Programme de l’école maternelle

Early Education
Early Education is a fundamental part of life long education and learning and its central role is to support children’s growth into ethical and responsible members of society.

Teaching and learning in the early years supports and monitors children’s physical and psychological wellbeing, including social, cognitive and emotional development and helps to prevent any difficulties that may arise by creating the best possible learning opportunities.

Teaching and learning in the early years is holistic and different areas of development are not separated. In this document as well as in daily school life children, their experiences and actions are central.

It is important to strengthen children’s healthy sense of self-esteem with the aid of positive learning experiences and to provide opportunities for diverse interaction with other people. Children’s world of experiences shall be enriched and they shall be assisted as they seek to find new areas of interest.

Educational Principles
Teachers join with parents in giving children the best opportunities to learn and develop. In early education children’s positive self-concept will strengthen and their learning to learn skills will develop.

They will build basic skills, knowledge and capabilities from different areas of learning in accordance with their age and abilities. Learning by playing is essential. Children will learn to understand the significance of peer group learning. Very important is to retain the joy of and enthusiasm for learning and face new learning challenges with courage and creativity. The diversity of children and their special needs are respected.

The transition between early education and the primary cycle must be prepared as well as possible in the interest of the children. The school needs to define locally, the format of the transition. It can be divided into two parts: the preparation of children and the passing of information.

Teachers of both cycles must have good knowledge of the early education and early years of primary curricula, especially the mother tongue or the dominant language of the child. As children have different strengths when they enter primary school, the primary teachers must take into account individual differences and adapt their strategies and plans to the real needs of every child.

The concept of learning
The core curriculum has been formulated on the basis of a concept of learning both as an individual and also a communal process of building knowledge and skills. Learning takes place as purposeful involvement in a variety of situations: independently, under the teacher’s guidance and in interaction with the teacher, peer group and community. In addition to the knowledge and skills, both how to learn and good work habits are to be acquired so that they will serve as tools for lifelong learning.

Learning results through active, purposeful involvement in an activity, enabling children to process and interpret new experiences based on their knowledge, motivation, learning and work habits. As such it is a process that includes independent and collective problem-solving.

Learning is situational, so special attention has to be given to the quality of the learning environment.

Further information