Kindergarten uses a team-teacher approach, pairing general and Judaic studies teachers. Jocelyn and Bracha in classroom 1, and Ricki and Jean in classroom 2, work together to establish a safe and nurturing environment where their students can grow socially and academically.
Curriculum
Tehiyah's kindergarten program establishes a solid foundation for each child in the major subject areas, as well as in the fundamentals of good social behaviors, such as sharing with others, taking turns, and listening. The children also practice appropriate school behavior. Kindergarten features a fully integrated Judaic and general studies curriculum, detailed below.
Judaic Studies
We instill appreciation of the Jewish holidays through stories, songs, dances, festivals, and, of course, food—all in a positive, fun environment. Early Torah stories are told in a way which emphasizes the moral of the story. Children are encouraged to question and to relate the lessons of these stories to their own lives.
Children have fun learning the Hebrew letters and the associated letter-sounds. Hebrew is a phonetic language—even each letter name starts with the sound it makes—which enables students to learn quickly. We also concentrate on Hebrew conversation. Children are encouraged to use the language actively more and more throughout the year.
Language Arts
Children learn to recognize letters by sound and by sight, with each new letter paired with short words (in both English and Hebrew) that use that letter. Stories from both traditions are read aloud. Students learn to listen and enjoy stories, and even to tell stories of their own. Their work in reading, vocabulary and phonemic awareness prepares them for first grade and lays the groundwork for reading proficiency.
Math and Science
Children learn the basic mathematical principles of numeric order, measuring and estimating, and they see these principles in action as they count and manipulate objects in the classroom. The science curriculum centers on the natural world, including learning about plants, animals, insects, and cycles of nature. Students 
begin learning how the process of scientific observation works.
Social Studies
The focus of the social studies curriculum is the sequence of holidays of the Jewish and American calendars. As each holiday is studied, the class hears stories and performs activities related to that day, so that the students begin to have an awareness of the different traditions lying behind the various holidays.
