CIS ECE | Kindergarten PK2 : First Steps to Explore the World with Love

In the Loose Parts exploration class at CIS Kindergarten, the children are sitting together, building cities and gardens using soda bottle caps, paper tubes, building blocks, and more.

Loose Parts is an exploratory teaching approach widely recognized in the international early childhood education community. It emphasizes the use of open-ended materials to spark children's creativity and foster collaboration.

At CIS, such classes allow children to learn naturally through play, expressing themselves and building confidence through hands-on exploration. They carefully place and stack each item, using their little hands to feel shapes and balance. When their creations finally “stand,” the children clap their hands with joy, their faces lighting up with bright smiles.

This is a class led by Ms. Neha from CIS Kindergarten, who also serves as the homeroom teacher of the PK2 class.

With over thirteen years of international teaching experience, she has a background in child psychology and applied behavioral science. She has long been dedicated to the research and practice of early childhood learning and emotional development.

In her eyes, every moment when a child reaches out or tries something new marks the truest beginning of growth.
In this issue, we invite Ms. Neha to take you into the PK2 classroom—an environment filled with love and exploration—where you can witness the children’s moments of learning, discovery, and growth.

The PK2 stage marks a child’s first step into school life. At this stage, what Ms. Neha values most is not academic learning, but the development of a sense of security and the building of trusting relationships.

Children only begin to explore when they feel safe, understood, and accepted. “In PreK2, we focus on creating a safe, warm, and welcoming environment where children feel supported and cared for.”

In Ms. Neha’s classroom, art, music, and sensory activities are woven into daily learning. Through touching, listening, observing, and trying, children express their emotions and feelings, gradually building confidence as they experience being understood.

At CIS, we believe that learning is not only a cognitive process but also an emotional experience. As the school promotes—Caring Community, learning begins with a sense of belonging.

With her background in psychology and behavioral science, Ms. Neha is always keenly attuned to the emotional changes in children.

When a child cries in the morning as they part from their parents, she doesn’t rush to soothe or scold them. Instead, she uses a calm voice and offers a gentle hug, allowing the child to feel understood and secure.

“We strive to create a classroom where every child feels heard valued and understood.” 

She says that the emotional stability and empathy provided by teachers are key to helping children adjust to school life.

At CIS, every class is supported by Learning Partners and Life Coach who offer comprehensive help in language communication, daily care, and emotional support.

This multi-layered support system allows each child to grow at a gentle and steady pace.

This is the true embodiment of CIS’s Caring Community —helping children find a sense of security and confidence through understanding and care.

The curriculum at CIS Kindergarten integrates the Alberta FLIGHT Curriculum Framework from Canada, the IB Early Years Programme, and the Reggio-inspired Approach. Together, these three elements form the foundation of CIS’s consistently advocated "child-centered" learning framework.

This integration ensures that the classroom focuses not only on knowledge acquisition but also on inquiry, collaboration, and emotional growth. Through project-based learning and playful exploration, children actively express, think, and discover, making learning a process full of curiosity and creativity.

For example, in the Loose Partsexploration class, Ms. Neha guides the children to transform open-ended materials into tools for learning. Through building, imagining, and sharing, the children develop language and social skills, while experimenting and experiencing failure helps them gradually build confidence and focus.

This is the essence of CIS education: allowing learning to happen naturally through exploration, and ensuring that growth continues to unfold within an environment of care.

In the PK2 learning journey, a child’s growth often begins in the smallest of moments. From initial dependence and shyness, they gradually learn to express themselves, cooperate, and share.

“As a PreK2 educator, my goal is to support the development of social, emotional, physical, and language foundations - all through play.”

At CIS, we believe that the starting point of education is not textbooks, but care. In a community filled with understanding and support, each child takes their first step in an environment where they are loved and listened to.