We are proud that schools in 90+ countries across the world follow our International Curriculum, and our global reach is constantly expanding. Grace Christian Montessori School is the latest school preparing to implement our International Early Years Curriculum (IEYC) from this September, which will excitingly make it the first school in Canada to offer the International Curriculum! We spoke with Head of School, Dr. Ivy Fung, about why she chose the IEYC and what the change will mean for her school.
Tell us about your journey as an ICA educator.
I first started implementing the IEYC in Hong Kong back in 2018. I’d established a kindergarten to cater for international families, so we needed a globally-focused curriculum to suit everybody’s needs. I was also passionate about encouraging curiosity in education, which wasn’t often a priority in Hong Kong at that time. The fact that the IEYC includes play-based learning means it really encourages curiosity as it gives children the opportunity to explore within a structured environment. I was surprised there wasn’t already an ICA school here in Canada, and I’m excited to be implementing it here as well!
How did your staff respond to the change?
There was a bit of apprehension because some of our staff have limited knowledge of the IEYC. But, they’re good teachers, and they came around to it once they’d read some of the materials and knew more about what it was. Some teachers were worried that the move to the IEYC would mean abandoning the Montessori method - the foundation of our school and what our teachers are trained in - but I told them we can implement an IEYC curriculum with the Montessori method.
What are the key benefits of the IEYC?
I think the biggest benefits are that it has a global focus while enabling learners to remain connected to their roots, and that it’s play-based. At Grace Christian Montessori School, we’re planning to offer the curriculum in multiple languages, which really taps into that global element. I also found in Hong Kong that it was great preparation for primary school; entry into primary school can be very competitive there, and the IEYC curriculum links up very nicely with what children learn once they start school. I think parents here in Canada will also appreciate the boost it gives their children in those first stages of learning.
How have you been working with your staff to make sure that they’re ready for the September launch?
Our teachers are undergoing the ICA Getting Started and Level 1 course to get to know the curriculum and how best to implement it. We’ve been given plenty of materials to work with – our staff were amazed by how thorough and robust the materials are! This means that we can pick and choose which activities will work the best for our students. The most important thing is that we work together and see what we can help the children to achieve. We really can’t wait to welcome our first IEYC learners to the school in September!
