International Schools in Whitefield

Foundation Stage

The gist of NEP for ECCE:

3 years in Anganwadi/ Balvatika/ Pre-School from age group 3 to 6 years. 2 years in class 1st and 2nd from age group 6 to 8 years. The foundation stage at International Schools in Whitefield comprises of multilevel, play/ activity-based learning.

ECCE ideally consists of flexible, multi-faceted, multi-level, play-based, activity-based, and inquiry-based learning concepts which comprise of alphabets, languages, numbers, counting, colours, shapes, indoor and outdoor play. Puzzles, logical thinking, problem-solving, drawing, painting and other visual art, craft, drama and puppetry, music and movement are also an integral part of the concepts. It also includes a focus on developing social capacities, sensitivity, good behaviour, courtesy, ethics, personal and public cleanliness, teamwork and cooperation.

The major aim of ECCE is to attain optimal outcomes in the domains of: physical and motor development, cognitive development, socio-emotional-ethical development,

cultural/artistic development, and the development of communication and early language, literacy, and numeracy. The attempt to hone a child from the foundational age of 3 years instead of 6 years brings our new education policy at par with the global developed nations, but it’s the focus on education technology that takes it ahead of them by leaps. The best part is that the Policy aims to include each child, irrespective of the location, who is particularly socio-economically disadvantaged.

On the curriculum side of International Schools in Whitefield, there will be an increased focus on foundational literacy and numeracy – and generally, on reading, writing, speaking, counting, arithmetic, and mathematical thinking – throughout the preparatory phase.

The greater focus is on experiential learning – a key element in international education and curriculum options. This means more projects, better real-life training, more interactions and better skills. With these developments, one is left with options that are on similar levels of quality, flexibility and exposure. The National Education Policy has really tried well to address the needs of the 21 st century and tries to create a student-friendly environment in schools and colleges, for their holistic development. All in all, it is a progressive and visionary policy and its success will be directly proportional to its implementation and execution, practically.

NEP aligned along with Montessori Principles:

Montessori is a method of education that is based on self-directed activity, hands-on learning and collaborative play. In Montessori classrooms children make creative choices in their learning, while the classroom and the highly trained teacher offer age-appropriate activities to guide the process. Children work in groups and individually to discover and explore knowledge of the world and to develop their maximum potential.

Montessori classrooms and schools near whitefield are beautifully crafted environments designed to meet the needs of children in a specific age range. Dr Montessori  discovered that experiential learning in this type of classroom led to a deeper understanding of language, mathematics, science, music, social interactions and much more. 

Every material in a Montessori classroom supports an aspect of child development, creating a match between the child’s natural interests and the available activities. Children can learn through their own experience and at their own pace. They can respond at any moment to the natural curiosities that exist in all humans and build a solid foundation for life-long learning.

For children ages three to six years:

1. foster the growth of functional independence, task persistence and self-regulation.
2. promote social development through respectful, clear communication and safe, natural consequences.
3. contain a large variety of materials for the refinement of sensory perception and the development of literacy and mathematical understanding
4. offer opportunities for imaginative exploration leading to confident, creative self-expression.

They contain many places for children to learn and play, in many different ways: by themselves, in pairs, in small groups, in large groups, inside, outside, at tables, on the floor. All items in the environment are scaled to the child’s size, including furniture, shelves, utensils, dishware, cleaning implements and the Montessori materials themselves. There is no focal center to the classroom; this reflects that the teacher is not the focus of the children’s attention, but that they are all one community together. Bright and attractive colours, natural materials, fascinating cultural objects and interesting pictures on the wall all offer the children complex sensory and intellectual experiences. When children first enter a Montessori environment, there is an immediate and touching moment when they realize that this place is for them.

In International Schools in Whitefield, children are taught how to regulate their own social interactions. Through fun role-playing activities and appropriate modelling, the teacher demonstrates the best way to respond to arguments or new situations, giving the child the ability to act confidently and pro-socially when the actual problem arises. The result is a self-regulating classroom, in which natural social tensions are resolved mostly by the children themselves.

Children move freely throughout the environment, choosing activities that interest them, or working with the teacher, individually, or in small groups. Their movement is unrestricted by the teacher unless it endangers themselves, other people, or their surroundings. Outdoor environments are important in Montessori schools and offer opportunities to engage with the natural world.

Guiding Principles: The guiding principles of Montessori education are the same across all age levels, and are grounded in over one hundred years of work with children around the world.