Every country has its own development areas that education covers during the preschool ages. But, most of the systems integrate some common themes like knowing as well as understanding our world, listening, talking or communicating in general, social, personal and physical development, in addition to mathematical development or awareness. Choosing the preschool suitable for your child becomes essential in order for his/mind to be properly stimulated.
Preschool is designed for children between the ages of two to 5 years, in which during this stage of development they learn as well as assimilate information quite immediately. They lean about exploring and expressing their interests every time they discover something new.
Tips on Starting Preschool
Good schools are in high demand, so distinguished preschools will most likely have a long admission waiting list. Parents need to register their child’s name on the soonest possible time, and this may be as early as soon after his/her birth. Visit several preschools in order for you to be aware of their separate benefits and drawbacks. Ahead of visiting, talk with your kid and inform him or her about the reason for the visit.
It will be helpful if you can talk to parents whose children are already enrolled with the preschool that you are considering. You can ask if their kids are happy, what methodology does the school use, how do they maintain general hygiene, how are kids handled during an emergency, etc. A number of centers offer a free day or money-back guarantee, while others offer discounted rate during the first month.
When you are certain about the safety as well as the quality of the preschool, allow your child to have enough time to adjust to the program, people, and place. Initially, the child is probably going to resist because of the hesitation or else separation anxiety. However, he/she will be able to slowly get used to this new routine.
Ahead of sending your child to a preschool, identify all that he/she needs to bring as regards food, drinks, and personal items. Label the clothing as well as equipment with your child’s name to help avoid loss and confusion, which can upset the child. Be ready for accidents, and also pack some set of labeled clothing, so that your child can be comfortable in his/her own clothes.
Whenever parents work together with teachers, learning is easily achieved. So, parents must help teachers to understand their children by sharing with them information or insights about the child, as well as any concerns. Regular communication will be able to bridge the distance between the home and the preschool. Keep teachers informed about any changes in home situations like relocating to a new residence, death, birth of a sibling, divorce or hospitalization.
Parents must see to it that they attend preschool activities, as well as volunteer to help inside the classroom, because this reassures children that their parent are interested in their affairs.
The Zimmerman Preschool Program
As compared to traditional education, the Zimmerman preschool program, which adopts the Montessori approach, does not focus on some set of curriculum but is geared toward mastery, within an established schedule. Here, a child who is identified to be developmentally ready advances towards the next learning level. Not a single child is forced to move forward or held back in some group lesson. This is the reason why it isn’t unusual for children at the age of three to be readers, as well as four and five year-olds developing mathematical skills beyond the usual expectations.