Kiddipedia published a comprehensive article about the importance of play with a mention to Maple Bear and how we embed this important activity in our education model.

The full article can be read here.

The post Maple Bear & Kiddipedia: The importance of play during lockdown first appeared on Maple Bear Australia.

The post Maple Bear & Kiddipedia: The importance of play during lockdown appeared first on Maple Bear Australia.

The options can be endless depending on the country you live in.  And being able to distinguish what makes one school different from another can be a very challenging task. Especially for parents who want to look beyond glossy brochures, fancy classrooms and who want to make an informed decision.

Our Vice President of Academic, Lenna Glade, spent some time analyzing and comparing the Maple Bear curriculum with what other schools around the world are offering.  She shared what she discovered with our Maple Bear Brazil owners at their convention last month in Campinas, Brazil, and we want to share her insights with our readers.

STRATEGIC: OUR CURRICULUM PREPARES OUR STUDENTS FOR THE REAL WORLD

The first major difference is how strategic we are as it relates to the curriculum we provide.  We develop our learning strategies around student interests because we know that when learning is relevant and meaningful, it is strongly retained.

How does Maple Bear do this?

We incorporate real life activities and situations into the learning methods.  At the nursery level, simple experiments with what sinks or floats to project-based learning at higher grade levels combine collaboration and creativity into their learning.

In Maple Bear schools, we teach children not just how to think, but how to think creatively.  In art, we give them the freedom to express themselves.  We have a new Computational Thinking program that teaches a process that can be used for coding and for problem solving.   Our science curriculum helps children develop what is known as “design thinking” which is a logical approach of proposing, creating, and testing prototypes, products and techniques in an attempt to reach a solution to a given problem.

Another strong element of the Maple Bear curriculum is through community involvement. We incorporate mentoring, volunteering and project work that contribute to the students’ community and help to make it a better place. In one example, students led a clean-up program for the parks in their neighborhood.  Ways to hone in on leadership skills and build the character of the students are embedded into our lesson planning.

Maple Bear also has an active global curriculum committee that makes sure we are implementing the latest best practices and are updating our curriculum based on the most current research.

AN OUTSTANDING TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM

The second reason Maple Bear stands out is due to our outstanding training program that brings expertise into the schools so that our strategies can be implemented successfully.  We know that for many new teachers our curriculum can be a change in direction. Our trainers help the teachers to understand the philosophy and to manage the implementation of our curriculum. Maple Bear Global Schools offers consistent, continuous, positive support for the teachers, owners, and administrators both through in-school training and through workshops.  There really is no other training program like it in the marketplace.

MAPLE BEAR MEETS THE EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS IN 17 COUNTRIES

Finally, Canadians are known around the world to be a respectful, friendly, kind and compassionate people.  At Maple Bear, we imbue these values by making sure our students have the best of the education offered in their own country as well as the best of our Canadian curriculum.  It is very important to Maple Bear that we respect the culture and education system of the country and we adapt to them accordingly.  It allows our students to seamlessly transition into their own local school if they need to.

Maple Bear schools prepare students to accept challenges of the future, to be creative problem solvers, and innovative thinkers through strategies that have relevance, purpose and meaning.  We prepare our teachers to effectively implement these strategies, and we do it in a way that will allow students to be successful in their own culture, in their own country and also that will give them access to a world of opportunities.

The differences are evident when you step into our schools. Maple Bear is truly unique.

The post What Makes Maple Bear Unique first appeared on Maple Bear Australia.

The post What Makes Maple Bear Unique appeared first on Maple Bear Australia.

WHAT IS PLAY-BASED LEARNING?

Any activity or experience can be considered play-based learning, as long as:

• It is motivating and no expectation of a reward
• There’s an opportunity to self-direct and make choices
• It is creative or has an imaginative component
• There is full engagement from the child – both physically and mentally
• There’s an opportunity to repeat and practice again
• And… it is enjoyable!

PLAY-BASED LEARNING AT SCHOOL CALLED LEARNING CENTRES

One of the ways that Maple Bear incorporates play with learning is through what is known as “learning centres”.

This is an area in the classroom that is dedicated to an activity for a small group, typically 4 students.

They are designed to provide opportunities for students to explore, discover and apply skills that are derived from the curriculum.

They promote critical, creative thinking, and collaborative skills and allow the children to work in groups with and without teacher assistance.

Here’s an example of what a Maple Bear learning centre activity looks like:

The teacher introduces each activity to make sure that the students know what is expected of them. Every group rotates through all of the learning centre activities.

TEACHERS ASSIST AND OBSERVE

Learning centres allow the teacher to work with a small group and observe how each student is doing, both socially and academically.

Even though there is lots of preparation required of the teachers, centres are an excellent learning format because they encourage responsibility and independence that will prepare the young children for elementary.

And most importantly, the students have fun while learning.

The post Playing is Learning first appeared on Maple Bear Australia.

The post Playing is Learning appeared first on Maple Bear Australia.

Canada is also widely known as a country that continues to rank highly in Overall Best Countries to live and in Quality of Life (Survey conducted by US News and World Report, BAV Group and Wharton School of Business).

So, what makes Maple Bear Canadian?

Maple Bear is a reflection of the best of Canada AND Canadian education.

BILINGUALISM IS A CORNERSTONE OF CANADIAN LIFE

Bilingualism is a major cornerstone of Canadian life. The ability to communicate in both official languages is a compelling part of being a Canadian.

Since 1969, Canada has 2 official languages – English and French. For the last 50 years, Canada has developed a successful bilingual education program. With this experience, we are now seen as global leaders in bilingual education.

At Maple Bear, students study all academic subjects in either their native language or English, depending on the grade level. In addition, students begin learning English in pre-school using a student-focused English immersion learning system based on the Canadian educational pedagogy and best practices.

MAPLE BEAR EMBRACES MULTICULTURALISM IN OUR CLASSROOMS AND THROUGH OUR GLOBAL PRESENCE

The term multiculturalism was born in Canada. In 1971, Canada officially became a multicultural society.

Multiculturalism is an important Canadian value because it benefits everyone. Canadians recognize that a diverse population of races, ethnic groups, languages and religions raises the level of respect and understanding within a society.

The thread of multiculturalism is also woven into the fabric of the Maple Bear curriculum. We encourage diverse perspectives and viewpoints in our teaching methods through collaboration and cooperation for preschool, elementary and high-school aged students.

There is no other educational brand that has the same scope of international presence as we do. We are proud of the fact that we have schools in over 20 countries around the world and make sure that diverse perspectives and cultures are appreciated, respected and celebrated in the classroom.

SOCIAL CONSCIENCE AND COLLABORATION

When he speaks to parents he meets around the world, Maple Bear co-founder Rodney Briggs constantly stresses this message: “We are not trying to turn your children into Canadians,” he says.

“We want them to become the best citizens of their own countries first and foremost. And that means learning to give back.”

A Maple Bear education instills the best of Canadian values—empathy and humility—which have helped make Canada and its citizens so welcoming of immigrants (we currently outpace the United States among other G-7 countries) and active members of multilateral organizations. Terry Fox runs for cancer research and local environmental initiatives are just two ways that Maple Bear students develop a social conscience.

Collaboration is another key Canadian value which Maple Bear’s business model has embraced for maximum social impact in the countries in which we operate. Maple Bear invests in a joint venture partnership wherever we operate to ensure—in the Canadian way—we can work together with local educators to align our curricula to meet national standards and regulations.

YOU WILL FIND THE BEST OF CANADA IN MAPLE BEAR

Our schools truly offer a unique blend of all the things that make Canada great. We have worked hard at taking the best of Canada and sharing these strengths through a relevant, effective and applicable education system suitable for any child around the world.

Maple Bear is the best of Canadian education for a global future.

The post What Makes Maple Bear Canadian? first appeared on Maple Bear Australia.

The post What Makes Maple Bear Canadian? appeared first on Maple Bear Australia.