The following are the philosophies and approaches which have been adopted by the Vidya Sai Public School for the early childhood learning segment:
Montessori: Developed by the Italian physician and educator Dr. Maria Montessori, this educational approach, lays emphasis on independence, freedom within limits, and respect for a child’s natural, psychological, physical, and social development. As a “discovery” model, students learn pedagogical concepts from actively working with materials, rather than being taught how to work with them. This method of teaching is defined by its uninterrupted blocks of work time, specialised educational materials, freedom of movement and choice of activity within the environment.
At Vidya Sai Public School, the Montessori environment has children belonging to mixed age groups ranging from 2 1⁄2 or 3 to 6 years. Each environment of 30 children includes two teachers, giving each the responsibility of 15 children.
Kindergarten: (2-year programme for children aged 4 and 5 years). “Kindergarten” literally means children’s garden. It is a term coined by Friedrich Froebel, whose approach greatly influenced early-years’ education around the world. This method of early years learning advocates freedom, play and joyful processes. It focuses on self-expression and involves self-activity, creativity and social participation. Education is imparted through playing, singing, and practical activities such as drawing, writing and social interaction.
Children in the pre-school programme are encouraged to participate in activities such as annual and sports days, where they have the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and creatively display their interests. Such events include simple drill exercises, fun and games, nursery rhymes, drawing and painting competitions. Parents are also able to interact with teachers whilst their children are within the school environment.