WIZ Kids Program
WIZ Kids is changing the way children learn, one computer game at a time! This innovative program, which is currently running in several schools and daycare centres across Israel, provides pre-kindergarten and kindergarten-aged children with hands on computer experience aimed at enhanced learning. WIZ Kids focuses on school readiness – teaching numbers, letters, colours and basic vocabulary – all through exciting and enjoyable computer games.
All six Canadian Hadassah-WIZO (CHW) daycare centres currently participate in the WIZ Kids program. An important component of WIZ Kids is scholastic preparation. Instructors create individualized work plans for the children to ensure they will be ready for first grade, with great effort and resources going towards the basic needs of each child. As computer programs play a large role in the program, instructors begin slowly, easing these young learners in by teaching computer skills. Since many of these children do not have access to computers at home, the experience can be quite eye-opening for them.
A benefit of the WIZ Kids program is that it encourages parents to come to the daycare centre and work with their children. Some of these adults are illiterate or have difficulty with basic reading and math. Under the pretext of helping and interacting with their own children, these caregivers are able to obtain some basic learning skills necessary for their own advancement.Another great benefit of WIZ Kids is that it allows children in the program to feel pride in their own achievements. Program staff remark that the children greatly enjoy the computer work they do, and at any given time, you can see children sitting together, helping one another with various math and reading games, fostering an atmosphere of teamwork and cooperation.
There is amazing work being accomplished through the WIZ Kids program at all six of CHW’s daycare centres, and the growth shown by these young learners is truly remarkable. This venture continues to bring added value with enriching experiences offered at CHW’s daycare centres in Israel.