Early Years at MRIS 21C:
MRIS 21C is a happy school and we focus on creating joyful learning experiences for our students throughout the day.
These are the foundational years in the life of a child, and we aim to spark the love for learning at an early age, and so right from the designing of the curriculum, to setting up of learning spaces, to planning activities and ensuring engagement as well as participation is done bearing the same in mind along with the age-appropriateness and developmental milestones.
Major areas of focus in the Early Years are – Motor Development (Gross and Fine), Eye-Hand Coordination, Language Development, Cognitive Development, along with Life Skills and Socio-Emotional Skills.
The 7 Learning Domains:
A comprehensive and progressive curriculum, comprising of 7 Learning Domains, which aims at giving every child the best possible start in life, enabling them to fulfil their potential, is delivered through an integrated approach, by experienced and passionate teachers, who understand that each child learns at his/her own pace, thus setting the pace accordingly, yet encouraging each one and ensuring that the overall objectives are achieved.
The 7 Learning Domains are:
Language and Literacy
Numeracy
CREST (Conceptual Learning through Reasoning, Exploration, Skilling and Technology)
Performing Art
Visual Art
Sports and Wellbeing
Life Skills
Opportunity for Exploration and Discovery:
Children of the Early Years are explorers by nature and so we provide them with plenty of opportunities for exploration and discovery, which not only satiates their innate desire for learning through exploration, but also ensures that learning is long lasting as children arrive at a conclusion through an exploration, guided by expert Early Years facilitators, who ascertain that they do not disrupt the process of exploration by providing the children with ready answers, instead, ask questions that encourage children to explore further and discover.
Experiential Learning:
One of the most significant aspects of the Early Years at MRIS 21 C is Experiential Learning. It goes without saying that what we experience ourselves impacts us far more deeply than what we would just witness or hear; therefore various hands-on activities are planned for our students in the Early Years in order to provide them with an enriching learning experience in a play-based environment, and so our learning spaces are set up, with age-appropriate resources, to support the same. EduTrips are also planned for students, which not only reinforce the concepts learnt, but also are a learning experience in themselves.
Learning through Play
Play comes naturally to children and so what better way of teaching them than through play based activities that are guided by the facilitator in a manner that not only ensure learning, but also retention. Play is a fantastic way of developing language, reasoning, as well as eye-hand coordination, along with fine and gross motor skills. Play also teaches children essential life skills and socio-emotional skills, such as sharing, waiting for their turn, collaboration, teamwork, conflict resolution, and much more. The best part is that children are engaged and learning takes place effortlessly. Play based activities are designed keeping in mind the learning objectives, which enable the children to learn through play.
Learning Center Approach
The school follows the unique Learning Center approach, which enables children to explore various real life situations and learn by way of participation in hands-on activities, leading to retention, deeper understanding and ease of application, thereby creating a strong foundation. Various Learning Centers are set up in the class such as Dramatic Play, Small World, Sand Play, Water Play, Table-Top Play, Creative Play, Construction Play, Play Dough, depending upon the objectives to be achieved for the day. Activities are planned accordingly and children learn by participating in the activities in each of the Learning Centers, providing an opportunity for the multiple intelligences to be stimulated.