Environment as the Third Teacher

The squirrel on the tree moves swiftly across the branches, suddenly water starts falling from the sky, the leaves become wet, a puddle of water is formed. As I watch the drops rippling the water, one, two, three, four …, I realise it is getting dark and I have to go home.

A curious child is a great learner and all children are naturally curious. Little Aryans Pre- K has 6 centres that cater to the young minds of 2 – 6-year-olds focuses more on the innate curiosity of the child. We do not aim to mould the child, we do not aim to change the basic nature of a child, but we do aim to see that they reach the best of their capabilities. In order to achieve this, we create a ‘home-away-from-home’ environment where children feel safe and capable, are confident of their bodies and where the little explorers can satiate their need for learning. Providing for emotional, social and physical safety is of topmost priority at Little Aryans Pre-K. Apart from the statutory and mandatory checks like CCTV and regular audits, we sensitize all our staff through on-going training programs on a regular basis and evaluate risk management strategies.

Each Little Aryan centre is a colourful, well-ventilated, ISO – 9001:2015 space where children move around freely. Children’s decision-making ability is kindled when they decide on the equipment or activity they choose to manipulate at a given time.  Therefore, many manipulatives and toys are kept within the children’s reach. This kind of self-learning is quite apparent in our centre-based learning programs such as a Mathematics – Lab, Language – Lab and Science – Lab. Tables, chairs, boards, displays, wash basins and all essentials are at the eye-level of children making it a world especially created for them. This is how Little Aryans optimises infrastructure to make environment ‘The third teacher’.

At Little Aryans Pre-K, special attention is given to the wall displays. Charts, Children’s Art works, Teaching Aids are prominently displayed so as to give boost to the unconscious learning that takes place constantly. Little Aryans incorporates a lot of “Reggio Emilia” inspired teaching methodology. Display of children’s artwork and craft is a direct offshoot of this method.

Closeness to nature and its implications on us is something that Little Aryans strongly tries to imbibe in its young minds. Encouraging the need to understand nature, to love nature and be in awe of nature is an everyday activity at Little Aryans. Children at all LA centres try to experience nature through all their senses. A recent activity called “My Perfume Garden” allowed children to experience nature closely. An outdoor space was created with different seeds, flowers, oils, leaves, plants, stones etc. Children visited each booth to touch the seeds, feel the leaves, smell the flowers and the oils and played with mud and built clay models – it tingled all their senses. They also learnt associations between different seeds, flowers, oils, plants etc. All this gently broadened their world view and helped make associations between food, soil and plants.

Little Aryans” prepare children for Life Skills and school readiness. Smt. Neelam Malik, Founder Director and Principal of AryaGlobal Group of schools states “Children are innate scientists and they learn best while bonding with nature where they grow in a loving and safe environment.” When the mission is to create a foundation for life and the vision being joyful years of blooming and learning in a stimulating environment, Little Aryans Pre-K is the place where a young child would want to be, eventually leading to a “Happy Child, Happy Nation”.