Our Philosophy / Curricular Thrusts
Our school philosophy is contained in our 7 curricular thrusts:
Sense of Country
The all-encompassing philosophy of Raya School's curriculum is a deep sense of country. From the very beginning, Raya School makes the child aware and appreciative of his proud heritage, his rich culture, and, his great forefathers. In order to make the classroom experience more authentic, and to promote the love for their own culture and heritage, the Raya Preschool curriculum is abundant with examples and artifacts from Filipino culture and history. Lessons and activities are made more meaningful and relevant by the fact that what is being discussed and celebrated are their own communities and traditions.
Discovery-Based
The Raya child learns about himself and his environment through discovery. The Raya curriculum is filled with activities that allow children to actively engage in the scientific process from observing the things around them, to making guesses about why things are a certain way or how things work, to experimentation.
Play-Oriented
It is through play that a child learns about himself and how to relate to others. It is also through play that kids develop both gross and fine motor skills. In the Raya Preschool, the child engages in different types of play from physical play (sports, games); artistic play (drawing, coloring, clay molding); and dramatic play. It is in play that the Raya child not only finds an opportunity for physical development, but also a venue for creative and emotional expression.
Four-Pronged Approach to Reading
The Four-Pronged Approach to Reading, pioneered by the late Dr. Basilisa Manhit of the UP College of Education, is one that aims to develop a genuine love for reading, critical thinking skills, oral language skills and independent word attack skills. It also aims to expose the child and allow him to master language structures in both English and Filipino.
Meaning-centered
The Raya Preschool curriculum is meaning-centered; the curriculum is meaningful to the child because it is informed by children's interests and engages him in various ways. The lessons and activities are organized in a way that makes the most sense to children, connecting their new learning to what they already know. The curriculum starts from the child's meaningful experiences, allowing him to cull and build on prior knowledge.
Child-centered
Child-centered means that the curriculum arises from the child's needs, interests, and developmental levels. The curriculum gives the Raya child opportunities to participate in the planning and direction of activities. The child's interests influence the choice of activities carried out in the classroom.
Developmentally appropriate
Teaching methodology in Raya is developmentally appropriate, meaning it takes into account child development theory, the child's experience, cultural values, parent desires and concern, individual skills, and community context. This does not mean, however, that children only perform activities that children of their age are expected to perform; a developmentally-appropriate curriculum also poses challenges for the kids, both intellectually and physically. A developmentally-appropriate approach to teaching requires the use of an integrated curriculum, one that webs across themes and disciplines, combining subject areas and developmental domains.
Our philosophy / curricular thrusts
Read about Raya
Where Children are Creative and Free
2008 Manila Bulletin
Pre-schooler, Proud and Pinoy
2007 Philippine Daily Inquirer
Education as Competitive Edge
2006 Enterprise Magazine
Giving Education the Royal Treatment
2005 Philippine Daily Inquirer
The Raya School, Inc.
109 Scout Fernandez
corner Scout Torillo
1103 Quezon City
Philippines
Telefax: +63 (2) 376.2184
