The best start in life
GEMS International School’s Early Years programme offers a rich curriculum within a well-resourced, enabling environment that supports and optimises the intrinsic strengths of learners between three and four years old.
GEMS International School Tropicana Metropark’s principal Craig Lewis and Early Years programme leader Mollie Short elaborate on five key ways the programme can offer little learners the best start in life.
l Individualised learning programmes – The school’s Early Years environment encourages child-led exploration, which is balanced with instruction and intervention from highly qualified and experienced teachers who work closely with each child on her individualised learning goals.
“Our Early Years teachers have to be so dedicated and knowledgeable because they need to know every child’s individual learning needs inside out,” says Lewis.
l Outstanding resources within an enabling environment – At GEMS International School, Early Years students are housed in an open, free-flow unit with specialised learning areas. This encourages children to access, explore, investigate and choose their own activities independently.
Lewis says, “At this young age, children not only need to hear and see concepts, they need to touch and feel as well.”
l Dedicated teachers who deliver the curriculum in ways that delight children “Children need to explore, find things out on their own and question things for themselves to engage in high-level thinking. We try to use the fascination factor to grab children’s interest at the start of each topic.
“Linking learning goals to a fun theme embeds in children a want to learn and get new experiences, take risks, and try new things,” explains Short.
l Focus on good learning behaviours, not just learning outcomes – Teachers are trained to bring out the best learning behaviours in each child. “We value qualities such as confidence, independence, resilience and the ability to look for more than one solution to a problem. Once cemented, children will use these behaviours for the rest of their lives,” says Short.
l Parents are considered partners in the child’s learning process – Parents receive insight into their children’s progress through the Online Learning Journey set up for each child on an e-learning portal.
Short shares, “Each child’s Online Learning Journey is updated at least once a week by teachers with comments, photographs and videos relating to special learning moments and milestones that parents can celebrate and follow through at home.”
Visit GEMS International School at Tropicana Metropark in Subang Jaya or Pearl City in Penang today to truly understand the difference.
For details, visit www.gems.edu.my