Early Years
The Early Learning Centre (ELC)
The Early Learning Centre at the International School Augsburg aims to provide a happy, secure and stimulating learning environment for 4-6 year olds. At ISA, we believe the early years to be a crucial time for the development of self-esteem, communication skills, respect, and consideration for others. Here the foundation should be laid for a life-long love of learning.
Children are inquirers. At the heart of our curriculum is the natural process of inquiry through which children are encouraged to play, explore, discover, question, experiment, reflect and have fun. In the ELC, ample time is allowed for these processes.
Constructive communication, reflection, teamwork and creative conflict resolution are skills that are actively promoted throughout our school. This begins in the ELC and therefore the development of social skills is central to the ELC programme.
At ISA, we believe that learning takes place when new knowledge is encountered and explored as we try to make sense of our world. Each of us has his own individual learning style, each of us learns at his own pace. We believe children learn best in a stimulating environment which challenges them to inquire, and problem-solve with the support and guidance of a caring educator.
Ultimately, we believe that all human beings have a natural hunger for learning and a need to belong. We aim to lead our students on their way to becoming well-balanced, personally fulfilled, caring citizens of the world.
The ISA Early Years Programme aims to...
- Help children make an easy transition from home to school
- Assist children in developing a sensitivity and respect for themselves and an awareness that we are all unique and that this uniqueness should be celebrated
- Foster in the children an appreciation for other nationalities and cultures
- Facilitate exploration of the environment and experimentation with real objects and relevant ideas
- Provide an English language learning environment in which the language is learned naturally and is used as a tool for communication and learning
- Implement a curriculum that reflects a balance of all areas of learning and reflects the holistic nature of the learning process
- Support and challenge our students in the development of their social, emotional, physical, spiritual and intellectual selves, while acknowledging individual needs and differences
- Promote a love of books and an interest in mathematics
- Build mutually trustful relationships with parents, the child’s primary educators
- Promote in our children a sincere love of learning
The early years curriculum follows the IBO Primary Years Programme framework. In addition to learning in literacy and numeracy, our ELC children explore 5 units of inquiry in a school year. These units cover topics of interest and relevance to the children and take advantage of the local environment. The approach to teaching focuses on children as active learners. It encourages children to inquire, explore, experiment and reflect and share their learning. Knowledge, skills and attitudes are assessed before and after each unit.
