OUR PRE-K PROGRAM AT ISB

By: Honey Tondre, Elementary Vice-Principal: Early Childhood Specialist

There is so much to celebrate with the expansive growth of our Pre-K program over the last two years at the International School of Bangkok! The Pre-K program now comprises seven classes of Pre-K1 and Pre-K2, and serves 115 three and four year olds. The seven classrooms surround our newly transformed Centre for the Expressive Languages.

To support the growth of the Pre-K program, Honey Tondre was appointed as ES Vice Principal: Early Childhood Specialist, a new role for ISB. Also new to the Pre-K team this year are: Brian Dominick in Pre-K2, Alina Suwannakoot in Pre-K1, and Sarah Bailey, EC Atelierista, also in a new role for ISB.

Since August, the Pre-K team has been hard at work to better understand the changing context of our growing program and to articulate the shared beliefs, curriculum, and practices that meet the needs of the community. Our Pre-K program is inspired by the Reggio Emilia educational approach, which believes that children are endowed with “a hundred languages” through which they can express their ideas. The expressive languages are another term within the 100 languages that refer more specifically to the artistic and poetic languages that children use to express themselves. The expressive languages include mediums and materials such as paint, clay, singing, dance, mark making, dramatic play, wire and mixed media. The Centre for Expressive Languages provides children with rich experiences in the expressive languages.

Our EC Atelierista, Ms. Sarah, supports the integration of the expressive languages in homeroom classrooms and in the Centre for the Expressive Languages. An Atelierista is an individual with a background in both education and the creative arts. The role of an Atelierista is original and unique to Reggio Emilia and Reggio-inspired programs. An Atelierista understands the potential of a variety of media and materials and also brings their own unique artistic background with them. Ms. Sarah has a background in dance and is a self-taught visual artist. She works with all students and teachers to develop an understanding of how to use the expressive languages and communicate through them.

The Pre-K piazza is now transformed into the Centre for the Expressive Languages. The Centre for the Expressive Languages has become the gathering place for our Pre-K community where we learn about and engage with the expressive languages ,and celebrate students through the expressive languages.

During our end of semester Celebration of Learning, the Centre for Expressive Languages was buzzing with our youngest panthers, their parents, and teachers engaged in whole group music and movement activities led by Sarah Bailey before heading into classrooms to take a shared look at portfolios. As a result of the expressive languages, all students had so much to share with their families. We are so excited to be together again!