Toddler Class 1.5 - 3 “Green Pearls”
We created this space for children from one and a half to three years (it is called the Toddler class). A cozy and bright class is designed to remind the children their home. Furniture, objects and all things are small in size, which makes it possible for our toddlers to successfully use them and feel confident.
The main tasks that a child under the age of three years realizes are:
- the study of native speech;
- mastery of various movements and knowledge of the capabilities of your body;
- acquisition of self-reliance skills.
All our cooperation with children is directed to help in this development. In daily communication, we follow the principles of Montessori pedagogy, the main of which reads: “Help me do it myself!” All adults of our class have knowledge about the course of the child’s natural development, important age needs and are ready to help children in their self-development, without advancing or urging events.
Why Green Pearls? We believe that pearls, like nothing else in nature, grow very stubbornly from the smallest grains of sand, build and shape themselves according to a unique plan, to become an amazing creature, unlike any other pearl in the world, like every child!
Developing environment
What do we put in this concept? The environment is all that surrounds the child - objects, adults and other children, indoors and outdoors, not only the physical space, but also the psychological atmosphere. Here is such a deep and comprehensive definition! All aspects of the environment are equally important, each contribution to the development of the child cannot be overestimated. As for adults, these are trained teachers and teacher assistants who have been trained in special courses. They adhere to the humanistic concept in education, the main position of which is to protect the dignity of the personality of children, recognition of their rights to natural development and the free manifestation of their abilities. They recognize the child’s innate desire for independence (autonomy) and, at the same time, the need for children to be accepted and supported by adults. Teachers build open and trusting relationships with children and purposefully form a culture of friendly and friendly relations between children, children and adults. Teachers recede into the background, supporting their initiative in children, cognitive and creative activity in collaboration with a specially prepared development environment. The tasks of the teacher are to create a specially prepared environment, organize the free work of children in this environment, and study the course of their life in the classroom. There are adults in the environment of the child who communicate in Latvian, Russian and English, which allows children at this age to freely understand and communicate in these languages from an early age. And our class consists of different aged children. Its benefit lies in the fact that each child has the opportunity to care for the younger, to live a period of leadership, to be in the role of the eldest child or younger. This is a very important experience for the rest of your life! We divide our environment into zones, which is customary to do in everyday life. So it’s easier for children to navigate, and for adults it’s easier to build regimen moments.
We have zones:
1) physical activity (both indoors and outdoors);
2) dressing up and personal care;
3) cooking and eating;
4) room care or practical life exercises;
5) speech development;
6) creativity;
7) hand-eye coordination exercises;
8) music;
9) rest / sleep.
Our class is lovingly filled with very beautiful, attractive, elegant materials. They are selected taking into account the growth and capabilities of children. By their appearance, they urge to work with them, to interact, to get active experience. In the environment there are materials for classes that satisfy a variety of age requirements. Therefore, all children find something for themselves in their interests. They can work individually or in a company.
There are rules in our small community. There are few of them, but they are strictly carried out by all members of the team, which maintains in our midst a spirit of respect, mutual cooperation and freedom within the established boundaries:
1. Respect yourself!
2. Respect the other!
3. Respect the environment or space!