Waraphat Nursery has structured its curriculum in alignment with the guidelines set forth by the National Early Childhood Development Center, B.E. 2018. This curriculum is designed to foster and facilitate the comprehensive development and learning of children under 3 years old, emphasizing nurturing and growth. Central to this approach is providing age-appropriate play experiences rooted in nature, aimed at supporting holistic development across physical, emotional, mental, social, communicative, linguistic, intellectual, and cultural domains.
Activities are thoughtfully organized to cater to each child’s unique needs, interests, and capabilities, considering their individual stages of development. During this critical period, children undergo significant developmental milestones, transitioning towards greater autonomy and self-expression. Learning experiences are closely tied to cognitive development while also instilling moral values and ethical behavior.
Moreover, children are encouraged to make choices and engage in trial-and-error activities, fostering logical and critical thinking processes. This approach stimulates cognitive growth and lays a solid foundation for subsequent learning endeavors at more advanced levels.
Early childhood brain development underscores the importance of tailoring teaching to each child’s learning potential. Experiences in these early years shape immediate responses and long-term cognitive processes. Memories and impressions formed during this period significantly impact lifelong thinking skills, even if not consciously remembered later.
Research highlights the critical role of the first three years in brain development and cognitive processes. Beginning with basic sensory perceptions, children gradually develop language, emotional intelligence, and social skills. These early abilities form the foundation for future learning and success in school and beyond.
Recognizing and nurturing the significance of early childhood experiences is critical to fostering lifelong cognitive development and academic achievement.
Children’s brain cells establish intricate connections during the learning process, gradually forming an expanding network. This network’s connectivity holds more significance than the sheer quantity of brain cells, as it can adapt and change throughout our lives. This flexibility, known as plasticity, enables the human brain to learn across the lifespan.
The plasticity of human brain cells is most pronounced during the initial 1000 days of life, from birth to age three. Psychologists often consider this period from conception a critical development phase. This process continues beyond primary school, extending into adulthood and shaping cognitive abilities and learning capacities.
At birth, the brain starts with a sparse network of neurons, gradually developing during gestation in the mother’s womb. Within the first month after birth, a combination of genetic factors and environmental stimuli, including parental care and exposure to various settings, creates more brain cells. Children’s brains demonstrate significant growth by around nine months of age, generating a wealth of neurons and forming a more intricate network through learning experiences and adjustments.
By age two, the brain boasts many cells and a robust, complex neural network. New brain cells continue to form throughout life, contributing to the ongoing development of intricate neural networks. Notably, over 80% of brain development has occurred by the age of two to three years, marking this period as crucial for learning and development.
Thus, the nursery stage is recognized as one of the most pivotal learning opportunities in a person’s life, providing a foundation for cognitive growth and shaping future intellectual abilities.
Young children embark on a learning journey as they master fundamental skills such as crying, smiling, laughing, eating, crawling, sitting, walking, talking, and engaging in various activities. These milestones manifest the brain’s innate capacity to know, learn, develop, and adapt to ensure survival—a primal instinct shared by all living beings, including humans.
The human brain continuously develops its capacity for thinking and memory through ongoing learning. However, the most suitable and impactful moments for learning occur during teachable opportunities or “teachable moments.” Therefore, it is crucial to emphasize “age-appropriate development” and provide children with opportunities to learn and grow according to their unique potential. This approach fosters the formation of working memories essential for executive brain functions, enabling children to enhance their intelligence, problem-solving skills, adaptability to environmental changes, emotional stability, and ability to navigate social interactions harmoniously without conflict.
The brain’s left hemisphere excels in tasks involving language comprehension, reasoning, and attention to detail. On the other hand, the right hemisphere specializes in processing dimensions, emotions, and holistic perceptions. Both hemispheres collaborate seamlessly through nerve fibers that connect them, known as the corpus callosum. This integration enables the synthesis of perceptions and perspectives from both sides of the brain, allowing us to perceive images and comprehend the meaning of things with clarity and precision.
The learning process in the brain unfolds when external stimuli trigger brain cells. These cells transmit information as electrical currents along axon branches to the dendrites, the receiving branches of other cells. At the junctions where axons and dendrites meet, electrical signals transform into chemical messages known as neurotransmitters. This conversion facilitates the transmission of information within the brain’s neural networks, enabling the learning process. The junction facilitating this data transmission is termed the synapse.
Minute Of Learning
The “minute of learning” commences at this synapse point, implying that children are constantly learning. However, due to their limited attention span, concentration, and emotional stability, educators must allow children to think and choose their actions. This approach will enable teachers to observe and tap into each child’s learning potential, providing opportunities for them to learn and develop to their total capacity.
Emotions play a significant role in shaping attention and intention. They can either stimulate or inhibit learning. Interest and enthusiasm enhance learning, while boredom and disinterest hinder it. Children are naturally drawn to things with personal meaning, while those lacking significance fail to capture their attention. In such cases, the instinctive part of the brain signals children to disengage, leading to a lack of interest.
When adults attempt to compel children to be interested in unengaging topics, children often resist, leaving adults perplexed or frustrated. Adults must adapt their approach by understanding the workings of children’s brains. This involves identifying what captures their interest, what they are curious about, and what activities they enjoy.
Adults can tailor interactions accordingly by recognizing and acknowledging children’s interests and desires. This approach fosters engagement and facilitates effective communication, ultimately enhancing the learning experience for children.
Emotions profoundly impact thinking, especially in situations that evoke fear or anger, such as the initial days of attending school. During these times, children may struggle to adjust and exhibit signs of distress, such as crying. In such emotionally charged situations, the child’s ability to think becomes impaired, leading to decreased efficiency in their thought processes. Consequently, learning is hindered as the child’s focus shifts to managing their emotions rather than engaging in cognitive tasks.
Emotions wield significant influence over memory formation in various everyday situations. Children experience a range of emotions, such as happiness, joy, sadness, and anger, each impacting the creation of vivid and enduring memories. These emotional experiences are subject to change through learning, as the brain’s emotional centers can learn and adapt.
Positive learning experiences can alter children’s emotional responses toward specific stimuli, leading to shifts in their attitudes and feelings. For instance, a child’s aversion to learning English due to previous negative experiences, such as forceful teaching methods, can transform into a positive outlook when exposed to an understanding teacher who employs engaging and enjoyable teaching techniques. This illustrates how effective teaching methods can facilitate a change in children’s perceptions and preferences, ultimately fostering a love for learning.
When children learn independently, based on their preferences and interests, they experience happiness, joy, and contentment. Their brains respond immediately, recognizing their achievements as they take action. This response is clear and devoid of ambiguity or confusion.
Happy learning stimulates children to feel challenged and courageous as their brains emit signals of satisfaction with each successful step. These signals progressively amplify, fostering a sense of challenge that fuels their desire to continuously explore, experiment, and acquire knowledge. This positive cycle of challenge and achievement encourages children to pursue learning relentlessly. Consequently, they develop more complex thinking patterns, enabling them to tackle increasingly intricate problems. Moreover, this process enhances emotional stability, fostering growth in both IQ and EQ (Emotional Quotient) for children.
The ethical standards upheld by teachers at Warraphat Nursery are crucial for delivering personalized teaching and learning experiences tailored to each child’s unique potential. Teachers are expected to demonstrate
1. Demonstrate a commitment to students’ well-being by:
– Engaging in creative approaches to foster children’s learning and development while maintaining professional relationships.
– Thoroughly understand the curriculum and practices and regularly review work for accuracy to prevent errors.
– Providing balanced, comprehensive teaching tailored to each child’s potential and organizing learning activities in alignment with the curriculum.
– Employing various teaching techniques to stimulate critical thinking in children.
– Recognizing and accepting the diversity among students, understanding that what works for one group may not be effective for another.
– Supporting holistic development, encompassing physical, mental, emotional, social, cultural, communication, language, and intellectual aspects through diverse teaching methods.
– Safeguarding the confidentiality of children’s learning outcomes, leveraging academic performance to foster further development without comparison or causing harm. Prioritize building self-worth and self-esteem through various means.
2. Demonstrate commitment to fostering friendly relationships with parents and children’s families by:
– Encouraging parental involvement in understanding and determining children’s academic progress.
– Cultivating open, sincere, honest, and responsible relationships with families.
– Respecting the privacy of both children and their families.
– Acknowledging and respecting the rights of families regarding the care of their children.
– Refraining from using personal opinions to influence decisions regarding children and families, prioritizing professionalism and objectivity in all interactions.
3. Demonstrate commitment to society by:
– Advocating for equal educational opportunities for all children within the community.
– Collaborating with community stakeholders to enhance the development of the school, ensuring support for broader societal needs.
– Promoting and enthusiastically teaching various community values, such as the Sufficiency Economy and ethical principles rooted in Thai culture.
– Instilling moral and ethical values in children, fostering kindness, cooperation, and respect for communal living. Emphasize the importance of respecting property and personal boundaries, not harming others, including oneself.
4. Demonstrate commitment to professionalism as a teacher by:
– Understanding, embracing, and adhering strictly to teacher ethics and standards.
– Maintaining a continuous learning mindset, recognizing that knowledge can be gained from children and colleagues, and actively seeking opportunities to expand knowledge.
– Conducting evaluations of children’s academic performance and development in a straightforward, reliable, impartial, and non-discriminatory manner.
– Sharing insights and experiences to contribute to ongoing professional development and continuously improving teaching practices.
– Collaborating effectively with colleagues, respecting boundaries, and honoring group decisions in teaching and learning development.
– Providing guidance and support to new teachers to facilitate their professional growth.
– Demonstrating love for the profession by maintaining confidentiality, refraining from discussing incidents that may harm the institution’s reputation, and avoiding actions that undermine trust from outsiders.
– Address instances where a colleague’s conduct may negatively impact children, providing sincere advice and warnings. If such efforts prove ineffective, promptly report the situation to the appropriate supervisor.
– Embracing mistakes as opportunities for growth, remaining open to change, and actively seeking creative solutions to further develop into a professional teacher.