Keypoints as to why you should seriously consider BCCIS Preschool for your son or daughter:
A curriculum that acknowledges the whole child and guides learning with children as active participates
Qualified experienced Early Childhood Educators
A new and well equipped facility with large classrooms and well designed outdoor space to support all areas of learning and development
Student-teacher ratios that range from 5:1 to 3:1 depending on student needs
A financial plan to ensure current and ongoing improvement for resources and development
Ongoing professional development for teachers and assistants
The BCCIS Preschool Program (Pre-K and KG1) is an inclusive program specific to the guidelines of early childhood education and development (ECE/D) practices in Canada. We maintain the fundamental principles of the British Columbian education system, and we prepare our students for successful entry into the Primary Academic classes. Our program has also been modified to support English language learners with respect for cross cultural relationships and values and good communication between school and family.
The years through early childhood (3–5 years) are often referred to as the foundation stage. In relation to early childhood education and development (ECE/D), studies and experience in the field provide evidence that positive childhood experiences in all areas related to learning and development are the building blocks for the foundation of future success in education and beyond. The BCCIS Preschool faculty acknowledges this concept and has designed a program based on a solid foundation of knowledge that recognizes and values the education of young children.
Our program primarily uses the Creative Curriculum – An Emergent Approach. This approach promotes interactive learning in specifically designed and organized classrooms where students and teachers work cooperatively together to create a positive social climate. Our curriculum covers the following areas of development:
Social and emotional
Language/arts and literacy
Creative development
Cognitive (the mind and how it works) which includes; sciences, discovery, early math skills, logical and symbolic thinking, etc.
Physical – fine and large motor development
At BCCIS we embrace all students as individuals and plan our curriculum content to support all levels of learning and development. We know that learning styles, temperament, familial, cultural, and physical challenges are all factors to be considered in our assessments and planning.
Our teachers guide the learning development of every child; following a researched continuum of skills and concepts. We ensure that all curriculum content is covered and students are developing and learning in all five areas. Using a wide range of teaching strategies to accommodate the varied learning styles of individual children and group dynamics, we use the following approaches:
Child-Initiated –the teacher observes children as they make choices of activities and actions and decides how and when to scaffold learning through extending their exploration into more complex play.
Teacher-Directed – learning that is planned to teach new and ongoing concepts or skills. In this approach the teacher makes a decision, based on curriculum learning objectives, and decides how to implement them to promote group and individual learning.
We recognize that children learn best as active participants in their own learning and that they are limited in programs that depend on "rote" learning and memorization. Our focus is on interactive learning in which teachers and students work together using cooperative and negotiation to develop extend existing concepts and develop new ones."Teach me and I forget. Show me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." – Thomas Edison
We believe that the early childhood years are a time of discovery and exploration and that children need to experience the process and as well the result. In the words of one our most prominent educational
"Everything we teach a child we keep him from inventing it himself. On the other hand, that which we allow him to discover will remain with him visible… for the rest of his life." – Jean Piaget
If you would like to know more please call the Preschool Department and arrange for an orientation.