Preschool - Does Your Child Need It?
Preschool teaching may seem a bit overwhelming at first, but if you are patient and take
your time with your child, you can find the time that you spend together to be a rewarding
experience for both of you. You don't need a degree to teach your preschooler, just love,
patience, guidance, and a few home based activities.
In order to make the right choice for your child you need to look at what a preschool program
should do for children. Ideally, preschool should help integrate children socially so they learn
about the rules and structures of society in general and school society in particular. In
addition, preschool helps students begin a foundation of academic knowledge including
literacy, numbers, and culture.
The actual content, focus, and structure of preschool programs varies widely from
community to community (and often even within communities) but most programs achieve
these two primary goals for students. However a parent can easily accomplish similar goals
without the confines of a specific preschool program.
Obviously many families need to arrange some type of day care for the preschool age
children and if this is the case then it often makes sense to combine day care and preschool.
Children who regularly attend day care programs with other children are less likely to need
the social aspects of a preschool education. They likely learned how to play with others, the
rules of sharing, and how to follow instructions and other key social lessons. Similarly
children who belong to a large family or live in a neighborhood where a group of children
regularly interact need less social education than children who do not regularly interact with
their peers. Parents can replicate these social situations by seeking out play groups and
community activities.
It is fairly easy to create a home preschool program for children. There are packaged
curriculums available for purchase, materials available from local libraries, and information
available on the internet. You can choose a program created entirely by someone else or
create your own individual program to suit you and your child. Some television programs
even offer additional material on the internet to supplement programming that would be
suitable for a homeschooling project.
A motivated parent can certainly create a quality preschool program for their child that
exceeds the results of any professional program. It is simply important to keep in mind your
primary goals. What do you want your child to learn? What skills do you want your child to
master? Do you simply want to prepare your child for kindergarten or do you have more
advanced goals in mind?
The right preschool program can definitely give children a head start on long-term
educational success, but not all programs are created equal and sometimes even a
wonderful preschool program isn't right for certain children. Some children may benefit more
from spending another year or two in a more nurturing atmosphere, such as home or a small
day care. When making the preschool decision it is important to consider the individual child
as well as the individual programs available. It is not a one-size-fits-all decision.
By taking the time to talk with your child, listening to your child, and encouraging your child
to ask questions, you are strengthening their ability to understand and grasp the world
around them. You should always make sure that you spend quality time with your child and
encourage them to explore their surroundings.
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