Kindergarden
The holistic approach represents a unique component underlying the pedagogical structure at preschool level.
Education is not regarded as a unique, a priori path that a child must follow, but as an oasis for the emergence of the desire to find out, to learn, to explore the self and others.
The emphasis lies on cooperation rather than competition, on transdisciplinarity and pluralism / interdisciplinarity rather than the fragmentation of knowledge, on respect for the environment gained through in-depth study and direct interaction.
Learning does not represent a basic reaction to certain stimuli; instead, it is a process of integration, "the adventure of getting to know things" in which children are challenged to participate, encountering problems and instances meant to be analyzed and examined in order for plausible solutions to be found.
Within the framework of preschool education, experiential learning transcends the boundaries between disciplines and materializes in the socio-emotional, psychomotor, linguistic and cognitive fields.
The process of learning accommodates large, varied topics which are anchored horizontally (process-wise) as well as vertically (knowledge-wise).
Topics such as "Who Am I?", "Me and My Family" (ranging from the nuclear to the extended family), "My House" (with a transition to other types of housing, from traditional types to housing alternatives in Africa and the polar regions), “The Planets” aim to probe immediate or more distant realities through mathematics, arts (modeling, painting, origami, drama, film, etc.), literature, science and many other fields.
Outdoor games and "studying the environment" are crucial elements of the time spent in kindergarten.
In the course of engaging with different topics, children improve motor skills and develop spatial vision by building three-dimensional models and cooking frequently, as well as by interacting with different ingredients and following recipes.
Each topic materializes into a project which usually involves micro-research tasks or the systematic investigation of a topic that children find interesting.
Project-based learning involves the collecting of information, its processing and synthesis, personal interpretation and reflection, as well as cooperation in carrying out tasks.
