HFCA's Preschool Fosters Global Awareness Through Play

A visit to Holy Family Catholic Academy's (HFCA) early childhood classes will definitely make you smile.The casual observer will see children happily playing, but a closer look will show these children are actively learning through play.

Play was once considered unproductive classroom time. Today, leading researchers in psychology and education agree that play is critically important in child development. States HFCA Principal Kate O'Brien, "Play is the language of children. HFCA's play-based curriculum fosters the social and emotional development of the child by encouraging self-control, empathy and verbal communication strategies, but the importance of play does not stop there. Play also contributes to cognitive development. It is the way children make sense of their world."

As a candidate in the International Baccalaureate (IB) World School Primary Years Programme, the Inverness school is intent on expanding their students' world beyond their classroom, beyond their neighborhood, and beyond their country.

The IB framework relies on transdisciplinary themes including Who We Are, How We Express Ourselves, and Sharing Our Planet. HFCA teachers receive IB training and the ability to collaborate with IB practitioners worldwide. States preschool teacher, Kathy deGeus, "HFCA's IB candidacy allows my students to gain a more global perspective. I am excited to use technology to connect my classroom with other IB schools throughout the world."

Global awareness can be witnessed with 3-year-olds examining a colorful map of the world. Mrs. deGeus explains, "Young children are naturally inquisitive. Our play-based curriculum encourages children to explore new ideas through hands-on activities which deepen the child's understanding of the world and create the foundation for lifelong learning."

HFCA is the first school in the Archdiocese of Chicago, the nation's largest private school system, to be accepted as a candidate in the IB World School Primary Years Programme. While the multi-year candidacy phase gives no guarantee of final authorization, all indications show that HFCA is well-suited to succeed at this rigorous challenge.

Explains Kate O'Brien, "As educators, we are preparing students for careers that do not yet exist. While the exact nature of the jobs is unknown, we do know the jobs of the future will require skills to solve problems and be effective members of multinational teams. HFCA's goal is to educate our students to be global citizens prepared for the opportunities and challenges of our interconnected world and this goal begins in preschool."