Children, as Thinkers and Communicators

THE early years in a child’s life are a very significant time and it helps them develop their personalities and an understanding of themselves, and the world around them. It is also a time when children develop their academic knowledge and skills in numeracy and literacy.

During this period, brain development is the most significant, as proven by research. It is therefore critical that the learning environment, both physical and human, is that of a very high quality and one that offers stimulation and promotes a lifelong love for learning.

Many pre-schools or daycare centres for children were opened at the beginning of 2010, and there are now over 25 international standard pre-schools in and around Yangon.

Located in Mayangone township, the Eton House International Pre-School caters to children from 18 months of age to six years old.

It offers an environment where learning happens in a natural and relevant context, where learning is fun and collaborative and not based on what the adult wants. Such a foundation helps a child to excel in life and in all educational contexts. It prepares them not only for primary schooling but also for their whole life, said Myo Sandi Tun Thein, vice principal of the Eton House International Pre-School.

“The child develops a love for learning, positive self-concepts, the ability to communicate effectively with children and teachers of different nationalities as well as develop academic knowledge and logical thinking skills,” she said.

Moreover, based on international best practice, the renowned Eton House’s “Inquire, Think, Learn” pedagogy is a holistic and child responsive approach that develops a genuine love for lifelong learning in children. Children learn numeracy and literacy through engaging learning experiences within the inquiry-based learning approach.

The purposefully designed and well-organised environment provides the children with opportunities for growth of their social, language, physical and cognitive development. Young children develop familiarity with mathematics, science and technology through their daily interactions. Myo Sandi Tun Thein said, “In our pre-schools, we work with an inquiry-based curriculum, inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach [an educational philosophy focused on pre-school and primary education and developed after World War II by a psychologist, Loris Malaguzzi, and parents in the villages around Reggio Emilia in Italy].

This approach is based on international research on how children learn best and has been designed to integrate learning across all areas of the curriculum, that is children develop mathematical understanding, as they cook, like measurements and counting, or work outdoors to use spatial language as they climb up, over, through or access blocks for height, measurement and geometry.

“Teachers are trained in the observation of children engaged in play and work experiences. They access this study of children’s ideas and interests to determine the next step in curriculum delivery. As such, the syllabus is individualised and highly in tune with children’s ideas and interests.

The Eton House curriculum positions children as active participants in their own learning. We value and support children’s curiosity and skills of observation as the basis of a curriculum which aims to build skills of exploration and discovery, investigation and research, collaboration and team membership abilities.”

“At Eton House Yangon [EHY], children are immersed in an integrated multi-lingual environment, where our English, Myanmar and Mandarin teachers interact with children in their respective languages. Language learning, therefore, takes place spontaneously in a natural environment, which makes it a meaningful and relevant process,” said Myo Sandi Tun Thein.

“Moreover, we also raise healthy children as we encourage healthy eating by exposing and introducing them to healthy meals and foods. “Our classrooms and environment are purposefully designed to stimulate the curiosity, learning and development of young children.

“At EHY, we strongly believe in the ‘Image of Child’ as the first and singularly most important consideration, which incorporates the pedagogy of listening and acknowledging children as competent and capable thinkers and communicators.

“Through careful planning and implementation of child-led inquiries, children gain knowledge about the world around them and develop problem solving and physical skills that will support them to become independent in everyday tasks.”

The Eton House International Education Group started its operations in 1995. Headquartered in Singapore, the group is a global organisation with over 100 schools in 12 countries and over 10,000 children from 61 different nationalities. Over the last two decades, the Eton House campuses have established standards of excellence in international education from kindergarten to senior years. Eton House International Pre-School Yangon began operations in 2015.

The integrated and stimulating program offered at the campus is inspired by the work undertaken by colleagues working in world renowned pre-schools and infant toddler centres in Reggio Emilia and hailed by the Newsweek magazine as the best in the world.

“Eton House schools are highly regarded for the quality of the Mandarin program offered. We have started several innovative Mandarin programs, like the primary bilingual program. Mandarin early childhood and integrated programs offer a strong foundation in learning a second language.

The Mandarin integrated bilingual program is offered with a Mandarin teacher present in the classroom at all times,” Myo Sandi Tun Thein added.

“Education is as much as about acquiring the disposition to learn as it is about tangible learning outcomes. We believe we can support the development of strong, confident individuals, who are equipped with the skills, knowledge and dispositions to make sense of the world around them.”

The EHY offers a range of nursery sessions of preschoolers.