Early Years
In Soundview's Early Childhood Education Programs (EC; ages three through six), the earliest years of the a student's education are devoted to play. This is how children learn.
In Soundview’s EC Prograam, students acquire key learning skills that are fundamental for future school success. These skills include their cognitive ability to reflect on their knowledge, conceptual understandings, and their own competency. A wide range of assessment strategies informs the teaching of young students.
“Children have authentic experiences with leadership, collaboration, and deep problem solving through play.” National Educational Association, 2018
From birth, children are ‘hands-on’ natural inquirers. They learn through playful interactions with people and their environment. Play is an essential aspect of a child’s healthy development. Through play-based learning, children develop and nurture fundamental knowledge and skills.
The IB knows that young learners are intelligent, resourceful, and creative individuals who grow, develop, and learn at different rates and with different learning styles. In their earliest years, children explore their environment and learn about their world through playful activity as well as through relationships with peers, teachers, family, and community members. Early learning is a holistic experience that integrates socio-emotional, physical, and cognitive development. Read more in this excerpt from the Family Handbook.
“Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.” Fred Rogers, American television personality, 1928–2003