Teaching Philosophy at Buddhi Kindyland At Buddhi we believe children learn best through play and that children build their knowledge through active learning. Our child-centered curriculum encourages choice-making, autonomy and social independence. Learning is an ongoing process and an individual is a continuum of acquired competencies. Our programme also emphasizes self-esteem, social development, creativity, and kindergarten readiness.   We believe that children learn best by exploring concepts through hands-on activities.  We believe that children learn best through long blocks of uninterrupted play.  We believe that children learn best with opportunities to explore both outdoors and indoors.  We believe that children learn best with a caring, respectful relationship with peers and adults.  We believe that children learn best in an atmosphere, which celebrates the joys of everyday life.  Our endeavour would be to provide all the children in our classrooms with support in socio-cultural, linguistic, cognitive and conceptual knowledge areas. The four components are interdependent, and if one is developed to the neglect of the others, this may be detrimental to the overall growth and future success of the children. We would want all children to feel valued and supported in the learning environment. No child should feel that he/she is marginalized in the classroom community.   The Preschool Programme Buddhi follows the Early Childhood Education (ECE) model for preschool learning and “play” is an important aspect of our programme. Through a variety of activities set in a stimulating play-based environment young children learn the necessary skills required for formal schooling in the primary years. Our goals are….. To provide an environment which promotes active exploration and interaction with adults, other children and materials, with the teacher as a facilitator. To provide learning activities which are concrete, real and meaningful to the lives of young children. To foster self-esteem through relationships with adults who express acceptance and respect for all children. To recognize that all children are different and to allow such differences to surface in daily activities. To allow outlets for the expression of each child's individual creative potential. To create an environment that allows children to utilize problem-solving techniques with peers and adults in social situations with guidance and supervision as needed. Field trips play an important part in our preschool curriculum as they allow children to experience the world first-hand. Mixed Age Class is another important aspect of our preschool programme. Mixing two, three and four year olds in one class helps us balance the social, emotional, and intellectual needs of the children. It also helps the younger children learn about friendship and other social skills by imitating the older ones. A quiet four year old may prefer the company of a younger child, yet be ready to learn to read and write. An observant three year old may be inspired to learn numbers by watching an older child do the same.  Learning Centers The preschool environment at Buddhi has   Nine Learning Centres and all activities and theme-based teaching are designed to fit into these areas. Art Centre Science and Exploration Centre Literacy and Technology Centre Block and Construction Centre Dramatic Play Centre Water and Sand Experiences Center Library and reading center Table toys and Manipulative centre Outdoor Learning centre    By exploring their way through these centers our children develop their fine and gross motor skills, their emerging literacy and number skills, their communication skills and most importantly their social skills. All these skills are pre-requisites to be able to successfully adapt to a formal learning environment in our Primary Programme. Group Discussions and Music and Movement are also integral aspects of our preschool as these activities help children develop better communication skills and social confidence. Our children also will participate in the Perceptual Motor Programme (PMP) and Move to Learn which have been designed to develop skills prerequisite to formal learning in the classroom and playground (Language, Motor, Auditory and Visual skills). During the last six months of their time at the preschool, children will be taken through a kindergarten readiness programme where they will be exposed to a more structured routine for small parts of the day (usually in the afternoon). They will be taken on planned visits to the kindergarten classroom to familiarize them with the new environment and their teacher. This generally helps make the transition from preschool to primary very smooth. Assessment of children’s learning at Buddhi is a continuous and ongoing process. This is based on regular observations, work samples, anecdotal records and learning stories that are entered into a child’s portfolios regularly. Children are encouraged to set individual goals and our teachers help them work towards achieving these goals. Parents are welcome to browse through their children’s portfolio’s regularly to understand how their children are learning. At the end of each academic year we will send an achievement report for every child outlining their achievement in learning and their learning goals for the next year. In assessing a child’s learning we focus mainly on the positive outcomes of each child as we believe this encourages a child to continue and accelerate his/her participation in the school environment.  A Typical Day at Buddhi Preschool   9.00 AM: Children arrive with their parents or by the school bus. Our teachers greet children and help them find their friends and discover engaging activities as their parents say good-bye.  9.15 – 10.30 AM:  Free Choice Activities. Children make choices where to play and learn in our indoor and outdoor environment. Our Nine Learning Centres include activities designed to foster their creative thinking, develop their problem solving skills, improve their small motor development, practice pre-reading and writing skills, develop math and science concepts, as well as improve language and social interaction skills. All our activities have clear learning goals for the children to work towards. Our outdoor environment includes activities designed to foster creative thinking, develop large motor skills, increase muscle tone, strength, and endurance, develop body control and awareness, provide scientific inquiry, exploration, and observation, and to also encourage social interaction.   10.30 – 10.45AM: Group Activity: Children gather together for a short group activity such as story telling or singing before they break for snack time.  10.45-11.15 AM: Snack & play time: Children learn responsibility as they participate in cleaning and organizing themselves for snack time. During their mid-morning snack self help and conversational skills are encouraged.  11.15-11.45 AM:  Children participate in organized activities relating to some of our learning centres. Music and movement, story telling, group games, literacy and technology based activities are the focus during this time. Children are encouraged to interact and work in groups.  11.45-12.00 PM: Children now gather as a group for Circle Time with their teacher. Here our teachers focus on oral communication (listening & speaking) and encourage children to share their personal stories and experiences with others.   Toddlers get ready to be picked up by parents or dropped off by school bus.  12.00 – 12.30 PM: Focused Centre Based Activities: Children are now exposed to a more structured and focused learning environment where activities are planned and organized around two major learning centres each week. Here children are encouraged to choose from 2 to 3 planned activities and the teachers interact with the children and guide them through the activities. They also observe and assess the children’s progress based on specific learning goals. These activities will run through out the week to give children ample opportunity to repeat activities if they wish to do so.   12.30-12.40 AM:  PMP: The Perceptual Motor Program/ Move to Learn (organised physical activities)  12.40 PM: Wash & Tidy Up: Children learn responsibility as they participate in cleaning and organizing themselves for lunch.  12.45 – 1.15 PM: Lunch and Free Play: Children have their lunch and engage in free play.  1.15 – 1.30 PM: Rest Time: Children are encouraged to relax, read or engage in quiet play.  1.30 – 2.00 PM: Focused Centre Based Activities: Planned activities for focused learning continue during this time.  2.00 – 2.25 PM: Free Choice Activities: Children are free to choose activities or engage in free play as they wind down for the day.  2.25 PM: Children help tidy up the preschool by putting away toys and resources and get ready to be picked up by their parents or leave by school bus.