Responsive Educational Opportunities at Primrose Schools

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February 2019

Writer / Deb Brandt Photography / Submitted

Primrose Schools is a national system of accredited private schools that provide premier early education and childcare experiences for children and families. Carmel and Zionsville Primrose Schools are committed to preparing children for success as learners and in life. From the franchise owners to the professional educators, everyone at the three Carmel and one Zionsville Primrose School locations seeks to meet the early learning needs of children and their families.

Scott Smith

Why is early childhood education so important? According to the World Economic Forum, today’s children will work in jobs one day that have yet to be created. Think of it: Research suggests that 65 percent of the jobs people will hold in the future do not exist today. This makes educating young children a challenge.

Primrose Schools are up to the challenge as they seek to implement best practices in early childhood education while remaining cognizant of the influences of education over the long term.

Leslie Brezette

“We’ve taken a step to incorporate science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics into programming for even the youngest children attending Primrose,” explained Carmel franchise owner Scott Smith. From reading readiness, writing, science and engineering to mathematics development, research, technology and the creative arts, Primrose is helping children build experiences and skills towards the future.

Using research-informed instructional models, Primrose Schools draw on early learning philosophers, such as Montessori, Piaget, Gesell and Vygotsky, blended with the most current findings of early childhood development and research. In early 2017, Primrose Schools sponsored a national survey of human resource professionals responsible for hiring. The survey revealed that skills, such as adaptability, problem-solving and teamwork, are essential to workplace success. Yet 70 percent of the HR managers reported that entry-level employees are rarely proficient in these skills.

Bryan Bowman

These findings are backed by research from The Harvard Center for the Developing Child, which reports that early life experiences influence a child’s capacity for executive functioning skills in adulthood. As a result, Primrose Schools are focusing their efforts on providing early learning experiences designed to build and enhance these skills in early childhood.

At Primrose Schools, children develop these skills through:

Developing problem-solving skills through play and interacting with the world around them. Children have room to make discoveries. For example, through playing with blocks, a child learns that building more stable towers happens when the larger, heavier blocks are on the bottom.
Cultivating critical thinking through being asked thought-provoking questions. Adults can ask children open-ended questions about what they think about something. Giving children plenty of time to consider their answers allows them to develop deeper thinking about their own experiences.
Being encouraged to work and play together, including respectful listening and communicating. Educators at Primrose Schools know that they are also models for how people can respectfully interact at school and home. Children are encouraged to listen and communicate with one another and adults in play and learning.
Cultivating self-control by learning to follow instructions given by others. Sometimes it doesn’t
Julie Bowman
sound like much fun to follow instructions. However, through song (Hokey Pokey) and games (Simon Says), young children learn self-control and to follow instructions while having fun.
Nurturing adaptability through play, children learn to use everyday objects in new ways. Think of all the fun ways a paper towel roll can be reused when children play with it!
Fostering memory by being read aloud to and learning to read aloud. From listening to stories being read to them to collaboratively “writing” stories about an experience, children gain a greater understanding of their world. They develop an appreciation for letters, words, reading and remembering information too.

At Primrose Schools, learning is fun and dynamic while building the confidence in each child. To learn more about the Primrose Schools in Carmel and Zionsville, visit their websites, make an appointment for a school tour or attend one of their community events.

“We offer events that are open to the public as well as those for current families,” explained Carmel franchise owner Bryan Bowman. “Recently, we partnered with Make-A-Wish Foundation to host the Touch a Truck event. It was a fundraiser for the Foundation while offering families an experience with vehicles that fascinate young children.” In October, the three Carmel Primrose Schools will sponsor the Ghosts and Goblins 5K Run. Bowman added that area franchise owners often work together to provide services that are best for families and the communities where they are located.