Outside of Pre-K Head Teacher Veronica Vazquez’s classroom, a sign joyfully proclaims, “Pre-K Adventures Begin This Way.” Those familiar with Ethical Culture’s Pre-K classrooms know a special kind of magic is in the air. Students engage in hands-on activities — building with blocks, painting on easels, drawing at tables, or listening intently to a story on the carpet. What may not be immediately apparent is the deep intentionality behind these activities. Each moment is carefully structured to support cognitive development and social-emotional learning (SEL), helping students cultivate self-awareness, empathy, and a sense of belonging — essential elements of a conducive learning environment.
The Pre-K day starts with movement and exploration on the rooftop playground. Students climb, slide, build, and ride tricycles together to warm up for the day physically and socially. Some start the day drawing with chalk, while others enjoy playing tag together. This time for physical activity not only supports motor development but fosters social connection; as students play together, they also learn to negotiate space and take turns, and when conflict inevitably arises, with their teachers’ guidance, they learn to respectfully navigate toward a resolution.
At the heart of this carefully nurtured learning environment is the “About Me” project — a year-long curriculum centered on identity, individuality, and connection. This project serves as both an exploration of self and an opportunity to develop essential skills such as self-expression, active listening, and collaboration.
Early in the academic year, students begin by sharing details about themselves — their names, emotions, and daily experiences. Over time, they learn to recognize similarities and differences, ask questions, and build a foundation of empathy. As their comfort and communication skills grow, students explore their hopes and dreams. They articulate aspirations and bring them to life through drawings. Weston W. ’38 eagerly shares that his dream is to “play with Leon R. ’38,” while Ada S. ’38 hopes and dreams of “going across the monkey bars.”
These simple yet profound statements illustrate how students begin to visualize themselves within a classroom community. They recognize their wants and needs and the impact they can have on others. Another phase of this interdisciplinary project involves creating self-portraits, during which Vazquez and the Pre-K team guide students in recognizing and celebrating their unique physical traits.
“Once the project is complete, students proudly stand and show off their self-portraits. They take pride in their work and in all the ways they may be different from a friend,” says Vazquez. “The best part is that while acknowledging some of the differences, they end their sentences with, ‘But we are all special!’ This is exactly what we want them to feel — there is beauty in what makes us the same AND what makes us different.”
The most important takeaway from this exercise is that students should take pride in who they are and that their differences contribute to an intellectually and socially diverse classroom ecosystem.
The culmination of this project is the creation of life-sized puppets of themselves. Students are given ownership of this project from the planning to the designing and execution. Every detail, from their puppet’s hair and clothing to the materials they use, is carefully considered. Beyond creativity, this element refines important motor skills — cutting, taping, gluing, painting, and drawing — all critical at this stage of development.
During choice time throughout the spring, students work with their teachers one by one to create these puppets, giving them essential one-on-one time and also practicing patience and taking turns; not to mention, this individualized attention builds trust and reinforces the ethos of ECFS’s commitment to child-centered learning.
By May, their puppets — each a unique representation of themselves — are displayed in the classroom for families to admire. Not only does this showcase their beautiful creations, but it is also a way for students to tangibly see the culmination of a project that celebrates one another and creates a caring and accepting classroom environment.
“My favorite part is the grand unveiling when all the puppets are displayed during morning arrival,” shares Vazquez. “Families join in as students proudly show off their creations — not just identifying their own but also explaining their friends’ choices. ‘Mom, she put on a blue shirt because it’s her favorite color,’ or ‘Dad, he added gems because he has shiny shoes.’ In this moment, a year of getting to know one another comes to life. I can’t help but beam with pride — not just for their work, but for the pride they have for each other.”
Through the “About Me” project, Pre-K students at Ethical Culture learn about themselves and how to be in relationships with others. They build foundational elements of emotional intelligence and develop an appreciation for diversity. Or, as Abby G. ’38 envisioned as her hope and dream, each student has the potential to “become a superhero who helps the classroom” and, ultimately, the community.
