Rediscover preschool: the foundation of good education

PROGRAMME SUMMARY

An essential course for all those who are working with preschool children (1-6 years) as well as to all those wishing to refresh/enhance their knowledge. The course covers a variety of topics which are useful for successfully working with preschool children. Moreover, the course deals with effective training practices and procedures and emphasizes on the importance of preschool education. It is ideal not only for those who want to improve their training skills but also those wishing to know the essentials of preschool education in Slovenia and other European countries.

OBJECTIVES

In today’s demanding and challenging working environment, it is vital that professionals involved in preschool education have the rights skills and attributes and be capable to understand, at an early stage, the needs and requirements of their children and parents. This course equips the participants with in depth knowledge of the preschool education as well as with the different skills and ideas for working with preschoolers. It is ideal for those responsible with the drafting of a preschool programme as well as for all those actually working with kids in their organization or institution. Preschool is a fundation course will provide also valuable knowledge and tools to preschool teachers involved in any type of formal and non-formal education, since part of the training is dedicated on visiting the kindergardens in Celje. Finally, the course will benefit the participants’ organisations since the attendees will gain valuable knowledge on different ideas and good practice.

Benefits of Preschool is a fundation to participants:

Enhance the skills and improve the knowledge of preschool education
Enhance skills and competences in structuring and delivering a preschool education
Exchange the good practice between participants
Benefits to participant‘s organisation

Improve human capital through enhancement of staff competency levels
Train new and existing staff and build helpful relationships with and among colleagues
Enhance the image by improving skills related to public speaking and exposure to any type of audience

DAY-BY-DAY PROGRAMME

DAY 1
Introductory meeting, explanation of practical arrangements, presentation of timetable, information about course venue.

Early childhood is the most important period for brain development. The course introduces the latest findings from cognitive science applicable for everyday work in a kindergarten. The workshop will show how all the five main developmental areas are interrelated: cognitive development, social and emotional development, speech and language, fine motor skill, gross motor skill. A modern lifestyle with a strong exposure to technology and excessive adult's control over child's activities often hinders child's physical activity. We will show how motor development plays an important role in cognitive development of a child. Participants will get the knowledge how learning disorders and attention deficit can actually occur because of inadequate motor development. All the knowledge for an appropriate motor development already exists for centuries, we just need to reinvent it and allow children to have a childhood.
Fieldwork: observation of children at play.

Cultural evening.

DAY 2
Reflection upon the observation of children at play. Team discussion about changes of the current preschool teaching practice.
Game-based learning and intrinsic motivation, language development and socio-emotional learning activities in action. Participants will experience fun and simple activities for different ages from 1 to 6, which will inspire preschool teacher's creative thinking to develop their own activities or find existing activities with a new awareness about brain development.

DAY 3
Fieldwork: session on science for children. Participants will visit a class on science topic. After the class they will discuss the methodology and experience different activities for children from age 1 to 6 to introduce science subjects. Reflection upon the fieldwork and transfer of knowledge to the participants' practice.

Excursion.

DAY 4
More science for children: building a self-esteem of preschool teachers for science subjects. Low cost, simple and fun experiments, which we can use in kindergartens to inspire children's curiosity. Communication about science with children from age 1 to 6.

DAY 5
Social sciences and humanities for children at age from 1 to 6. A series of hands-on activities to explore the world around children: different people, different cultures, places, heritage etc. At first, participants will experience and discuss pre-given activities. In continuation, a structured session to exchange best practice will follow.

DAY 6
Key learning points.
Planning follow up activities, dissemination and implementation of learning outcomes.
Discussing possibilities for future cooperation among participants.
​Evaluation, feedback, conclusion, farewell.

* Some changes in the programme are possible. The participants will receive the Informational Booklet a few weeks prior to the start of the course. ​