PLASP recently hosted a group of educators from Hong Kong at the PLASP Early Learning and Child Care Centre at Father Michael Goetz Secondary School. These Early Childhood Educators travelled to Canada for one week through the Sheridan College Early Childhood Education (ECE) program, to visit classroom settings at Sheridan College and observe child care centres in the community.

Back row, from left to right; Tracy Burke, Area Manager; Alison Butt, Program Director; Debbie Bright, Field Placement Coordinator, Sheridan College; Jessica Cheung, Principal, Learning Habitat Kindergarten; Rachel Rowlands, Field Placement Coordinator, Sheridan College; Lynn Hiebert, CEO; Jeff de Freitas,Vice President, Operations. Front row, from left to right: Hazel Deng, Wing Chow, Vikki Pun, Ackei Tam, Jessica Hon, Teachers, Learning Habitat Kindergarten.

"We are always very excited to welcome teachers from other parts of the world,” said Alison Butt, PLASP Program Director at Father Michael Goetz. “The visiting teachers  ask a lot of questions about the HighScope approach and “How Does Learning Happen?” They particularly wanted to know more about the children’s emotional and social development in our programs, and how we incorporate learning through play.”

All 26 of PLASP’s Early Learning and Child Care Centres use the HighScope approach, which emphasizes active learning. Since we know that children learn best by pursuing their personal interests and goals, children make their own choices about materials and activities during the program time. As they pursue their choices and plans, children explore, ask and answer questions, solve problems, and interact with peers, program staff, volunteers, students on placement and adults.