Message from the Principal of Pre School and Lower School

At Mission Hills International School we believe that young children have a right to joyful experiences full of awe and wonder. As naturally curious beings, once inspired by outstanding teachers, innovative resources and informed pedagogical approaches, our Pre School students will begin to ask questions and explore answers. This is when the fun really begins - with students working and playing together, investigating possibilities and forging their own understandings through intrinsically motivated engagement.

Play is what children do best. This is not an activity that takes place alongside their learning, or in between their learning. Play IS their learning. When playing, children begin with what they know and can do and use this as the foundation for expanding their skills and taking risks, leading them on to further learning and deepened self-awareness. Skillful teachers play and learn alongside children asking them questions such as "I wonder what would happen if...?" to extend their thinking, encouraging inquiring minds and supporting children in reflecting on their experiences, their successes, their near misses. Play breeds excitement, success and challenge in equal measure.

'Can you recall a positive learning experience from your childhood?'

Recently I was working with a group of adults in an educational context and we were asked this question. As we went round the room and shared our memories, it became clear from our feedback that all of our experiences had two things in common:

Firstly, they were all centered around meaningful play - we had no positive memories of worksheets or textbooks but we did of imaginative story-telling, of artistic creations, of exploring the outside world.

Secondly, they were collaborative in some way - we recalled our learning when it was alongside a parent, a teacher, a friend.

As adults, we are role models for our children in all that we do. At MHIS we believe passionately in strong partnerships between home, school and the child. We are excited to meet you, to get to know you, to foster a love of learning in your child together and to build relationships that will strengthen our understanding of your child's personality, talents and future. Through open and respectful communication, we feel certain that our growing community of learners will flourish.

Approaching learning in a holistic way allows us to develop all areas of the child. Our program is comprised of Inquiry Units driven by Big Ideas. Within each unit we provide rich opportunities for children to build personal and social skills, dual languages, mathematics, science and technology skills, artistic abilities and physical aptitudes. Our physical development program, makes the most of our unique Mission Hills location and resources, drawing on expertise from the golf and skating coaches to provide specialized experiences in world class facilities. By creating a balanced approach to education for our youngest students, we set them up for success. We believe in promoting excellence in all its forms, so starting young can never be a disadvantage when the focus in on enjoyment and participation.

Sincerely,

Anna Packman
Principal of Pre School and Lower School