Welcome to PreK!
 
I love teaching young children.  They bring a curiosity and love of learning to each and every day! I am a firm believer in learning through play. Through play, they are developing social skills, oral language skills, and perfecting those fine and gross motor skills needed to enter into Kindergarten.  We infuse movement and music into each day (just ask them-Mrs Socha loves to sing) through songs, fingerplays (fine motor), rhymes, and gross motor movements.
Our PreK day is a mix of student lead, play-based learning, and teacher-directed lessons and activities. We are very active learners in PreK-4

These days our PreK day looks a little different.  We are continuing our hands-on learning model but we have created several individual experiences for our students.  All students will have their own personal sensory bin, fine motor journal, supply box (crayons, glue, scissors, etc), creative books, and writing center supplies.  Rather than a carpet this year, we will be using small poly spots to mark where we sit during group meetings.  This will allow our students to be spaced apart safely but still be together to foster a sense of community during our group lessons and gatherings.  We still have all the fun center activities, math and literacy games, science explorations but they are housed in smaller individual "take out" centers-with multiples of each.  This will allow all of our students to explore, investigate, and discover at their own pace but then allow us to sanitize the toys before sharing with another student.  Our classroom library is stocked with laminated books so that we can wipe them down easily between students.  We will also be working on creating some of our own class books authored by our students-those are always their favorite! We will be getting outside as much as the weather permits both for learning and play.  
 
While this is my third year teaching at St Ann School, I have been an active participant in the St Ann School community for the last 11 years.  My children are St Ann Students, except for my oldest who is a student at Notre Dame HS.  I have been very involved with St Ann School PTA and continue to volunteer when I am able. When not teaching, I can be found home with my husband, four children, 2 dogs, and a cat.  I love to read and craft in my spare time. I am very happy to be part of the St Ann School family as both a staff member and as a parent.  It's not often that people are given the opportunity to do what they love at a place that they love.  I am blessed to have been given just that!  

Please feel free to reach out to me any time if you have questions about our PreK program!  You can reach me at msocha@st-ann-school.org