Understanding the Primrose Balanced Learning Approach

Children start learning from the moment they are born, and research shows that the first five years of a child’s life hold the most potential for development. That’s a lot of pressure for parents! So, what is the best way to make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for learning?

We know every child and family is different – there is no one-size-fits-all approach to teaching and learning. At Primrose® , our approach is all about balance: balance between purposeful play and guidance from teachers, balance between traditional early education methods and the latest research, and balance between different developmental areas.

The Primrose-exclusive approach, called Balanced Learning® , is created from the best early education wisdom and balances purposeful play with nurturing guidance from teachers to encourage curiosity, creativity, confidence and compassion. It is designed to meet the developmental needs of young children. For example, the Primrose Venture Program is designed specifically for children ages 3 to 5 years old who attend the Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten. Experiences in these classrooms focus on building children’s confidence and independence so they feel comfortable venturing out, exploring on their own and asking questions – all of which help them develop of a love of learning they take with them into elementary school and beyond.

Below is a deeper look at how each characteristic of the Balanced Learning approach comes to life in Venture Program classrooms.

• Created from the best early education wisdom. Primrose pulled the best principles from well-known methods and theories, such as those of Montessori, Piaget and Vygotsky, and blended those with wisdom from today’s leading experts in early education.

• Balances purposeful play with nurturing guidance from teachers. The Balanced Learning approach balances play with guidance and instruction from teachers, which maximizes each child's opportunity to learn, make choices and become independent, no matter his or her learning style. In Venture Program classrooms, children explore new concepts in large and small group settings. They also engage in independent exploration and learning experiences of their choice each day.

• Encourages curiosity, creativity, confidence and compassion. Intellectual, creative, physical and social-emotional skills are embedded in children’s daily experiences, not exercised once a week or if the teacher has time. Children in Venture Program classrooms learn and practice concepts in language and literacy; science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM); social studies; music; physical development and health; and compassion, kindness and life skills continuously throughout the day.

The Balanced Learning approach is integrated, meaning skills and concepts are reinforced through different, yet connected experiences. For example, a learning theme might be living things. When the children go outside to play, they will observe the grass, trees, insects and birds. Then they may explore the different stages of a plant’s life cycle at the free-choice Science Center, read a book about living things with the teacher, and write a story or paint a picture based on living things. Themes, skills and concepts are explored for multiple weeks so that children can explore each topic in a variety of ways. As a result, learning comes naturally and is so much fun.

At Primrose, we believe who children become is just as important as what they know. Character development and life skills are also key components of the Balanced Learning approach.

Traits such as honesty, cooperation, generosity and empathy are nurtured in Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten students on a daily basis. With the help of the Primrose Friends puppets, teachers model and teach these important character traits and skills through books, discussions, art projects, puppet play, games and role playing.

The Balanced Learning approach is more than a curriculum. Daily classroom experiences; classroom equipment, materials, books and toys; training; assessment and school-home connection resources are all intentionally aligned to engage children in developmentally-appropriate learning. On the surface children simply have fun and engage in purposeful play, but underneath is a comprehensive and integrated approach that provides an unparalleled early learning experience.

To learn about Primrose School of Ashburn, visit www.PrimroseAshburn.com (for the Ashburn North Campus) or www.PrimroseBroadlands.com (for the Broadlands Campus) or call 703-724-9050. For more helpful parenting tips and information, visit our blog at www.PrimroseSchools.com/blog and sign up for the Pointers for Parents newsletter.