Many children in preschool program were unhappy and stressed
Having always had an interest in Finnish education, Helen read the book Let the Children Play by Pasi Sahlberg and William Doyle. It convinced her that the country’s progressive approach was the way to go. With the approval of her team, she began to research companies that provided Finnish-style education, which is how she discovered HEI Schools. She appreciated the research-based component of the company, that it had a close connection to the University of Helsinki, and how the design was “simultaneously simple and beautiful.”
As Helen dove deeper into the Toolkit materials, she was delighted by the comprehensive set of teacher training materials available to support educators as they learn and implement the play-based approach. She knew from experience that such resources would be critical in helping her teachers transition to a radically different approach. Well-designed and interconnected activities would also help her teachers practice the new style of teaching without feeling overwhelmed by detailed lesson plans and material lists.