The educational program of the school is based on the basic state component of the New Ukrainian School, which is strengthened by the introduction of experimental programs, author's courses and in-depth study of the English language.
Primary school is a space of research, experiments, and creativity, in which students live real life and prepare for the challenges of the future, rather than studying individual subjects.
The study of the Ukrainian language at school
The study of the Ukrainian language at school is based on the Concept of the New Ukrainian School, which aims to teach children to learn through activities that give students knowledge and the ability to apply it in life.
What does a teacher do to make their lesson both exciting and compelling? How does a teacher plan a Ukrainian language lesson so that children learn to quickly perceive, assimilate and creatively rethink a large amount of information?
To address these requests, we use eidetic and mnemonic methods that ensure high-quality learning, productive communication between the teacher and children, and going beyond stereotypes.
These methods provide an enjoyable and, most importantly, practical co-creation process with children, namely, jointly deriving definitions, writing essays, making up riddles, memorising texts and retelling them using icons and creating non-standard reference schemes for memorising rules and terms.
The advantage of applying the NUS educational concept in Ukrainian language lessons is that children, having the freedom to work on content material, become more relaxed and, at the same time, more organised for independent cognitive activity, learn to approach problem-solving in a non-standard way, not to cram, but to think, conclude on their own, and find original solutions.
Teaching the Ukrainian language includes interesting texts, games, tasks, and illustrations that promote the development of speaking, reading, and writing, and the presence of non-standard interactive tasks ensures the effectiveness of students' perception of the educational material, diversifies their learning activities, and introduce an element of curiosity.
These NUS approaches to education provide a situation of success where each student feels at ease, which contributes to their self-improvement as individuals, forming an active life position in adulthood.
Learning English
At “Liko School” of English, it's fun to learn and easy to speak!
Young learners discover an incredible journey in learning English, where every day is an adventure in a world of language experiences and a joyful community. We are creating an English-speaking environment for a happy, educated generation ready to be lifelong learners and influence the future.
Today, when English in our country has become one of the languages of international communication, it is becoming a crucial task for foreign language teachers to develop students' high level of foreign language proficiency. The students of our school study English according to the modern integrated course "Now I know", which primarily contributes to children's critical thinking development. The course includes some knowledge of science, ecology, and lifestyle in the modern world (IT, fashion, healthy eating) and contains vocabulary necessary to understand these topics.
The "Now I Know" course material and structure stimulate children to reproduce language elements and ink, express their opinions, and add their own experiences.
Bilingual education
Bilingual education allows students to feel comfortable in a multilingual world, gives them the opportunity to receive education in a foreign language without losing touch with their native language, expands their thinking, and teaches them the art of analysis.
Bilingual education today - more opportunities tomorrow!
English in a bilingual classroom is a communication tool during the school day for cooperation, communication and a comfortable stay in a multicultural space.
The educational program of bilingual education in primary school includes an essential state component (Ukrainian language, mathematics, "I Explore the World", physical education) and an English-language component (English, mathematics according to the Singapore method, science course "Science" and Art).
The lessons are based on modern methodological kits filled with vivid stories, exciting videos, authentic speech of native English speakers, and engaging interactive activities. An effective tool for bilingual learning is the European Language Portfolio, whose pedagogical philosophy emphasises the role of self-esteem in language learning. By the end of grade 4, students reach the A2 level, corresponding to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
Mathematical education
Mathematics in primary school can be simple and exciting, with students learning it using the Singapore method or the Rostock pedagogical technology.
The educational curricula are developmental and focused on forming self-organization, self-learning and self-development of primary school students based on integration and an activity-based approach to teaching and learning.
"The real Singaporean math pedagogy is based on the idea that we choose fewer topics but teach deeper at each level, and this leads to better understanding and deeper memorization."
Singapore math teaches students mathematical concepts in a three-step learning process:
Concrete - pictorial - abstract.
This learning process was based on the work of American psychologist Jerome Bruner.
A modern lesson, according to the Singapore methodology, is
- a lesson where an individual approach to each student is carried out;
- a lesson in which different types of activities take place;
- a lesson where every student feels comfortable;
- a lesson in which activities stimulate the development of student's cognitive activity;
- a lesson that develops students' critical thinking and oral communication.
The Singaporean methodology ensures that every student in the class learns the material. The lesson resembles an exciting game during which students learn to think, answer questions, supplement the answers of others, and exchange ideas on their own.
"Rostock is a comprehensive program and technology for child development in Ukraine. Since 2014, we have been implementing the same technology for children's development, which aims to form the ability for self-development and self-realization of the individual. Our school uses Rostock technology in mathematics.
The Rostock program includes a variety of tasks that are not just an order of magnitude more complicated than the regular program but also more original, more creative, with a logical load and built to interest the child, to make them want to complete the exercise to the end. The child's interest = learning effectiveness, when the desire to develop further and learn new things awakens.
The advantage of the Rostock educational technology is that the child learns to think outside the box and move away from stereotypes. Students develop the necessary algorithms for solving mathematical problems, which are then extrapolated to solve any other problems and issues that require non-standard approaches, and the decision-making skills and ability to solve complex problems are transferred to everyday life. Possessing powerful logical thinking in their adult life, our students begin to calculate any life situation using the acquired skills of the Rostock educational technology.
The primary school has been working with the educational technology "Rostock" for about ten years, has results and recommends this program!
Link to the curriculum:
Health education
How do you unload, not load, children in physical education classes? How do we talk about the benefits of physical activity and sports in the modern world of gadgets? How do you motivate a child to be physically active and care for their health?
Our approach to implementing health education at school is less theory, more sports and outdoor games, meetings with famous athletes, and physical activities of interest in physical education and choreography classes. Traditional activities in the school community include morning exercises in the schoolyard, active breaks in the gym, a specially equipped interactive playroom, school sports competitions, family activities, and sports holidays. The most powerful motivator for children is the example of teachers who actively participate in the events and demonstrate a conscious choice of a healthy lifestyle.
There are many ways to develop a child's potential, and sport is one of the best tools. Exercise positively impacts a child's health, psycho-emotional state and success in social life. We believe that sports should be accessible to all children without exception, which is why high-quality physical education classes at school are our priority.
Combined physical education lessons using elements from different sports train strength and endurance and develop children's volitional qualities. Exercises with sports equipment form the correct posture and build agility, reaction speed, and coordination of movements; sports and outdoor games focus children's attention on the need to follow the game's rules and teach them to cooperate in a team for a typical result.
In favourable weather, lessons are held outdoors.
Choreography combines music, movements, dances, games and physical exercises. The choreography lessons, held once a week in a specially equipped choreography hall, are a unique training and partner interaction system that develops children's correct posture, stimulating coordination, flexibility, and endurance. During the class, children learn to feel their own body in space, reproduce rhythmic patterns and elements of various dance compositions, and communicate in the figurative language of dance.
Choreography lessons are an exciting and active hobby that helps children to develop harmoniously physically and emotionally.
I Explore the World
"I see this world and myself in it" is the value orientation of the course "I Explore the World", which is implemented through the implementation of the innovative educational project "I am Researcher.2.0." and the integrated English-language course "Science".
The innovative educational project "I am Researcher.2.0" is aimed at developing
- mathematical competence;
- natural science competence;
- civic consciousness;
- Healthy lifestyle;
- formation of the ability to learn;
- developing emotional intelligence and soft skills, such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity.
The educational material in the I Explore the World lessons is studied through active learning. It encourages students to explore and experiment, model, construct, and be able to present and argue their points of view.
The programme is aimed at the modern child who wants to learn new things and has the opportunity to draw on their own experience. The structure of the lessons includes work in pairs and mini-groups, lessons - excursions, cross-curricular connections and integration beyond the I Explore the World course.
The integrated English-language course "Science" is part of the natural science education in English. Children learn about the world and themselves as part of it through project-based research activities. Hypotheses, experiments, investigations, projects - all this is a fascinating journey into the world of science, during which children learn vocabulary and terminology in English and, at the same time, feel like natural scientists!
Link to the curriculum: https://ja-doslidnik.com/
The Design and Technology
In our dynamic and ever-changing world, the best person to navigate, make decisions, and work is a flexible, friendly, creative, and imaginative person who can implement new ideas and approaches and be the creator of something new.
The Design and Technology course is implemented in elementary school through LEGO lessons - technology (grades 1-2), design and technology (grades 3-4), and computer science (grades 1-4).
Nowadays, the world-famous LEGO construction set can be used as an ordinary, colourful toy. Still, it can also be part of current interactive technologies for learning through world knowledge, active interaction, and the implementation of relevant projects.
The modern LEGO material used in the LEGO technology lesson allows us to implement educational tasks in various subjects in an enjoyable, playful way, which is the main leading activity of children of this age. Through play and movement, children get to know and learn different topics better.
For our course, the main principles of interaction with students are essential:
- teach them to think with their hands;
- support the culture of curiosity;
- develop associative and visual thinking;
- to learn about the world and not be afraid to make mistakes;
- develop spatial imagination and creativity;
- open up new opportunities for creativity;
- actively interact.
The LEGO Technology course material is divided into subtopics: ArchitectTime, PixelArt, MechanicMix, and ScienceBoom.
In the Design and Technology course, children develop a holistic view of design and technology through the search and processing of information about the material and non-material world from various sources (observations of nature, the artificial world, textbooks, photographs, catalogues, manuals, museums, films, Internet resources, etc.) Children explore and compare the shapes, colours, and features of objects in natural and manufactured environments, household items, and types of technology. Lessons are held in specially equipped workshops.
Handmade products for themselves or the class create a favourable, relaxed learning atmosphere and, to some extent, a unique home comfort, "their" native space. And it's okay if these crafts are still imperfect and not of high quality. Children are just learning; therefore, they realize that it is normal for them to do something imperfectly because, over time, they will be able to do better. This awareness builds self-confidence, an adequate attitude to mistakes, and a desire to improve their design and technology activities. And this is no longer preparing a child for life but embedding them in real life, reproducing and creating industrial culture through its material components - materials, tools and devices, as well as spiritual components - creativity, charity, beauty, responsibility, dignity.
Computer science lessons in primary school are a comprehensive approach to developing ICT skills: collaboration, communication, teamwork, critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making.
At the end of the course, our students are confident users of information technology who can critically evaluate and apply information technology, analyze and solve problems responsibly, collaboratively and effectively, and write computer programs to solve them. Students can understand and use the fundamental principles of computer science, including logic, algorithms, data representation, and networks, understand the impact of technology on society, and know how to stay safe, take advantage of opportunities, and manage risks.
Students learn to program Logo, Small Basic, Scratch, Python, Visual Basic, HTML, and Massachusetts Techno App Inventor.
To achieve these goals, the following topics are considered:
Computer
Working on the Internet
Multimedia presentations
Text editor
Spreadsheets and charts
Presentations
Databases
Online communication
Digital citizenship
Introduction to programming - Computational thinking
Introduction to robotics
Creating websites (using online applications).
Link to the curriculum: https://binarylogic.net/html/digital-kids-ua.html
Art
"Art is the expression of the deepest thoughts in the simplest way." - А. Einstein
Creativity is essential for children, as it develops self-confidence, curiosity, initiative, and imagination, stimulates attention, thinking, and memory, and forms openness to learning about the world and aesthetic taste.
In the visual and musical arts classes, children demonstrate their unique talents and express their attitudes to art.
In the visual arts classes, children master techniques of working with various materials and tools for creativity (pencils, paints, plasticine, modelling dough), learn to understand colours, shapes and lines and use them to create their works. A unique part of the lesson is the analysis of works of art when children express their feelings and thoughts about what they have seen.
Art lessons in elementary school are a time for learning about the world and oneself through art, and the space of a specially equipped art studio encourages, inspires and motivates children to create, fantasize and realize their wildest ideas.
Music lessons are an important part of art education for younger students. Listening to and performing music develops children's creative imagination, develops musical skills and complements cognition of the world.
The use of various Internet resources in the classroom helps answer questions about different genres of music, musical instruments, composers, and their works; it also provides online pages with sheet music and audio and video materials demonstrating different musical techniques and styles. This allows students to see and hear different pieces of music being performed and learn how to analyze and reproduce them.
The latest technology provides ideas for creating melodies, harmonies, and rhythmic structures.
Music lessons include the active participation of students, musical experiments, and their creative implementation.