For students to feel and teachers to see that education is more than academic rigmarole, a big-picture vision must be carried out in meaningful small ways. This appears simple in theory but is demanding in practice, as each layer of a student’s school and personal experience play into the others.

The Arizona Early Learning Standards (AELS) establish eight-core frameworks that identify, support, and strengthen meaningful learning objectives inside and outside the classroom. To demonstrate our use of these principles in our Greater Phoenix, AZ, schools, and their relation to one another, we’ve outlined key takeaways below.

Emotional and Social Standards

Social and emotional skills are crucial for students’ development as they pave the way for relating to adults and peers, absorption of material, and communication strengths. Using our approach of combined academic and interventional models, our communication with students helps them see the power and results of their own emotions and choices. Through these processes, students learn to understand their individual place in a world of complex relationships, as well as their behavior and what it leads to.

Intellectual and Academic Standards

Creating an educational atmosphere where learning is perceived as fun, doable, and worthwhile is often easier said than done. However, our staff knows from hundreds of first-hand experiences that students who find joy in learning succeed in the present and thrive in the future. All of Skyline Education’s schools foster an environment where students’ natural curiosities about subject matter propel them toward learning.

Physical and Health-Related Standards

Maintaining physical health is equally important to intellectual or emotional health and is an unmistakable component of the Arizona Early Learning Standards. The inclusion and prioritization of vigorous, regular physical activity is one of the cornerstones of educational success for any learner.

Numerous scientific and academic studies show that students who have the chance to be physically active throughout the school day perform better, grow healthy emotional regulation skills, and focus on material for longer periods of time.

Creative and Arts-Related Standards

Having a creative outlet—not only for original, personal expression but to understand educational values of the arts—is an advantage we support all Skyline students from preschool and beyond. From picking up an instrument and learning notes for the first time to trying out dance moves and choreography, art-centric educational growth is central for us.

For younger students, in particular, Skyline teachers place emphasis on the importance of engaging in creative processes, rather than being preoccupied with results. The arts are also a primary avenue for unifying other academic subjects. Emotional expression, math, language, and bodily manipulation all play into how various art forms are captivating and enriching.

By allowing the Arizona Early Learning Standards to guide and empower our full curricula, we help students unlock their natural-born potential and accomplish truly valuable goals. Click here to enroll your child today!