Wesley Prep Brings Community Into Classroom
Students learn about oral health, animal species, public safety
The anticipation was palpable as the Wesley Prep preschoolers waited for the police car and fire truck to pull into the school.
Their excitement turned giddy when they were allowed to explore the interior of the police car, use the CB radio, and operate the fire truck siren.
Each spring, as part of their Community Helpers Program, Wesley Prep invites guests to campus for in-house field trips. This year included visits from the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department, Dallas Fire Rescue, Woodhill Dental, and the Dallas Zoo.
Sparky the Fire Dog even stopped by for an informational puppet show on fire safety.
“Our preschool program utilizes a variety of methods to engage our students in the act of learning by doing,” said Katie Balderston, Wesley Prep’s early childhood director.
“Manipulatives and hands-on activities are used to bring relevance to the topics, so the subject matter is known and experienced, rather than simply memorized. Wesley Prep’s Community Helpers Program brings lessons from the community into the classroom to help young learners discover how they’re part of a larger community through the people who perform important roles, while encouraging the students to consider the needs of others and to develop empathy,” she said.
“Students were able to explore a real police vehicle and a fire truck and ask questions of the brave men and women who help keep us safe,” added Balderston.
The students continued their dive into learning about firefighters by doing fun art projects and playing dress up.
“Dramatic play enhances creativity and communication skills,” she said, adding, “The students especially loved operating the sirens and seeing one of our brave staff members ride high above the fire truck in the bucket.”
The Early Childhood students also were all smiles for a lesson about the importance of dental hygiene during a visit by Woodhill Dental Specialties.
“Early habit formation establishes a great foundation for oral health, can impact self-esteem, and can positively affect speech articulation,” said Woodhill Dental Hygienist, Brandi Maciel.
Many of the Wesley Prep students had only read about animals such as the Tamandua-Lesser Anteater, but that was before the Dallas Zoo brought in a selection of unique species, including a leopard tortoise, a three-banded armadillo, a Eurasian eagle-owl, and a ball python. The black-footed penguin was a favorite among the enthralled kindergarteners.
“Children learn by doing and these hands-on opportunities bring these occupations to life after reading and studying about them in the classroom,” Balderston said.
