Calling all Michigan parents – The Breakie Bunch Learning Center is here to let you in on a secret. You may be eligible for Michigan’s free preschool program! Get an inside look at what a day at a GSRP school would look like, check if your family qualifies, and get ready to set your young learners up for success.
What is the GSRP?
The Great Start Readiness Program, or GSRP, is a state-funded, free preschool program in Michigan available to eligible four-year-olds. The goal is simple: to provide a high-quality early childhood education and prepare children for the next steps in their schooling. Income should never prevent a child from accessing their academic potential—this free preschool Michigan option makes that possible.
What Type of Curriculum Does Michigan’s GSRP Use?
GSRP preschools utilize a child-focused, comprehensive curriculum that prioritizes play-based learning, allowing children to develop at their own pace. All studies are taught through hands-on exploration and project-based investigations, emphasizing a love for learning and fostering key social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development in every lesson.
With teachers specially trained in early childhood education, every student receives the personalized attention and care they deserve. This free Michigan preschool program utilizes child assessment tools to track the progress of every enrolled child, ensuring they meet essential developmental milestones.
How Long Are Days at a GSRP Preschool?
The majority of preschools that utilize GSRP-style programs operate full-day sessions at least four days a week, Monday through Thursday. Some may offer both full-day and half-day sessions to align with the needs of parents in that area.
The Typical Daily Schedule of a GSRP Preschool
GSRP schools follow a structured and balanced daily schedule that incorporates outdoor play, group lessons, and child-initiated learning. Different free Michigan preschool locations could have their own schedule, but they will all follow roughly the same outline.
Mornings at a GSRP School:
- 8:00 AM: Arrival and greeting time, where parents are encouraged to stay until children are ready for them to leave. Once all children are signed in, everyone gathers for daily announcements.
- 8:45-9:00 AM: Large group time where everyone participates in music, movement, and cooperative play.
- 9:00-9:10 AM: Planning time where children can explain to the teachers what they’d like to focus on that day. Teachers then devise a strategy to support their planning for the rest of the day.
- 9:10-10:10 AM: Uninterrupted choice time where children initiate their activities and adults participate as play partners, encouraging problem-solving skills as they go.
- 10:10-10:20 AM: Children and adults clean up together, prioritizing the spirit of play as they tidy the space.
- 10:20-10:30 AM: Children gather in small groups to discuss, reflect on, and showcase their work from choice time.
- 10:30-10:45 AM: Small group time where adults initiate a learning experience based on the pupils’ interests and guide a discussion about what they are doing and why.
- 10:45-11:30 AM: Weather permitting, the children will spend a minimum of 30 minutes a day in active outdoor play.
- 11:30-11:40 AM: Everyone takes a bathroom break, washes hands, and helps prepare the space for lunch.
Afternoons at a GSRP School:
- 11:40-12:25 PM: A family-style meal is served to support children doing things for themselves, from serving to pouring to wiping up spills and beyond. Adults eat side-by-side with the young students, and everyone cleans up afterwards.
- 12:25-1:25 PM: Everyone participates in a mandatory resting time. This can be interpreted as sleeping or solitary play on their own cots.
- 1:25-1:55 PM: After children wake up, everyone works together to put cots away as they set up for a snack.
- 1:55-3:00 PM: Secondary choice time that follows the same rules as the morning slot. Children will plan and carry out what they want to do, as teachers keep everyone on track for play-based, active learning.
- 3:00-3:30 PM: Outside time and official dismissal. Certain locations may offer after-school care as well.
This free Michigan preschool option has successfully changed thousands of lives. If this sounds like a good fit for your little ones, contact The Breakie Bunch and have all your GSRP questions answered.