Education that develops the skills needed for the future
The Shichida Method develops the skills needed for active learning, through which the child identifies and resolves problems by themselves. Children who are educated through The Shichida Method, have high self-esteem and can express their thoughts and ideas without being influenced by those around them. We do this by putting love, praise, and acceptance at the forefront of our education to give our students the skills necessary to live powerful and fulfilling lives.
Abilities needed for children: cognitive and non-cognitive
Cognitive abilities are those that can be measured, in general, by IQ tests and score-based tests. Non-cognitive abilities, such as the recognition of one's own merits, strong motivation, curiosity, sincerity, sense of responsibility, etc., cannot be quantified by such scores. Education, in general, has focused on the development of cognitive skills, but now, non-cognitive abilities are also becoming increasingly important in early childhood education.
Why is early childhood education necessary?
In "The Perry Preschool Project", a study conducted by Professor James Heckman in the 1960s, two groups of economically vulnerable children, aged between 3 and 4 years old, were given varying degrees of early education activities. One group was given two and a half hours of early education activities, and one and a half hours of home visits per school year; while the other group received nothing. Heckman's researchers collected annual data from each group to find out the results of the experiment, in terms of children's development. Heckman concluded the following 2 important issues:
- The development of non-cognitive abilities in children during early education leads to a higher level of well-being and economic stability in the future.
- The highest return on investments in education comes from investing in quality early education programs.
Professor Heckman received the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2000, for his study.
Continued practice is the key to good results
Children’s brains up to three years old have not established set ways of functioning and are highly mouldable and suitable for developing new talents and skills. This period has been dubbed “The Golden Period” for early childhood development. By age six year old, children’s abilities become fixed. After this period it requires a large amount of time and effort to develop abilities. Thus the earlier you start, the higher chance of drawing out their abilities. During this “Golden Period”, it is necessary to create a conducive learning environment for your child, as well as to systematically stimulate their five senses and develop strong and positive brain circuit connections. Therefore, The Shichida Method has created a curriculum that incorporates age and ability specific activities to develop your child’s abilities through practice and repetition as they grow.