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Ask any parent and they would unanimously agree that they want to give their child the best of opportunities in order for them to build a fulfilling life for themselves. When we think of opportunities though, we typically tend to think of a stage when children are at the threshold of building their careers. Research, however, shows that it is the first five years of life that are extremely crucial in child development and nurturing children. In fact, 90 percent of the brain is said to develop in these years. It is not as if brain cells are formed in these years but the important “synapses” or connections are developed at this stage. The quality of a child’s experiences in the first few years of life – positive or negative – therefore really helps shape how their brain develops. The amount and quality of care, stimulation, and interaction they receive in their early years go a long way in aiding brain development. In fact, the connections needed for many higher-level activities such as problem-solving, self-regulation, and more are formed-or not- in these early years.

This is the exact reason why at Footprints, we take our role of nurturing children extremely seriously. We go the entire way to make the developmentally precious, first five years, count!

HighScope Curriculum

First things first- the importance of a scientifically developed curriculum to aid early learning cannot be overstated. This is the exact reason why at Footprints, we follow the HighScope Curriculum which has 40 years of research behind it, to show that it helps in nurturing children & improves their chances of living a fulfilled life through adulthood. The approach is consistent with the best practices recommended by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). More than a curriculum, HighScope is a mission aimed at making a difference in early education, and thereby all the way into adult life. In fact, HighScope research reveals that children who receive the right early education, stand to:

✔ Be better prepared for school
✔ Display higher graduation rates
✔ Have a stable home environment
✔ Display better self-regulation
✔ Have stable employment
✔ Overall are well-adjusted

In fact, the HighScope curriculum focuses on eight broad areas. These include:

✔ Several approaches to learning– This is especially important as research shows that different children learn differently and that a one-size-fits-all approach seldom works with children.

✔ Social & emotional development– This has an extremely important role to play when we want to see our children that are well-adjusted and live a fulfilling life.

✔ Physical development & health– The curriculum ensures that the child is physically healthy & that it works towards developing age-appropriate gross & fine motor skills.

✔ Language & communication– The importance of language & communication in a growing child cannot be over-emphasized. Through a range of learning activities, due importance is placed on this developmental milestone.

With an aim to offer holistic development to children, due emphasis is also paid to:

✔ Mathematics
✔ Creative Arts
✔ Science & Technology
✔ Social Studies

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Active Learning & Life Skills

At Footprints, we are extremely focused on offering active learning to children. The emphasis isn’t just on what to teach and how to teach, as children learn most by doing. It is through active learning that the child develops the necessary confidence & independence that are markers of success. This involves the use of strategies such as offering children different materials, giving them opportunities to make age-appropriate choices and more. The overall approach is that of providing adult scaffolding, where adults support children and also challenge them to move to the next stage. This is distinct from adults jumping in to solve issues that children are perfectly capable of solving on their own.

A big advantage that you reap when you send your child to Footprints, is also that the child does not just develop a strong academic foundation, importantly the child is equipped with the necessary life skills. With an emphasis on aspects such as decision-making, problem-solving, and more, the child is prepared for life. All this is done through the use of play as a primary mechanism of teaching.

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Adult-Child Ratio

It goes without saying that in their developmental years, children benefit from individual attention. This is the exact reason why we have an extremely healthy adult: child ratio where teachers act as partners. Children are encouraged to make their own discoveries. The emphasis is on nurturing children and making children fall in love with learning and developing learners for life. Using a problem-solving approach and offering the children the right encouragement is an essential aspect of learning at Footprints.

The overall focus is on the child’s strength and the child’s learning is enhanced based on their developmental levels.

Daily Routine

That children benefit from a routine, is a given. At Footprints, we, therefore, offer them a predictable routine, which has elements such as individual and social play, small as well as large group activities, and more.

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Assessment

Anecdotal observation has a strong role to play in the child’s overall assessment. By doing this the highly trained teacher can, in turn, plan meaningful learning experiences for the children and helps in nurturing children.

Nutritious food

Last but definitely not least, it helps to remember that a healthy mind lives in a healthy body. A lot of emphases is therefore placed on ensuring that the child is offered nutritious meals & that the menu is prepared by a qualified nutritionist. Junk food does not find any place on this menu. Importantly, besides eating healthy food, what the child also learns is to develop a healthy relationship with food. Eating together and ensuring that there is no wastage of food are some of the other lessons that the child benefits from- lessons that endure well into adulthood.

To Sum Up

A strong focus on the holistic development of the child is what makes the experience at Footprints special. Additionally, the emphasis on creating learners for life & to offer life skills that have lasting benefits into adulthood, make parents adjudge Footprints as the best preschool and as their trusted learning partner!