Kids U ready for Strathmore kids

Justin Seward
Times Reporter

 

A collaboration between Sagewood Senior Community and a distinct Calgary-based daycare Kids U, is providing Strathmore’s youngest with a chance to participate in brain-based learning through new approaches and with the help of seniors.
The program, which launched over a month ago, encourages children aged 19 months to six years to learn activities through specific teachings focused on the development of the left side of the brain and right side.
The pre-school program incorporates the methods of Maria Montessori and Reggio Emilia. The Montessori method explores the left side of the brain where the child is set up with freedom within limits, carefully prepared environment that provides exposure to materials and experiences. The Reggio Emilia method is about teaching the child about their senses and learning through their interests.
The Strathmore classroom is still in its early stages, but is gaining feedback from parents and the community.
“We find through our communication with parents, they are very interested in our programming,” said Jasdeep Sidhu, program supervisor. “However I find they don’t know much about it. They don’t have that knowledge aspect to it, where as I feel they aren’t very communicative asking us these questions. They don’t really approach us in that way. We want them to know that we are here wanting to work with their children to develop those executive functions and prepare them for their later school years.”
“It’s kind of based on the child’s interest,” said Jenna Mehlhaff, the right brain teacher. “And that’s what the planning base surrounds. We do long-term projects like we’re doing a fall/autumn theme right now. We go on nature walks and go and collect pieces of nature and put them into the classroom and explore all our different senses and a lot of Reggio Emilia’s about the different senses.”
All this revolved around teaching the children about the ‘100 languages of the children,’ which means learning through writing, movement, and open-ended activities as well as a focus on the community and parenting too.
“You do a lot of documenting and observations and that’s where you start you’re planning from,” said Mehlhaff. “You’re just the assistant in their learning. You’re asking them what they want to learn about and what they know about things and what they want to learn and so you go based off that.”
The Maria Montessori method involves the teacher having a readily appropriate environment for the children and for them to have access to materials such as books and other education related materials.
“All the materials are organized into different sections and on the shelf,” said Becca Zajic, left-brain teacher. “So the children at free will can go and get an item off the shelf. They can put it down, they can work with it, admire it, experience it. It’s very much work-based learning like we have practical life in the classroom. Everything is like having a kitchen, learning how to do the dishes or sweeping up.”
Sagewood Seniors Community general manager Michelle Pham has been excited about what Kids U would be able to offer to Age Care through a reading program
“They love it,” said Pham. “Anytime the residents have an opportunity to spend time with the kids, they really love that interaction. Anytime they see children it’s really uplifting for them.”
Pham mentioned that the program’s focus is to provide a better way of life.
For more information on the programs and for registration, go to their website www.kidsu.ca.