High Scope Approach to Caring for Infants
In the High Scope Approach, our children construct their understanding of the world from their active involvement with people, materials and ideas. This principle is based on the constructivist theories of development of Jean Piaget and other developmental psychologists. It suggests that all children are active learners. They acquire knowledge by actively experiencing the world around them – choosing, exploring, manipulating, practicing, transforming and experimenting. The range and depth of children’s understanding of the world is continually changing and expanding of their day-to-day interactions in our classrooms.
This approach reflects the belief that young children are capable of making choices and they are supported and encouraged in this process. The elements of active learning and choice are strategically interwoven encouraging children to become problem solvers.
The High Scope Approach at a glance
Our educators believe that signing is a key ingredient to language development. Baby Signs have an important role to play within the caregiver-infant relationship. These Baby Signs are an integral part of our educational curriculum. The children are exposed to nonverbal gestures. Infants can enjoy interactions with adults that otherwise would be postponed until he/she could talk. Successful communication with other people makes life simpler. Even without words, a young child can convey a message and enjoy the experience of being quickly and accurately understood. Interactions such as these foster feelings of competence and help avoid frustration. Baby Sign experiences allow infants interpersonal conversation skills which yield faster language development.
Montessori Approach
The infant program introduces early concepts of the Montessori approach. This is a system of education that is based on a child’s developmental need for freedom within limits, as well as a carefully prepared environment that guarantees exposure to materials and experiences. Through the materials, the environment, interaction with their educators and peers, these areas are evolving. Dr. Montessori believed that everything a young child is exposed to becomes a part of what he/she is becoming. Therefore, everything a child sees, listens to, feels and tastes enhances the education of their mind.
The Montessori Approach fosters through a prepared environment
In the High Scope Approach, our children construct their understanding of the world from their active involvement with people, materials and ideas. This principle is based on the constructivist theories of development of Jean Piaget and other developmental psychologists. It suggests that all children are active learners. They acquire knowledge by actively experiencing the world around them – choosing, exploring, manipulating, practicing, transforming and experimenting. The range and depth of children’s understanding of the world is continually changing and expanding of their day-to-day interactions in our classrooms.
This approach reflects the belief that young children are capable of making choices and they are supported and encouraged in this process. The elements of active learning and choice are strategically interwoven encouraging children to become problem solvers.
The High Scope Approach at a glance
- Sense of self
- Social relations
- Creative representation
- Movement
- Music
- Communication and language
- Exploring objects
- Early quantity and number
- Space
- Time
Our educators believe that signing is a key ingredient to language development. Baby Signs have an important role to play within the caregiver-infant relationship. These Baby Signs are an integral part of our educational curriculum. The children are exposed to nonverbal gestures. Infants can enjoy interactions with adults that otherwise would be postponed until he/she could talk. Successful communication with other people makes life simpler. Even without words, a young child can convey a message and enjoy the experience of being quickly and accurately understood. Interactions such as these foster feelings of competence and help avoid frustration. Baby Sign experiences allow infants interpersonal conversation skills which yield faster language development.
Montessori Approach
The infant program introduces early concepts of the Montessori approach. This is a system of education that is based on a child’s developmental need for freedom within limits, as well as a carefully prepared environment that guarantees exposure to materials and experiences. Through the materials, the environment, interaction with their educators and peers, these areas are evolving. Dr. Montessori believed that everything a young child is exposed to becomes a part of what he/she is becoming. Therefore, everything a child sees, listens to, feels and tastes enhances the education of their mind.
The Montessori Approach fosters through a prepared environment
- Self-directed learning in a whole learning environment
- Classroom materials and social setting is supportive of the child
- Together, the educator and child form a relationship based on trust and respect that fosters self-confidence and a willingness to try new things
- Materials are multi-sensory, sequential and self-correcting, thus facilitate learning
- Educator functions as a designer of the environment, resource person, role model, demonstrator, record-keeper and observer of each child’s behavior and growth