!

8.8.24 Camping Day

Room 5 had an amazing camping day filled with fun and learning! The day began with a cozy circle time, where everyone gathered tent-side to read a camping-themed book. We got to eat our delicious s’mores trail mix that we made, and play roast marshmallows over a play fire. To top it all off, we went on an exciting nature walk, exploring the outdoors and experiencing the beauty of nature firsthand. The smiles on their faces say it all—camping day was a huge success!

7.17.24 Rainy Day Options

There’s always a plan b! Today was one of those days. We had heavy rain and thunderstorms when it was time for us to go out for Waterplay. Instead of fretting, we worked on our ability to handle changes, and to problem solve. We set up water play stations in the classroom, and the kids loved it. We also worked on our cooperative play skills, which are going to be even more important as we head off to kindergarten in a few weeks!!

When you can’t do water play outside… you bring it inside

Working together on our cooperative play skills

7.16.24 Reading on the Rug

While we provide lots of 1:1 attention and instruction for our students, it’s also important for them to spend time in groups, both large and small. In our room at the end of the day, one of our favorite routines is to grab a book and head for the rug for independent reading amongst our peers.

In a room of 14 almost-kindergarteners, this reading time holds special significance. It’s a time that represents the progress we’ve mad in transitioning. Moving from a structured learning setting to one where we wind down is a cherished ritual that fosters a sense of community and independence. Each child selects a book that piques their interest, reflecting their personal choices and budding literary preferences. This autonomy in selecting their reading material is empowering, helping to nurture a love for reading and a curiosity for learning.

As the children settle on the rug, they create a cozy, inclusive environment where learning happens organically. The presence of peers during this time is crucial. It provides opportunities for social learning, where children can observe and mimic positive reading behaviors from one another. They learn to share space respectfully, practice patience, and sometimes even engage in quiet discussions about the stories and pictures they encounter in their books.

This group reading time is also an important aspect of their cognitive and language development. Independent reading helps improve their attention spans, enhances vocabulary, and strengthens comprehension skills. It lays the foundation for future academic success by making reading a pleasant and anticipated part of their daily routine.

Moreover, the communal aspect of this activity helps build social bonds. The children experience a sense of belonging as they participate in a shared activity, reinforcing the idea that they are part of a supportive and caring community. For children who may face challenges with social interactions, this is a gentle and effective way to practice those skills in a relaxed setting.

Our teaching team is always nearby, offering support and encouragement as needed. They help guide children to appropriate book selections, assist with difficult words, and sometimes join in the reading, modeling fluent reading habits. This proximity ensures that the reading time remains productive and enjoyable for each child.

In essence, this end-of-day reading routine encapsulates the values of our program: fostering independence, encouraging a love for learning, and building a strong sense of community. It’s a simple yet powerful way to end the school day, leaving the children with a positive, calm, and fulfilled feeling as they head home.

7.12.24 We finished up our Ocean theme today, and celebrated by making a special snack. These kids love food activities and they thoroughly enjoyed decorating graham crackers. We used white frosting and blue food coloring for our water, graham crackers for the sand, and goldfish to swim in our oceans.

7.5.24 We’re BACK! Summer break was last week, and this week we started up again without a worry on Monday. Yesterday, the 4th of July, we had the day off, and today, we have been having a great day learning and playing with our friends.

If you had to pick, most students would probably say their favorite activity during the Summer Session is WATERPLAY. Each class gets to play with sprinklers, slip and slides, water tables, and so on a couple of days per week. And teachers love it too; there are so many embedded opportunities to practice important skills! From changing themselves into bathing suits, and back into dry clothes, keeping track of their own clothing and towels, transitioning to the outdoor area for waterplay, and tolerating the variety of energy levels and noise-making of friends – all of these skills will help them through life!

Today we celebrated the end of our pilot for Special Olympics. Click here to read about it!

A Kathy K. Read-Aloud 5.15.24

When volunteer Kathy takes the stage as the read-aloud leader extraordinaire, our classroom transforms into a theater of giggles and grins. With boundless energy and infectious enthusiasm, she brings the characters to life, complete with wacky voices, exaggerated faces, and animated expressions. As she dives into each page, the children are captivated by her antics, eagerly awaiting the next twist in the tale. Teachers enjoy Kathy’s reading, too. She’s a delight to have with us!

It was good kite 🪁 weather today 5/2/24

We made kites from paper, streamers and kite string, and flew them. You need a good breezy day to fly a kite. See, we know a lot about weather and aerodynamics, too!

Transition Training, 4.29.24

In our classroom, students are learning to transition! In learning centers, they are getting better from one table and activity to another after a specified time frame. This way everyone gets to participate in all of the planned activities, and is also learning to move on when it’s time. And when we’ve been sitting on the rug for circle, a read aloud, or times when we pick out a book to read, when teachers say it’s time to move to our next activity, we are getting good at being ready to go. These skills are important in our next classrooms, and in life ahead.

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These Kids are Going Places! 4.15.24 One of the creative activities that Maggie brought in the other day tied in early writing and art skills, when students were asked to design their own go-cart! This was an extension of the Going Places book that they read.

Room 5 is participating in a nation-wide Special Olympics pilot to try out a new curriculum. While certain aspects of the pilot have been implemented throughout the year, Last week we started a new plan for activating the pilot more fully. There are activities for literacy, leadership, cooperation and group work, for coping skills and self-management, and so much more. Thanks to four of our current Union students for taking this on and being so great with the children!

Fridays are for Science, 4.12.24

In Room 5, a captivating lesson on cloud formation comes to life as children explore the science behind clouds using shaving cream, food color, droppers, and beakers. This hands-on approach makes complex scientific concepts comprehensible and engaging for the kids, fostering curiosity and understanding.