Learning approaches
Learning through play is a term used in education and psychology to
describe how a child can learn to make sense of the world around them. Through play children can develop social and cognitive skills, mature emotionally, and gain the self-confidence required to engage in new experiences and environments.
Key ways that young children learn include playTheing, being with other people, being active, exploring and new experiences, talking to themselves, communication with others, meeting physical and mental challenges, being shown how to do new things, practicing and repeating skills and having fun. The relationship between play and learning
Sensorial Approach
Sensorial comes from the words sense or senses. As there are no new experiences for the child to take from the Sensorial work, the child is able to concentrate on the refinement of all his senses, from visual to stereognostic.
The Purpose of Sensorial Work.
The purpose and aim of Sensorial work is for the child to acquire clear, conscious, information and to be able to then make classifications in his environment. Montessori believed that sensorial experiences began at birth. Through his senses, the child studies his environment. Through this study, the child then begins to understand his environment. The child, to Montessori, is a “sensorial explorer”.
Through work with the sensorial materials, the child is given the keys to classifying the things around him, which leads to the child making his own experiences in his environment. Through the classification, the child is also offered the first steps in organizing his intelligence, which then leads to his adapting to his environment.
All of the Sensorial materials were designed keeping the same ideas in mind.
- All of the material isolates the one quality that is to be worked with by the child. This allows the child to focus on that one quality.
- All of the materials have, what is called, a control of error. This calls to the child to make the corrections himself.
- All of the material is esthetically pleasing. Such as with the Practical Life materials,
- this attracts the child’s attention to the objects and allows the child to manipulate the materials with ease.
- All of the material must be complete. This allows the child who is working with the material to finish through the entire piece of work without having to stop and find a missing piece
- All of the material is limited. The first use of the term limited refers to the fact that there is only one of each material in the environment.
This calls for other students to build on their patience. The second use of the word limited is in reference to the idea that not all of one quality or piece of information is given to the child. This child is not given every color in the world, but only a select few. This gives the child the keys to the information so it peaks his curiosity and leads him to learn more out of his own interest.
- Most importantly, all of the material could be called “materialized abstractions”. This means that though Montessori’s Sensorial materials, abstract concepts are made into concrete materials.
Early childhood is defined as the period from birth to eight years old. A time of remarkable brain growth, these years lay the basis for subsequent development. Early childhood care and education (ECCE) is more than a preparatory stage assisting the child’s transition to formal schooling. It places emphasis on developing the whole child – attending to his or her social, emotional, cognitive and physical needs – to establish a solid and broad foundation for lifelong learning and wellbeing and that is why here at the Early Learning Centre Fiji we provide education from the age of 12months to 8 years of age.
| Group age | |
| Purple group | 12months-2 yrs |
| Blue group | 3years |
| Yellow group | 4years |
| Green group | 5years |
| Elementary schoolGrade 1Grade 2Grade 3 | 6-8years |
Elementary Grade school:
| Curriculum |
| FIJI NATIONAL CURRICULUM |
| SENSORIAL APPROACH |
Holiday programme:
During the quarter breaks the centre takes in children for a week for a holiday programme. The programme provides 5 different activities for the week.
This is open to children who are registered and are not registered with the centre.
The program’s are Water play, (DIY) Do it yourself projects, Sensorial activities, Zumba and a movie day!
School Uniform
All students are required to wear uniform from Monday to Thursday. Friday is mufti day!
Elementary school has mandatory uniforms for the week.
| Daily Routine |
| Free Choice |
| Tidy Up |
| Circle Time/ Sing Along Who is here today? Calendar, attendance, etc. |
| Music & Movement |
| Transition wash hands |
| Snack |
| Story Telling |
| Curriculum ( lesson, numerals, language, etc) |
| Closing Circle |
| Out Door Play |
| Pick Up – Home |
Head Start program
Lunch
Curriculum
(Language (pronunciation, definition), math (quanity, numeral, definition), Science,
Drama)
Outdoor play
Pick up home
Head start is mandatory for our kindergarten to prep them for grade 1 expectations. For our pre schoolers they have the option to attend.
Graduation
We take pride in our Kindergarten students that have worked hard since they joined us at our centre, some at 12 months and some later on.
At the end of the year parents are asked to hire graduation gowns for our graduation concert/ceremony.
Christmas Party
At the end of a brilliant year of learning the centre hosts a Christmas @ the park for the students and parents with families.Parents are asked in advance during the 4TH Quarter to bring in a gift for your child and Santa will gift it to your child during the event. The gifts we ask to be $20 and less.