From the start of their life, human beings look for proximity and express a great need to build relationships. In early childhood, this need is catered to by parents. With time, the network connecting us with others broadens. New links appear friends from preschool, playfellows from the playground, new buddies. From then on, personal ties are not only used to build a comfort zone and security but also to provide the joy that comes from working, playing and sharing feelings. They become a catalyst for intellectual and emotional development.
To a large extent, success in learning English is determined by relationships in class. Good vibes improve engagement and concentration. Sharing emotions related to being in class together unites the group and teaches students that they can rely on one another.
The teacher, as a guide, puts the children’s capabilities and their needs in first place. He or she listens to their questions and clarifies their doubts and through this earns respect and trust of the group. The role of the teacher is primarily to support and only secondly to assess. Owing to good rapport with the children and, with their ensuing sense of security, he or she nurtures their natural curiosity about the world and their inner motivation for development.
Children like to be taken seriously as it consolidates their self-esteem. This elementary principle is something we adhere to during every single class. We believe we can count on our students and we send that message to them explicitly. With this kind of approach, children grow more responsible and self-reliant.
In Early Stage, we stand for the conscious participation of parents in the education of their children. We look on them as good companions who support student involvement, and if any issues emerge, we inform parents about them as needed. We organise special workshops on that topic. Throughout the whole course, we take particular care to keep in touch with parents and to maintain openness in teacher-parent relationships.