Early Learning Centre

Young children are naturally curious and have an innate desire to explore the world around them. When they explore their surroundings in a hands-on manner, this ignites questions and a need to investigate.

This practice of questioning and trying new experiences lays the foundation for learning in early childhood and continues throughout the children’s lives.

STEM is the exploration of the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. These areas of learning are incorporated into our Early Learning Program both in a planned and naturally occurring way. They are also inter-connected as the children explore these disciplines in a multi-modal manner. Incidental opportunities for the children to engage in STEM learning occurs daily. The discovery of a butterfly in the garden can lead to a conversation and investigation into life cycles. A collaborative block building session can become an engineering exercise as the children problem solve the height, weight, angles, and balance of their building. An interest in the prehistoric world can be explored through research on the iPad. Play with natural materials and loose parts can lead to a mathematical experience in counting, sorting, and classification.

LEARNING

& DISCOVERY THROUGH STEM

“Hands-on inquirybased STEM education lays the foundation for social and emotional intelligence, raises children’s confidence, and fosters their abilities to plan and reflect.”

Starting Blocks, 2022

Although STEM experiences can occur spontaneously within the classroom program, there are also experiences that are intentionally planned by our educators. Classroom STEM learning experiences are linked to the children’s current projects and inquiries. When undertaking an inquiry into volcanoes, educators may plan a science experiment for the children to learn and experience how a volcano erupts. An investigation into the elements of winter may involve the children experimenting with melting ice and learning about liquids and solids. Opportunities for digital research are facilitated by educators and linked directly to the children’s current investigations. As an extension of our classroom STEM learning, the children in our 4-year-old classes also have opportunities to connect with the STEM Lab in the Junior School. Through our STEM Program, the children have been able to extend on their classroom learning by experiencing a range of connected STEM experiences in the Lab and access STEM-specific equipment and resources. The children have begun exploring simple coding using the Bee-bots and have been learning about electrical circuits. They also engage in STEM experiences that enable them to explore the concepts of virtual reality, construction/ engineering, sustainability and more. Learning in STEM occurs every day through the children’s observations, explorations, investigations, experimentations, and play. The children are naturally curious and amazed by the discoveries they make. This sparks a genuine love for learning.

Ms Sarah Bethune Head of Early Learning Centre

“All the world is a laboratory to the inquiring mind.”