firststepacademy1@gmail.com +918989498196, +919826946779

+918989498196, +919826946779 firststepacademy1@gmail.com

First Step Academy

Purpose of Education

“The purpose of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives”

Preschool education is not just about art, music, dance, fun, and fantasy, it is to provide comprehensive learning objectives and having a structured way to achieve these objectives.


The 4 major components to achieve these objectives are:

  1. The philosophy.
  2. The curriculum and methodology.
  3. The learning tools offered to the child.
  4. The teachers who facilitate learning.

Our curriculum balances these 4 components. The core philosophy inspired by the Montessori method. Each material has been designed following this philosophy. The teachers have been trained effectivelyon the philosophy, curriculum, and materials. Academically equipped and socially adept children are what we are striving to provide this world.


The Philosophy

A Child’s path to excellence begins with the perfect role model and the perfect tools.


Research proves that Early Education is critical because:

  • Brain development is most rapid in the early years
  • 75% of neural connectivity is complete by the age of 7
  • When the quality of stimulation is deficient, child development is seriously affected

The capacity to absorb concepts and learn is highest during Ages 2 to 6. Hence it is important to expose the child to an environment which provides an appropriate stimulus for learning.


Intelligence is important factor to consider when a child comes to school.


Intelligence

Inherent:

Inherent Intelligence is the maximum intelligence a child can achieve in accordance with the genes.


Acquired:

Acquired Intelligence is what a child gets with environmental factors like culture, family, and education.


The curriculum

Our curriculum is focused on the following areas of development:

  • Physical
  • Intellectual
  • Language
  • Creative
  • Socio-Emotional

A Curriculum is a set of experiences and events that are planned to foster a child’s learning.Our curriculum explores


The Environment

The environment is a major part of our curriculum. A young child mustget daily experience with learning aids in a structured environment which have specific usage, derived from the curriculum. The environment in our curriculum facilitates self-learning in every child.


The Teachers

Our staff is trained to ensure that the curriculum objectives for each child are met consistently. They are trained to facilitate learning, observe, record and assess daily. We have an appropriate student-teacher ratio to ensure that every child's needs are met so that they don’t excessively depend on an adult.


Methodology

  • Teachers are facilitators
  • Self-Learning Environment
  • Each Child at his own pace
  • Self-correction
  • Inner discipline
  • Daily observation and assessment
  • Socially vibrant environment
  • Encouraging the child’s inherent desire to do and learn.

Learning Modes

Our curriculum has activities that are specifically designed to help a child in every area of development. These activities include

  • Individual learning with materials
  • Small group activities in art, language, and gross motor skills
  • Learning through a thematic approach
  • Occasional support learning through role-plays, presentations, storytelling, Reading
  • Field trips
  • Project-based learning for older children
  • Cultural celebrations

A child’s home environment plays an important role in shaping a child’s personality. Our curriculum includes parent feedback sessions and guidelines to ensure that the school and home environment together foster the child’s development.


Cognitive / Academic Learning

Every activity in the school is done with a clear cut objective and outcome for the child.


In the 2 to 4 years’ category, we begin with fine motor and practical life skills. English is introduced with phonetics. Mathematics is introduced with materials that help the child comprehend this very abstract area. Other activities help with cognitive development and logical thinking.


In the 4 to 6 age group, children are taken through a program that covers fairly complex areas of language, mathematics, geography, history, and science in a manner that will help them and understand the fundamentals.


Critical Non-Academic Learning

The curriculum provides opportunities for children to make decisions about their work. Children have the choice to work in small groups/ individually depending on their needs.


We encourage our children to receive help from and offer help to other children, thus injecting a sense of social awareness. Mixed-age grouping also helps them become better learners.


Our curriculum helps them with practical skills like cutting, sieving and gardening and other areas of art.


Physical Development is an important part of childhood and we take special care of this with structured activities.


Assessment

Assessment in the early years of a child has to be a continuous process. Our system constantly checks on the child's progress and helps teachers to keep up with the progress and updates of the child hence they can step in to make any necessary changes.


What Differentiates Us?

  • Child centric approach rather than teacher-centric
  • Strong Montessori based philosophy combined with best practices of early childhood methodology.
  • Goes way beyond song & dance routines, nursery rhymes and simple playing with toys
  • Materials and tools for learning designed for the curriculum
  • A methodology that instills a sense of purpose & interest to work hard in the child
  • Revolutionary assessment technique
  • A structured learning program for the overall development of the child