Preschool is a fundamental stage in a child's development. 

 

Learning during these years goes well beyond academic knowledge. Children at this age discover how to interact with other children, their place in the group, their social role; they also learn about sharing, respect for rules, respect for others, attention to one’s own needs, self-esteem and more.

 

All of these are essential dimensions of a child’s intellectual, social and physical development.

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HELP CHILDREN LOVE SCHOOL

 

The preschool years are just the start of at least a 15-year trajectory of schooling. These early years must give each child an authentic appetite for learning and enable them to develop and assert their personalities. 

 

At Concordia School Paris, we have built an environment conducive to learning. Our kindergarten classes have been designed to welcome children in a reassuring, stimulating, safe and warm atmosphere, in which the child can discover, explore, exchange and have fun freely.

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Our teachers have been trained to create a positive and dynamic, caring environment. This relationship of trust in turn ensures a better transmission of knowledge. Children are also encouraged to interact with the teacher to verbalise their successes and difficulties. By highlighting progress, children are encouraged to continue their efforts.

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BILINGUALISM BY IMMERSION

 

The preschool years are taught anywhere between 50 to 70% of the time in English.  Around 2 and 3 years old, the plasticity of a child's brain is considerable and allows learning a new language with greater ease. This gives children a boost to begin to express themselves in English from the age of 4. 

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All subjects are taught in both languages by native English and French teachers. 

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Children receive instruction in English equivalent to that which they would receive in an English-speaking country. Teachers use British and American teaching materials.

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ACADEMIC OBJECTIVES

 

We adhere to the programme established by the French National Education and the English National Education.

 

French/English: focus on the acquisition of an expressive language

During the preschool years, children must acquire a rich vocabulary crucial to their success in primary school.  Our goal is for each of our children to master as many words as possible at the end of grande section (kindergarten) to facilitate their leap into reading. Concordia teachers have therefore created a curriculum of activities aimed at stimulating language development.

 

Our teachers devote time on a daily basis to the active reading of a story by the teacher, a privileged moment during which the children are comfortably settled in an atmosphere conducive to imagination and escape. The children listen to the teacher read tales, fables and stories.  During this time, the teacher explains vocabulary words and makes sure the children are following the text.

 

The basics of writing are also taught from petite section (the first year of pre-kindergarten), so that children are able to write and recognise words from moyenne section (the second year of pre-kindergarden). 

 

Mathematics: Real life application

From petite section (the first year of pre-kindergarten), we apply an approach inspired by high-performing educational systems internationally, particularly those of Asian countries such as Singapore, South Korea and China. This method offers children the chance to manipulate objects for learning shapes, sequences and counting.

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By the end of grande section (kindergarten), our children know how to count to 100, they know addition and subtraction, how to recognise geometric shapes, simple sequences and so on.

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Science: "How can we think and behave as scientists and engineers?"

 

From preschool, children are introduced to the scientific process of understanding the world through STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) projects. Here Concordia follows an English methodology that goes further than the French National Education programme.

 

This approach gives meaning to learning: I observe what surrounds me, I question, I make  hypotheses and I experiment to reach a conclusion.

 

For example, in Concordia workshops our children will examine up close plants and insects, study their characteristics and observe them. They will plant a small vegetable garden, make compost and discover the principles of nutrition.

 

They will make volcanoes that erupt and study the resistance of materials by building small houses with different materials.

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ORAL EXPRESSION & COMMUNICATION

 

Beyond the transmission of a rich and varied vocabulary, we encourage our children to express themselves using their growing exposure to language. Thus, we familiarise children with public expression in a relaxed and playful way. Children sing and speak naturally in front of their peers. For example, our students are encouraged to speak on a theme prepared in advance (my holidays, my favourite toy and so on). We also encourage them to exchange and dialogue with their classmates.

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SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

 

Concordia emphasises the development of a child’s socio-emotional skills.

 

In this way, we teach each child to exchange with others, give their opinion and share their knowledge and accomplishments. Our teachers are there to give them confidence and to help them develop their empathy.

 

We also encourage children to share their emotions to help them better control themselves when they are frustrated or overwhelmed.

 

Respect for others, respect for the environment and respect for oneself play an integral part of our teaching methods.

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CULTURAL AND ARTISTIC ACTIVITIES 

 

Concordia School Paris offers numerous workshops for children: music, cooking, gardening, art, theatre and so on.

 

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