The Goddard Schools share the power of playful learning with community
Throughout 2011, bullying has been on the rise at all levels of education. In an effort to combat this growing problem, the nation’s leading preschool, The Goddard School®, is reaching out with a renewed vigor to help families discover the benefits of playful learning in early childhood education and how it can help prevent bullying. With their proprietary FLEX™ Learning Program, designed to build children’s self-confidence through play, The Goddard School hopes to break the cycle of bullying and halt a national trend.
According to Dr. Kyle Pruett, child psychiatrist, published author and advisor to The Goddard School, the success and enjoyment that preschool children experience through playful learning contributes to the development of self-confidence. Confidence, along with strong parenting and learning to interact in a social group, are important factors in helping children manage bullying.
“Confidence comes from competence, and there’s no better way for a child to discover competence than through play-based learning,” said Pruett. “When children learn through play, they become independent thinkers capable of solving problems themselves instead of seeking help from parents or teachers. That’s a huge self-confidence booster.”
“The children in our schools are the leaders of tomorrow,” added Sue Adair, Director of Education at Goddard Systems, Inc., parent company of The Goddard School. “Our teachers nurture each child’s self-confidence and foster their lifelong love of learning by incorporating teacher-planned and child-directed learning activities into each day. When children enjoy learning, they gain not only knowledge of the task or concept but a sense of personal accomplishment that prepares them for a successful journey through life.”
“Goddard Schools across the nation are hosting the Goddard Community Games on February 11, and all of the families are invited,” added Adair. “There will be a variety of activities for children and their parents, and the focus will be on learning about playing well with others and accepting each other’s differences.”
Visit The Goddard School online at www.goddardschool.com/games.
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