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Early Education Center

The three Early Education Centers serve children aged 6 months through to 3 years. The centers deliver a high quality dual language program, nurturing young minds in a safe and stimulating environment.

With a team of dedicated and passionate educators, we prioritize the holistic development of each child, fostering their curiosity, creativity, and social skills. Our play-based creative curriculum encourages hands-on exploration, ensuring a successful and seamless transition to our QF Schools.

The Early Education Centers are under the guidance of the Ministry of Education (MOE) and are accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS), ensuring the highest standards of care and education in the early years.

For admissions, click here .

Qatar Academy Doha Early Education Center

Multaqa Early Education Center

Qatar Foundation Headquarters Daycare

• Phone +974 4454 2276
• Email [email protected]
• Address Qatar Academy Doha, Qatar – Al Luqta Street , Education City - Qatar Academy Doha P.O.BOX: 1129 See on map
• Opening hours 7am-3pm

Early Childhood Development in Qatar: Status and opportunities for the future

The report provides an overview of the state of early childhood development (ECD) in Qatar, along with empirical evidence on the potential benefits of early childhood education (ECE) in the country. Children who attend ECE programs in Qatar have better early development outcomes in literacy, numeracy, socioemotional, executive functioning, and self-regulation skills. These associated benefits are also observed later in life; students who attended ECE performed significantly better than their peers at age 15 in mathematics, reading, and science, after accounting for school, teacher and family characteristics. Despite these benefits, coverage of ECE, and more broadly ECD programs, is low in Qatar, particularly given its high level of economic development. The report sets forward recommendations to strengthen the policy environment for ECD in the country, improve the coverage and scope of programs, and establish a comprehensive quality assurance system for continuous quality improvement.

Ms Samira Nikaein Towfighian

Education specialist, World Bank

Ms Samira Nikaein Towfighian is an Education Specialist at the World Bank, where she works on lending operations and education studies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region.

Ms Lindsay Adams

Consultant, World Bank

Ms Lindsay Adams is a consultant focusing on early childhood development, with work spanning the global education, health and nutrition sectors.

Contributors

Ms Lianqin Wang

Lead education specialist, World Bank

Ms Lianqin Wang is a Lead Education Specialist with 20 years of experience at the World Bank.

Dr. Quentin Wodon

Lead economist, World Bank

Dr. Quentin Wodon is a Lead Economist with the World Bank.

This report has been reviewed by:

• Dr. David Whitebread , Acting Director (External Relations) at the Centre for Research on Play in Education, Development and Learning (PEDAL)
• Ms Jo Ellis , Assistant Principal at Qatar Academy Early Education Centre

Research Organization

More on Early Childhood

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Early Education Center at a Glance

Centers coordinator, associate director, pedagogical leadership team, co-curricular.

• Online information System

The three Early Education Centres serve children aged 6 months through to 3 years. The centres deliver quality programmes in which both the care and education of the children is of the highest order. Learning is hands on, engaging and fun.

Qualified teachers and teaching assistants work together through the Creative Curriculum (developed and published by Teaching Strategies, Washington, USA) to provide stimulating, individualized and developmentally appropriate programming for all children who attend the EEC centres. The program is bilingual with both Arabic and English languages being the focus.

The Early Education Centre is accredited by the International Council of Schools (ICS) and New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), and uses the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) standards as its guidelines to creating, promoting and sustaining programs that advance and ensure quality early childhood education in Qatar.

The three Qatar Academy Early Education Centers offer opportunities for every child aged 6 months to 3 years to learn in safe and nurturing environments through a play-based curriculum. We believe that practices grounded in research support the growth of social, emotional, physical and cognitive development in young learners. Teaching and learning in classrooms is driven by our Image of Child, which link to the IB Learner profile.

We believe that children are: Unique, Capable, Risk-Takers, Social, Curious, Persistent, Sensory, Creative, Researchers and Communicators.

We recognize the importance of forming partnerships with families to build home-school connections, in the best interest of the child.

Statement of Belief for the EEC

We believe that a quality early childhood experience requires educators to be well qualified and to work as a team to effectively create the best learning environment for the children in their care.

We believe a quality program creates an environment in which each child’s language, culture, diversity and unique gifts are deeply respected and celebrated.

We believe that children are naturally curious about their surroundings. A quality program encourages and facilitates the child’s interest and exploration.

We believe that children’s learning is challenged and extended through developmentally appropriate, interactive, creative and fun experiences.

We believe that children learn best in a nurturing environment that encourages independence and builds self-confidence.

Welcome to our Early Education Center where your child’s growth and development is our priority.

We believe that every child is unique and precious, that’s why we place them at the heart of everything we do.

At our Early Education Center we embrace best practices in early childhood education and instill positive discipline techniques to ensure your child’s development in a loving and respectful environment where he is challenged through a diverse range of enriching learning experiences.

Our dedicated team of experienced  teachers is committed to ongoing professional growth through regular educational workshops.They integrate regular assessments and evaluations to customize the education to every child’s needs, ensuring the highest quality of learning.

Our commitment to diversity and inclusion is reflected in our dual-language instruction, embracing both English and Arabic languages along with the values of Islamic faith.

We deeply value the partnership with parents, recognizing the importance of collaboration between home and school for your child’s overall growth and success.

Join us in this exciting journey of nurturing young minds, where your child’s individuality is celebrated, and their potential is limitless. Rest assured that when your children become a part of our center, they are not just joining an educational facility, but a warm, nurturing family where they will find their second home.

Joceline Samarani Early Education Centers Coordinator

Welcome to Early Education Center!

We are delighted to have you visit our website and discover the wonderful world of early education. At the Early Education Center, we believe that a child’s early years are the foundation for lifelong learning and success. We are committed to providing a nurturing and stimulating environment where children can thrive and reach their full potential.

Our center is designed to cater to the unique needs of children aged 6 months – 3 years old. We are your child’s earliest educational center in the QF Schools community. An EEC educational experience gives your child early access to the developmental advantages and benefits of a stimulating and enriching QF Schools learning journey. As a dynamic network QF Schools are uniquely positioned to offer an inclusive educational experience for all learners. Our benefit from a world class educational ecosystem.

Why Choose our Early Education Center

• Experienced and Dedicated Educators: Our team of passionate educators are highly trained in early childhood education. They are committed to fostering a love of learning, promoting social-emotional development, and nurturing each child’s individual strengths.
• Play-Based Learning: We believe that children learn best through play. Our curriculum incorporates hands-on activities, creative exploration, and interactive experiences, allowing children to learn and grow in a fun and engaging environment.
• Safe and Stimulating Environment: Your child’s safety is our top priority. Our center is equipped with state-of-the-art security measures, ensuring a secure and protected space. We have thoughtfully designed classrooms, age-appropriate learning materials, and outdoor play areas that inspire curiosity and imagination.
• Comprehensive Programs: We offer a range of programs tailored to each developmental stage. From infant care, toddler and junior programs, we provide age-appropriate activities that promote cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development.
• Parent Engagement: We believe in establishing a strong partnership between parents and educators. We encourage open communication, regular updates, and parent involvement in our activities and events. We value your input and strive to create a collaborative learning community.
• Enrichment Opportunities: In addition to our core curriculum, we offer various enrichment activities such as music, art, language development, and physical fitness. We wholeheartedly support and celebrate our local values, language, and culture. Through meaningful curriculum integration and community engagement, we strive to nurture and foster holistic approach to childhood development. Our approach will further enhance your child’s learning experience, development confidence through a strong sense of self and belonging.

We invite you to explore our website to learn more about our programs, curriculum, facilities, and the enrollment process. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions or to schedule a tour of our center. We look forward to welcoming you and your child to the Early Education Center Community, where education and fun go hand in hand!

Together, let’s lay the foundation for a bright future!

Elizabeth Kennedy

Joceline t. Samarani Centers Coordinator [email protected]

Ashwaaq J. Abdilahi HQ & QAD Lead Teacher [email protected]

Da’ad M. Batayneh Lead Teacher – EEC – QAD [email protected]

The Creative Curriculum

The three Early Education Centers (EEC) follows the Creative Curriculum, a research-based program developed and published by Teaching Strategies. It is a balanced curriculum, designed to enable children to grow in physical, social-emotional, cognitive and language development. Birth to age three is the most important period of development and a period in which children are very vulnerable. Initially, they are totally dependent on adults to meet their every need. When care and experiences are nurturing and consistent, children flourish.

There are five central components that make up the framework from which teachers will be working:

• Partnering with families.
• Knowledge of the development of infants, toddlers, and two- and three-year-old.
• Creating a responsive environment.
• Learning needs of children.
• Caring and teaching.

These five central components encompass a variety of routines and experiences. Routines provide opportunities for children to build positive and trusting relationships. The welcoming and departure routine, in conjunction with diapering, toileting, feeding, dressing and soothing children to sleep, helps children feel secure. Through these secure feelings, children begin to form secure attachments and gain independence. Routines are also used to help children make sense of their world, develop language and guide their curiosity. For each of these areas of learning, the EEC provides children with support as they work to develop skills that are just beyond their current levels. As children acquire the necessary skills, less and less support is offered and children ultimately accomplish tasks independently.

Accreditation

The three Early Education Centers are accredited by the National Association of Education for Young Children (www.naeyc.org– NAEYC). Ensuring the quality of children’s experiences in early childhood programs and promoting positive child outcomes is at the heart of NAEYC accreditation standards and criteria.

At the EEC, an environment is created where each child’s language, culture and diversity are deeply respected and celebrated. Our staff is inspired by each child’s passion, their natural curiosity to make sense of the world around them. We respect and acknowledge each child as an individual learner and value their uniqueness. Our centers promote opportunities for parents and children to engage in events that promote learning and fun.

New for the 2023/2024 school year is the addition of Monthly Sports Day and Messy Play Days. Please look at our EEC Community Planner . The possibilities are endless!

We enjoy our parents visiting school for events such as Teddy Bear Picnic, Sports Day, Story Book Character Day, National Day, Little Chef Day and even International Dinosaur Day! Each year the EEC promotes children’s creativity and expression through our now famous Arts Week and Gallery Walk.

EEC is a dynamic and engaging learning environment.

At the EEC, an environment is created where each child’s language, culture and diversity are deeply respected and celebrated. Our staff is inspired by each child’s passion, their natural curiosity to make sense of the world around them. We respect and acknowledge each child as an individual learner and value their uniqueness.

Our centers promote opportunities for parents and children to engage in events that promote leaning and fun.

The EEC special Thursdays are a fun way of promoting learning concepts such as colors, science, math’s, nature. On “Special Thursdays” we encourage children to bring or wear an item from home. It’s a wonderful opportunity for parents to engage with their children and promote language and learning around a particular concept. Balloon day is when we discuss the concepts of air, bring a plant day is when we talk about living things and the cycle of growth. The possibilities are endless!

We enjoy our parents visiting school for events such as Dads Day, Sports Day, Story Book Character Day, National Day and Math Day. Each year the EEC promotes children’s creativity and expression through our now famous Gallery Walk. This is an event not to be missed.

We offer opportunities for parent goal setting meetings, progress reports, portfolio sharing to demonstrate through our documentation how children’s learning and development progresses.

Communications

Teachers will communicate with you on a regular basis – verbally, through Daily Connect or in writing – regarding information about your child’s day (eating, toileting, sleeping, etc.).

To foster our parent – center partnership, we invite you to talk with your child’s teacher regularly about your child’s experiences and developments. Communication and continuity between home and the EEC helps to provide a more comfortable experience for your child. Changes at home (e.g., one parent travels, illness in the family, moving houses, when you stop breast or bottle feeding, a parent changes jobs, etc.) often leads to changes in behaviour.

We can care for and work better with your child if we are aware of the changes at home. The more familiar we are with your family, the more understanding, supportive and helpful we can be.

Forms and Publications

At the EEC we believe that children are valuable members of society. The EEC leads the way in creating, promoting, and sustaining programs that advance and ensure quality early childhood education in Qatar.

We value open and honest communication and recognize its importance when working as a team.

Staff will work together with parents to support each child’s learning.

The EEC School Parent Handbook is a valuable tool and recommended reading for any current or potential parent at EEC.

The Early Childhood Center is a state of the art facility. It is resourced with the most up-to-the-minute, innovative, and exciting resources, which have been sourced from all over the world. The facility invites creativity, promotes enquiry, and enables children to enjoy learning.

EEC classrooms are built with safety as a top priority. The staff is able to attend to the needs of every child, keeping them safe and secure, both physically and emotionally.

The large light-filled rooms accommodate changing tables, high chairs, cots or sleeping beds. Children’s restrooms are attached to the classrooms of the older children.

The classrooms are equipped with a wide and varied collection of resources that stimulate exploration and discovery by the children and can be updated regularly to create fresh ideas and new perspectives.

Sensory Room (Sensortorium)

This innovative facility provides opportunities for children to participate in a variety of sensory experiences. The equipment, along with our well-trained and experienced teachers, gives children an opportunity to interact with light, colour, texture and sound. As children explore their senses in the many different and changing environments in the sensory room, they become more confident socially and emotionally while having fun at the same time.

Studio (Exploratorium)

From the moment they are born, children gain an understanding of the world around them by looking, touching exploring, and being curious. As children learn, they enjoy communicating their growing knowledge in a number of ways.  In the Exploratorium, children have the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and explore further ideas by drawing, painting, building, sculpting, and creating collages. This is a room where innovative exploration is encouraged and messes are welcome.

Indoor Play Area

Qatar’s desert climate will not restrict the growth and development of children attending the Early Education Center. As temperatures rise, the children spend more time inside.

The indoor play area is large, light and inviting. It is equipped with an ever-changing collection of innovative, European-inspired equipment, which provides for the physical and social development of each child.

It is an area where children are easily supervised and adults can join in with the exploration of objects and experiences.

Outdoor Adventure Area

Play is children’s work. As they play, they explore, they ask questions of themselves and they find the answers. In the outdoor adventure area, children challenge their minds and their bodies. The outdoor area provides opportunities to: explore and investigate.

• push and pull.
• collect, fill and tip.
• build-up and knock down.
• develop large objects of art.
• observe insects and other creepy crawlies.
• take risks and seek challenges.

Outdoor Pavillion

Whether it’s a teddy bear’s picnic, quiet story-time, or making music with a variety of instruments, the Outdoor Pavilion is the place to go. Children can lounge on soft cushions, reading or creating musical sounds together. Surrounded by plants grown by the children, the pavilion is an inviting place where children feel safe and secure as they explore music, books, or meet socially with a teacher.

Accredited Partners

• College of Education
• Early Childhood Center

Early learning Unit

Early Childhood Center considered as one of the important centers operating under the umbrella of the College of Education at Qatar University. Established in 1980 under the name of the University Nursery in the old Qatar University building in the Khalifa city, and one classroom that accommodates 20 children. ECC grew and developed in five transitional stages, and its name was changed to Qatar University Kindergarten, then become Early Childhood Center in 2018 as one of leading center in early childhood education at local and regional level.

Accommodates more than 120 children in three age groups. The center includes three main units: the early education unit, the research unit, and the professional development unit. The Early Childhood Center building was designed as per the international specifications and standards of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and according to the latest studies in the field of early childhood. The sustainable design of building is accordance with GSAS standards to be environmentally friendly by saving electric and water energy.

Creative Curriculum

Early Childhood Center follows the Creative Curriculum for Preschool in both Arabic and English. It is as an integrated curriculum that is applied globally in early childhood centers to serve children with cultural diversity taking in consideration their individual differences. The Creative Curriculum is a comprehensive, research-based curriculum, characterized by exploration and discovery as means of learning, enabling children to develop confidence, creativity and lifelong critical thinking skills. The Creative Curriculum is play-based, incorporating big ideas, diverse and engaging activities to motivate children, teachers as well as parents. The curriculum includes five studies of fascinating topics familiar to children; Balls, Trees, Clothes, Buildings, Reduce, Recycle, Reuse, in addition to Beginning of the Year. These studies help children to become enthusiastic, independent, curious, and confident as they encourage them to be active and creative explorers who are not afraid to try out of the box ideas.

Daily Schedule:

Our balanced daily schedule includes a variety of integrated activities as per the Creative Curriculum and children’s interests. It contains concepts, skills and values in the areas of Literacy, Numeracy, Science, Physical and Technology, in Arabic and English. All in which are in consideration of children’s individual differences. The time allocated for each activity varies to meet the needs of each age group. Daily activities include:

• Morning circle.
• Discussion and shared writing.
• Small groups.
• Physical Education.
• earning Centers.
• Mighty minutes.
• Reading aloud.
• Indoor free play.

Children’s Assessment

Early Childhood Center utilizes many assessment strategies to detect child’s performance. The Teaching Strategies Gold is a progress-monitoring tool. This tool is an ongoing practice used to observe children’s growth and development over the year, and evaluate the progress of their skills and abilities. The process gives ECC teachers the ability to assess children’s interests, needs and abilities across all nine domains of development and learning: Social-Emotional, Physical, Cognitive, Language, Literacy, Mathematics, Science and Technology, Social Studies and Arts. The Gold Assessment toolkit is part of the Created Curriculum that ECC implements.

Consortia Academia

Group of Journals: A partner of Network of Professional Researchers and Educators (NPRE)

Early years education in Qatar: The good practice guide in theory and practice

2016 IJRSE – Volume 5 Issue 1

Al-Thani, Tamader Department of Psychological Sciences, Qatar University, Qatar ( [email protected] )

Al-Muftah, Esraa Department of Educational Sciences, Qatar University, Qatar ( [email protected] )

Romanowski, Michael H.* Department of Educational Sciences, Qatar University, Qatar ( [email protected] )

Coughlin, Chris Department of Psychological Sciences, Qatar University, Qatar ( [email protected] )

Abuelhassan, Hadeel Department of Educational Sciences, Qatar University, Qatar ( [email protected] )

Qatar’s massive education reform, Education for a New Era has dramatically shaped the educational landscape by implementing professional and curriculum standards and introducing best pedagogical practices at all levels. The current concern with Qatar’s educational reform is not so much the adopted policies but rather the implementation of these policies into classroom practices. This study examines several kindergartens in Qatar to explore the issues and concerns regarding the implementation of the Supreme Education Counsel’s The Early Years Education Good Practice Guide (GPG); a policy document providing evidence-based, needs based, culturally responsive appropriate early childhood teaching methods and materials. This research study includes focus groups with 22 kindergarten teachers/academic coordinators and classroom observations. By providing what Fullan (2000) terms an “inside, inside out and outside story”, we examine both the practices being utilized in kindergartens and obstacles that prevent teachers from implementing the GPG from the perspective of teachers and other early childhood school personnel. Finally, we provide possible recommendations regarding the implementation of the GPG.

Keywords : education; educational reform; early childhood education; policy implementation; educational practices

DOI : https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2015.1142

*Corresponding Author