Photo Courtesy of Clipartix

  San Luis Obispo High School offers a CTE pathway for Careers with Children, and to finish the pathway, students take the Tiny Tigers class. In this class, students become teachers for children ages three to five years old. 

  To finish the class, students must take the course four times, two times a trimester. Students will run the preschool for an entire week for their final. Currently there are 13 children in attendance at the preschool. 

  The class is divided into two major segments, everyday. Circle Time when the students first arrive, and “centers” during the third period. Circle time students practice their alphabet with Zoo-Phonics (a learning system for alphabet using sounds and animals), sing songs, read a story, and talk about the date and weather. During centers, teachers lead a math or science project, a writing project, an art project, a sensory project, and have time for reading, playing with blocks, and playing with puppets or costumes. 

Expressions: What is your favorite part about Tiny Tigers?

Five year old Tiny Tiger Autumn: Centers! The one we are in right now!

Three year old Tiny Tiger Clementine: The puppets. 

Four year old Tiny Tiger Aubrey: The cash register! 

Expressions: What is your favorite activity at circle time?

Autumn: Story time. I like No No Titus.

Clementine: This one! (Referring to Dramatic Play. This area students can make pretend food and play with their imagination. The dramatic play section also includes dress up, puppets and a cash register)

Aubrey: Zoo-Phonics 

Expressions: What is your favorite activity during centers?

Autumn: Outside activity!

Clementine: Sitting with all my friends!

Aubrey: The kitchen (Referring to Dramatic Play). 

  Tiny Tigers is a great program for students who want to further work with children, and an awesome experience for the kids who are enrolled in the program.