Virtual learning in an Early Childhood program is focused on supporting families to integrate learning concepts into their home environment and continuing the students’ excitement for learning.
When preschoolers are learning from home, the majority of their daily interactions and learning opportunities take place within the family. To best support families, we hold bi-weekly individual meetings to discuss challenges, successes, and questions about the student and how they are doing at home academically, physically, socially, and emotionally.
Additionally, all activities have a “For Parents” section, where we explain pedagogy, learning goals, supports, and challenges, and how the activity promotes the overall growth of the child. Along with supporting families, virtual learning for our younger learners is about keeping our students feeling confident in themselves, excited about learning and connected to their classroom community. We encourage students to work at their own pace, offer activities that utilize a variety of learning styles, and make modifications to assignments whenever needed.
Each day we hold a Morning and Afternoon Meeting where we participate in components of our daily classroom routine, as well as share our feelings, ideas, and work. During these meetings learning concepts are introduced, and then students have the opportunity to complete assignments where they engage with these ideas. Activities are offered that are both focused, which allow the students to practice skills and demonstrate their competency in a certain area, and open-ended, where students can express their learning through open-ended, inquiry-driven, and creative activities. All the activities are self-paced, and the teacher replies with voice comments on the students’ work.
Ms. Shannon, Preschool Teacher
