It is well-known within our community that upon entering the Early Childhood Center (ECC) you gain an extra bounce in your step! There are many reasons for this – the friendly guards at the entrance, the excited voices of teachers and children exploring and experimenting, the enchanting natural light guiding you around the textures and colors of this engaging campus – which all stem from the belief that the environment is the third teacher.

At Beijing City International School (BCIS) students' learning journeys are inspired by the world around them and empowered by their teachers and the BCIS community. In the ECC, our youngest learners learn through a play-based approach carefully facilitated by their teachers, allowing them to drive their own learning. The ECC campus was specifically designed with our youngest students' learning needs at the fore.

The environment acts as a stimulator, the element that aims to successfully engage the learner by triggering curiosity and wonder. Every component in their classrooms, common areas, playgrounds, rooftop garden, music and movement rooms are all intentional, purposeful and multi-purpose. The learning environment activates the students' senses and equips them with the skills and capabilities needed to succeed in a changeable future.

The third teacher extends further than the tangible environment, into the environment of opportunities. Our ECC students and YueCheng seniors from Golden Heights are equally fortunate to have each other to learn from and to share experiences during their frequent visits. The intergenerational connectedness the community reaps is another element of this wonderful learning environment for our students.