GCMS is the very FIRST IEYC School in Canada!

We are thrilled to share some exciting news with you! Grace Christian Montessori School has officially become the very firstInternational Early Years Curriculum (IEYC) school in Canada. This is asignificant milestone for our community, and we couldn’t be more proud to leadthe way in providing a high-quality early years education.

The IEYC is designed to support young children intheir learning journey through a holistic approach that nurtures theiremotional, social, and cognitive development. This curriculum emphasizesinquiry-based learning, encouraging children to explore, ask questions, andengage with the world around them. By fostering a love for learning, the IEYChelps children develop critical thinking skills and creativity, preparing themfor future success.

International Early Years Curriculum is adopted and to fit the following learning areas: “Physicalfitness and Health”, ” Language Development”, “Science andTechnology”, “Self and Society”, and “Arts”.

Besides the curiosity capturing, joyful and safe learning environment which we provide, GCMS offers an international program. In the International program, all lessons are conducted in both English and Mandarin (Bilingualism) with Native English and Mandarin educators to better developchildren’s pronunciation skills and secure their foundation in learning foreign languages. Our GCMS little learners are able to master two different languages before entering into elementary schools.

Children develop skills in speaking, listening, reading and writingin English and Putonghua on which emphasis is placed on English.

As to broaden children’s international vision, we do not only focus on local culturebut also provide our GCMS little learners with a multi-cultural learning environment. We frequently organize topic core teaching themes and celebrations, with international cultural characteristics. Those activities include international culture week, western and Chinese festival celebrations as well as having an international carnival. Focusing on these themes we are teaching children to have a diverse and positive attitude thereby enabling them to respect and accept different cultures.

Summary on International Early Years Curriculum

The International Early Years Curriculum (IEYC) is a new research-based curriculum recognizing global best practice in early childhood education and the developmental needs of 1.5-6 years old. It supports key areas of learning through holistic enquiry and play-based approaches encompassing all curriculum areas including personal, social and emotional development. The IEYC process of learning captures children’s natural curiosity as a starting point and within the proper environment balances child-initiated and teacher-guided learning.

The IEYC was developed based on eight learning principles:

The eight Personal Goals include enquiry, resilience, morality (principled), communication, thoughtfulness, cooperation, respect and adaptability.

The IEYC Independence and Interdependence Learning Strand includes the eight Personal Goals. They reflect the individual qualities and dispositions that we believe children need. Teachers will create learning experiences that would encourage the learners to develop each of them.

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Summary of Personal Goals

  • Enquiry
  • Resilience
  • Morality
  • Communication
  • Thoughtfulness
  • Cooperation
  • Respect
  • Adaptability

Teachers have the freedom to flex and adapt the curriculum in ways which support the learners’ learning, confident that the curriculum is a rigorous and robust framework for effective learning.

 

Curriculum : Learning Experien     

The International Early Years Curriculum is  an integrated English and Chinese teaching curriculum. Through a research-based approach, children will engage in experiences that provide opportunities to explore and develop all key developmental areas.

he second language choice is an integral part of our curriculum. During this time, the Language teacher is working in collaboration with the other classroom teachers.

It supports children in re-enacting or recreating experiences. Children develop language and literacy skills as they represent their ideas through different media and collaborate with peers as part of a team.

Children develop an understanding of the world around them when engaging with experiences that enable exploration through their senses building early scientific theories and developing fine motor skills. Children will explore sand, water, dough, robots, digital products like digital camera, etc. as they develop inquiry and problem-solving skills.

Children will participate in cooking or food preparation experiences enabling opportunities to engage in mathematical and science concepts in authentic ways. Social and language skills will also be developed naturally through these experiences.

Children develop   understandings about musical concepts e.g. rhythm, pitch; as well as skills   in body co-ordination and creative movement, a social activity that develops   the sense of being part of a group. They also develop the skills on expressing   their emotion and themselves through their body movement.

Children will have opportunities to express themselves through a diverse range of visual art mediums such as clay, paint, drawing, textiles, collage and sculpture using different natural, made and recycled materials.

Children will have the opportunity to explore the earth, to observe and describe. Using materials to mix, pour and measure, developing the fundamentals of numeracy. This connection and understanding of the world around them is essential to developing concepts of sustainability.

Physical education and movement is part of the general well-being of the child.   Through these experiences, children will develop gross motor skills, spatial awareness, eye hand coordination, flexibility and agility whilst promoting social development and self-management skills.

Children will be provided with developmentally appropriate settings, materials and experiences that encourage early forms of reading, writing and phonological awareness to develop into conventional literacy.

Each IEYC unit clearly states whatchildren will experience and learn about in each unit, child-initiated learningis also taken into consideration. For example, an IEYC activity may 
include several experiences, but a child may extend this learning through experience linked to his or her own curiosity and enquiry.

The children will be working on a rangeof activities linked to one or more of the main experiences. Teachers will have previously planned for these activities using the Units of Learning. The activities are linked to the unit theme and clearly differentiated to take account of children’s individual needs.

Children are not the only partner inthe learning relationship; families, too, are invited and encouraged to become involved in their child’s learning journey at every step of the way.

Through a home learning-link, we can, for example, find out what children’s passionsand interests are and tailor their learning accordingly.   Families canactively contribute to children’s knowledge, skills and increasing understanding through their individual Learning Journey. Teachers and those athome jointly reflect on what has been learned, evaluating the progress that hasbeen made and considering the next steps.

Assessment of children is done using observation and interactions by teachers, children and parents/carers to achieve a holistic view on a child’s development,recorded in learning journals.Learning journalsprovide an ideal format for capturing observations throughout a child’slearning journey. They also allow the learning and reflections to be opened upto the child and their parents. Any evaluation and reflection should be uniqueto the child, resulting in individually tailored next steps for their development.

 

Conclusion

We are excited to embark on this enriching journey with our GCMS little learners. By adopting the International Early Years Curriculum, we are committed to providing a holistic, 
engaging, and culturally diverse learning experience that empowers our young learners to thrive in a global environment.

At GCMS, we firmly believe that every child is a masterpiece of God, uniquely created with individual gifts and potential. Our tailored curriculum nurtures their curiosity, creativity, and language skills, setting a strong foundation for their future education.

We invite parents to actively participatein this journey, including joining us for the Exit Celebrations at the end ofeach unit. These celebrations provide a wonderful opportunity to see yourchild’s progress, engage with their learning experiences, and celebrate their achievements together as a community.

Together, we can cultivate a love for learning and respect for diverse cultures, preparing our children to become confident, compassionate, and capable individuals.

Thank you for your trust and support as we work together to help our little learners flourish. We look forward to celebrating their achievements and watching them grow in the joyful and safe environment we strive to create at GCMS.