Updated on May 26th, 2015 The PCM Philosophy

Educational Program

Our daycares follow the educational philosophy known as the PCM (Combined Montessori Program). The PCM was developed for and is applied exclusively by our daycare centers.

The PCM is administered bilingually in English and French, assuring that a child graduating from a PCM daycare will be fluently bilingual.

The PCM combines different fundamental elements of the preschool philosophies of Maria Montessori, Emilio Reggio and Waldorf, and these elements are applied using the multiple intelligences educational approach.

From Maria Montessori, the PCM adapts the approach of learning by individual play. This element includes the use of puzzles, blocks and other individual activities.

From Emilio Reggio, the PCM adapts the approach of learning by socialization. This includes role playing games such as kitchen corner, Sherades, Dress-up and other interactive games which creates dialogue.

From Waldorf, the PCM adapts two basic elements. Firstly, the spacious wide-open classrooms with available floor space well in excess of ministerial standards, and secondly the approach of improvised and creative or unusual arts and crafts, including the usage of recycled material.

The PCM prescribes a very well structured approach to the educational program, which includes a set schedule and a daily routine, all while giving a diverse variety in the daily activities to insight intellectual stimulation of the child. The activities include (on a daily basis) arts and crafts, music, physical education, dance and computers.

Daily outside playtime allows the children to have a frequent contact with their outdoor environment and gives them an additional chance to further their physical development.

High Quality Service

Our daycare centers keep to heart and give top priority to a high quality service. As the children are spending most of their waking hours within the walls of the daycare, we do our utmost to create a suitable and welcoming environment and impeccable lifestyle for them.

Our daycare centers have very high standards as to health, safety, hygiene, well-being and education for the children in our care.

Hot meals as well regular snacks consisting of nutritious food are served to the children; all while teaching them proper table manners and savoir-vivre.

Our Facilities

We give a lot of importance to our facilities. We have developed a daycare configuration within our installations to give great comfort to the children all while maintaining a clean, healthy and happy environment.

Our daycares receive a maximum of 80 children, 25 infants and 55 toddlers/pre-schoolers.

Our two nurseries on having a capacity of 10 and the other having a capacity of 15 infants aged 0 to 18 months. These rooms are divided into two sections, a sleeping area and a play/living area. We find a crib for each child, a changing table, high chairs and a wide range of toys adapted specially for the children of that age.

Our three classrooms (Green, Yellow and Purple) receive a total of 55 children aged 19 to 60 months. Each room receives two or three groups of 8 or 10  with their respective educator. Each classroom is equipped with games and toys adapted for the children’s age.

Each of our installations is equipped with a modern kitchen, a series of washroom facilities adapted to children of this age group, and a private outside schoolyard.

Our facilities include modern day equipment such as closed circuit camera systems, electronic locks, computers, intercom-interphone system etc, which truly creates a daycare of the 21^st century.

Security

The children’s security is one of our biggest priorities. Our daycare installations are equipped with an alarm system, fire detection equipment, entrance security, amongst others.

More important, the corresponding protocols are in place to ensure that every person in the daycare knows what to do in an emergency. Fire drills lock-downs, and other security protocols and safety drills are practiced on a regular basis during the year. Another important element which our daycares offer is police prevention seminars given to the children.

Field trips

Field trips are both fun and educational, and form an integral part of the PCM Educational Programs. It equally gives the children the opportunity to have a wonderful experience and a pleasant outing.

The daycare organizes a wide range of educational outings for the children and members of their family. These outings include apple picking, biodome, visiting Santa Clause, sliding, and sugaring off, trips to the zoo etc.

Being part of the community

The PCM philosophy gives a significant importance to our community at large. Each daycare, in consulation with its PAC - Parent Advisory Committee develops its own individual community involvement program.

Some daycares go to the library regularly; others visit the fire station or the police station, others still develop regular visits from a dental hygienist, public sector nurses and social events.

Our  daycares actively participate in children’s charities by organizing events such as Christmas baskets, UNICEF boxes, Children’s Hospital funds raising etc. Our daycares support largely charities in any way possible.

Parental Implication

The parent is an important element in a child’s development, as a parent is the principal person in a child’s life. Therefore, we consider that parental involvement in daycare life is very important. Our daycares encourage parental participation on many levels.

The parents of the children in our daycares elect a parental advisory committee every year which the administration consults on many elements of the daily life of the daycare. The PAC holds regular meetings which are open to all the parents of the children attending the daycare, and this gives all the parents a chance to take part in on-goings of the daycare.

On a day-to-day basis, the educators keep a log book/agenda for each child, indicating a brief summary of the child’s day at the daycare. The parents read the agenda every day and may add his/her comments. This makes for a lovely souvenir at the end of the year. There is, of course, one to one communication between the educators and the parents on a daily basis.

Our Educators

The educators in our daycares are qualified professional caregivers. There is a 1 to 5 educator to child ratio in the nurseries, and 1 to 8, educator to child ratio for the toddlers. On the preschool level, the ratio is 1 to 10, educator per child.

The educators in our daycares are all qualified in various capacities. Some are certified early childhood educators; others are teachers all having many years experience in the field.

 Our teaching staff is made up of people from different origins, an element which combined with the bilingual educational program creates a great cultural richness within the structure of the daycare.