Tiny Educational Institute
School No. 106 in Astana, Kazakhstan, has announced the launch of its "Little School" program, designed to prepare children for their first grade experience. The program, which commenced on September 2, 2024, aims to foster cognitive, social, emotional, and motor development in young learners.
The "Little School" program focuses on developing basic literacy and numeracy skills, problem-solving abilities, and teaching children to read, write, and count. In addition, the program emphasizes the importance of social skills, such as respectful interactions with peers and adults, sharing, cooperation, and following classroom rules.
Emotional development is also a key component of the program, with a focus on building self-regulation, confidence, and adapting to new environments. Motor skills are developed through play and activities, with a focus on improving fine motor skills (like holding pencils and cutting) and gross motor skills (like running and jumping).
This year, six groups will be formed for pre-school preparation, with two groups receiving instruction in the state language and two groups receiving instruction in Russian. A total of 150 children have applied for pre-school preparation, while 570 children have applied for first grade.
Gulsum Elmambetova, a specialist in pre-school preparation at School No. 106, states that the program helps children adapt to school, learn patience, communicate with teachers and classmates, and make new friends. The program also encourages parents to share their children's impressions of the school during lessons.
Safety measures at School No. 106 include separate entrances for each grade, multiple sports halls, changing rooms for boys and girls, a separate coaches' office, and constant surveillance by cameras. Between lessons, children have breaks for rest, socialization, and play. Classes are held every day with three 20-minute lessons starting at 9 am and ending by 11 am.
School No. 106 is built according to a comfortable project, ensuring quality learning conditions for the students. The school building is divided into three blocks, each with its own entrance. The "Little School" is located in a separate block.
The school provides tours for children, showing them the path to the classroom, dining hall, library, auditorium, and other necessary spaces. School No. 106 is also designed to provide equal conditions for inclusive children, with special classrooms available during school hours.
Around 3,000 children are expected to start first grade in Astana this year. The grandmother of two children attending School No. 106 shares that her granddaughters like the lessons and find the game-based method enjoyable.
For exact details about the unique approaches or skill sets emphasized in the "Little School" program at School No. 106, further specific information or direct sources from the school or local educational authorities would be required. However, it is clear that School No. 106 is committed to providing a nurturing and supportive environment for young learners as they prepare for their future in formal education.
As part of the "Little School" program, the online education platform is being introduced to supplement the traditional learning methods, providing additional resources for the children's education-and-self-development. Parents are encouraged to utilize this online-education in conjunction with the regular lessons to enhance their child's learning experience.
In the "Little School" program, apart from focusing on basic literacy and numeracy skills, the school emphasizes the need for interactive learning by combining classes with play and engaging activities, fostering not just knowledge gain, but also social, emotional, and motor development in young learners.
