The four pillars educational framework was developed and promoted by the New Brunswick Department of Education and Early Childhood in collaboration with ton ehe New Brunswick Curriculum Framework for Early Childhood and Child Care-English. It is based on the need to create experiences in the classroom where children feel safe and cared for, where they are engaged socially and intellectually and diversity is welcomed and respected.
What are the four pillars?
Pillars hold up buildings and make them strong. These four areas of a child’ develpment are called pillars because we believe that develping these four areas in children will make them strong indivıduals. The four areas(pillars) are; communication and literacies, well-being, play and playfullness, and finally diversity and social responsibility. Embedded in these pillars are our Canadian values which are concerned with, respect developing strong global citizens who can be successsful in this ever changing World.
Research supports our belief that when a child develops strongly in each of these four areas they have the opportunıty to grow to their fullest potential with dignity, a sense of self and a zest for living and learning. In keeping with contemporary research and theory, the framework emphasizes responsive relationship, childrens strengths and engaging environments. It views children as confidentrnng, active learners whose learning; growth and development are profoundly influenced by the quality of their relationships with people and their interactions with places and things.
Play and playfullness is one pillar that sometimes causes parents to question it’s role in school which is supposed to be mostly academic in natüre. However, play is a crucial part of a child’ learning because it not only teaches them first hand how the world works but it also helps them to form relationships. Research and theory support the belief that play is essential to a child’s quality of life and is a primary means of communication and understanding the world around them. The four pillars curriculum maximizes ways that play can be used to enhance child learning and development.
The four pillars provides the environment and the resources needed to support the dynamic development in children who are curious and confident in their pursuıt of knowlege and skills, secure in their linguistic and cultural identities; respectful of diversity; and contributes to the development of a just and democratic society that nutures and cares for life on earth.
What an amazing way to begin any child,s educational journey!
