Early childhood is a unique time in our lives. It is a time to explore the world; wonder; imagine; sense; think; feel; like; dislike and so much more. As an Early Childhood Educator of 48 years, spanning Cape Town, South Africa, Sydney, Australia and now Tokyo, Japan, I have always believed in learning as a cooperative, as a community where social and emotional development is the key to not only a child’s wellness but our wellness, as teachers and as adults.
There is always a place for academics however children naturally learn. We do not necessarily need to teach them. When a parent asks me: “Do you teach the A B C?” I respond: “No, children learn the A B C.”
In all my years of teaching and now, for the past 16 years, owning an International Preschool in Tokyo, Japan, my thinking and belief system around Early Childhood Education, has not changed. Perhaps the way I taught evolved when I was in the classroom but otherwise, I hold onto many of the “old” ways of working with children.
Ohana International School is a unique International Preschool in Tokyo, Japan. Come and see for yourselves!