Our Early Years program is designed to foster individual learning and child development at every age and stage through active, hands-on discovery, exploration and play. Our curriculum is based on the IB PYP curriculum framework; takes into account our core values; and builds on our decades-long experience in imparting education. Learn more about the PYP here.
Our carefully planned curriculum introduces and reinforces concepts of math, english, mother language, science, social awareness, the arts, music and physical health. Children participate in individual and group activities to build a broad range of skills and explore varied concepts. Children participate in structured activities and have opportunities for free play as a means to build social skills and positive attitudes towards learning, and to take ownership over their learning.
The curriculum is based on the school’s Program of Inquiry.
Curriculum Overviews
Our academic program builds the knowledge, skills and dispositions for success in all three of the key child development areas: cognitive, physical, and social and emotional.
To learn more about the curriculum, please click on the links:
Academics
The curriculum in the Early Years is an engaging, challenging curriculum that’s built around extensive research and developmentally–appropriate instruction.
- Toddler: In our Toddler program, children enjoy learning experiences through play that promote their blossoming independence and communication skills, and foster self-confidence.
- Pre-school: Our Pre-school program for 3 year-olds focuses on inquiring, exploration, and discovery, where active and enthusiastic children can refine and expand their skills, conceptual understandings and knowledge. Students are also exposed to their mother tongue.
- Pre-K: Our Pre-K program helps children to develop skills and concepts in core pre-academic areas. Our holistic approach engages young minds with early learning fundamentals, with a rich blend of skills, interests and a love of learning. This is also the age when students develop their principles and start being reflective about their actions.
- Kindergarten: As children approach Class I, our comprehensive kindergarten program helps them explore, communicate, and create — all in a nurturing, small-class setting. Our curriculum of fundamentals in reading and writing, language development, mathematics, science, social studies, the arts and physical fitness is taught in an engaging way that encourages a lifelong love of learning. Students start to become risk-takers who challenge themselves and broaden their horizons.
Physical Education
At Aurora, physical activity is an important aspect of our academic program. In the Early Years, outdoor or indoor activity is a daily routine because physical development and exercise are considered by most education experts to be a key ingredient in students’ academic success.
Different types of equipment and play items catering to the physical development requirements of children of all ages are part of the indoor and outdoor sports facilities of the school. Equipment on which to climb, slide and balance is available, along with tricycles, skipping ropes, balls, rings and other types of equipment that can build various gross motor skills. Indoor play equipment (for use when the weather does not permit outdoor activity) include tunnels, balls and hoops, trampolines and mats for free movement, dance, yoga and games.
As part of our physical education curriculum, we offer a swimming program at Aurora from Pre-K onwards. Swimming and understanding safety in and around the water are essential life skills that all children should have the opportunity to learn. Our swimming program teaches students water safety and basic swimming strokes. As they get older and become more proficient, we will help them develop their swimming proficiency and speed. By learning to swim competently, students develop skills that can be used for fun, fitness or as a competitive sport. Using a holistic approach, students will be learning a discipline that may save a life – potentially their own.
Yoga and mindfulness have been shown to improve both physical and mental health in school-age children. Yoga improves balance, strength, endurance, and aerobic capacity in children. Yoga and mindfulness offer psychological benefits for children as well. As such, children from Pre-K onwards also take part in yoga classes.
If for any reason children cannot go outside, we have a large multipurpose room with all the facilities to ensure physical development. We want our students to understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal wellbeing for themselves and others.
The Arts
The performing and visual arts are one of the key component of Aurora’s academic program, and is included in the schedule every day in the Early Years program. We want our students to appreciate their own culture and personal histories, and be open to the personal perspective, values and traditions of other cultures and communities. Our Arts program is one way to achieve this goal.
The Toddlers and Pre-schoolers share a space that has been designed for art, music, dance and drama with all kinds of learning materials such as simple musical equipment; puppets, props and costumes; all kinds of art materials and resources; and books to inspire the imagination.
The Pre-K and Kindergarten children enjoy separate spaces that have been prepared for their use and outfitted with all kinds of learning materials and resources for them to explore art, music, dance and drama. Students have access to musical instruments from both Eastern and Western schools; a wide ranges of props, costumes and puppets; materials for art and crafts; and speakers to play music as well.
Technology
Technology is an important part of our curriculum because we believe it will be integral to the academic and professional success of our students in their lives to come. It can help our students further nourish their knowledge and skills and is an important component of the inquiry process. However, we intend to integrate technology responsibly to ensure students use it as a supplement to learning and use it safely.
Since many experts recommend that technology should not be used to teach toddlers, we introduced smartboards for group learning from age 4 onwards. Since our emphasis at this age is on developing communication and social skills and hands-on learning, students’ interaction with technology will be relatively limited. For Pre-K and Kindergarten students, digital resources such as educational games, videos and interactive software are used sparingly through smartboards that are fitted in their classrooms.
Learning for Life
This is a learning series that the homeroom teachers take on during school hours and usually during homeroom periods. Teachers work on the physical and emotional wellbeing of children by addressing ideas like personal safety, social skills, peer relationships, and other life skills. A structured curriculum is provided to teachers to ensure a range of relevant skills and values are developed in students.
Curriculum Overviews
Our academic program builds the knowledge, skills and dispositions for success in all three of the key child development areas: cognitive, physical, and social and emotional.
To learn more about the curriculum, please click on the links:
