Education is the cornerstone of success and it begins in early childhood with the first portal of learning – The Pre-School. If statistics are any index, then ninety percent of the human brain is developed by the age of three years and near complete development has occurred by the age of five years – which makes preschool the most impressionable of all the learning institutes that the growing child would attend in the years to come! THE CONVENTIONAL MODE
In the not-so-recent past, it was simple and effective to put a child in preschool – all it entailed was consulting the directory and calling the school closest to home and the child was admitted! The perceived needs of the parents were limited to: A safe, secure and warm classroom environment for the budding child
The focus expected being primarily academics
Logistically, the school needed to be close to the home and convenient to attend
The changing times have witnessed exponential increases in both the number of preschools and the expectations of the parents per se.
THE ENHANCED LEARNING CURVE
Present day parents are more discerning and aware considering that preschools play such an important role in development – the expectations are high and the perceived needs of the parents are more spatial than ever before. The new age expectations from a preschool are more than a safe and mere academic institution. The expectations from the modern day preschool need to encompass some or more of the following:
An institution which could inculcate spatial personality development Preschools with a reputation and a prestigious name
Aligned to the perceived needs of the parents – be it religious or values driven
Availability in synchronicity with the work schedules of the parent(s)
The Curriculum – well-structured or play-based method depending on the preferences of parents
Feedback – present day decisions are strongly driven by feedback – even more so for preschools considering it is important to assimilate and analyze the real time experiences of parents and children
THE OPTIONS
The present day Preschools could well be demarcated:
The traditional half –day school program being in alignment with those not wanting to overburden the child very early in life
A school with a full-day program - as in a state-sponsored program which would predictably be the option of choice if both parents or single parents work all day
The religious school environs could well be need of offering a non-secular environment
Discerning parents then would address this critical decision conscientiously, considering that it entails enormous planning and judicious decision-making which invariably begins with identification of preschools, followed by an in–depth researching of facilities and track record of the institutions – moderated by the feedback of others and finally conclude based on the personal real time visit perceptions before making the decision.
How to choose your next pre-school Where do you start to go about choosing a pre-school for your child? Being a parent allows you to know more about your child needs and comforts. You have to make sure that the pre-school you choose meets individual needs of your child. As a parent you should do a research about your local pre-schools, invest some time investigating the information about the potential child care. If you find an adequate match for you and your child, it will provide a secure and happy environment for your child, and give you a sense of security and peacefulness as well. There are two types of child care and preschools are available: the child chare centers, or pre-schools, and family daycare homes. •Your search can begin on the internet by using your local area pre-school cities. You can also use some reputable web sites, like greatschools.com to read about the schools, information, and parent’s reviews. The parent’s reviews can be really helpful before selecting a child care for your child. •You can obtain a list of licensed pre-schools through your local licensing bureau in your state. Or you can use a local, non-profit child care matching services organization that will help you to find a school near you that has all the credentials and information about preschools. http://www.abclittleschool.com/sherman-oaks/ •Another very practical way of learning and choosing a pre-school is to talk to your friends, neighbors and co-workers who already have their children in these pre-schools. You will be surprised how much information you can get from parents, after all they want the same things you do for your child. •Most of schools today do provide before and after school programs, since most of parents who take their kids to school are working. If the school doesn’t provide that extra time, you can always ask for suggestions about getting a suitable person for your child. This information can be available through other parents or teachers as well. The nest step is to evaluate and inspect the pre-school. •Find out the cost, to make sure it is affordable for your family. •Accessibility to school. The location of the pre-school should either be close to home or to the place of work. Depends on what would be the best and the fastest way to get to school. http://www.abclittleschool.com/burbank/ •Dependability of the school. You need to make sure that the school is flexible if you need it. •Regular and steady caregiver at school. So that you child feels secure about the teacher/care giver who is constantly the same (not changing all the time) •Visit the school premises, talk to parents of the kids who already enrolled in this pre-school. Possibly the ones who had being enrolled for a while. Also, once you satisfied with your choice of pre-school, make sure to make your child’s transition to new day care as easy and as comfortable as possible. You can talk to your child about the school, be cheerful and try to make them anticipate going to pre-school. If you time allows, spend some time at school for the first couple of weeks, so that your child feels more comfortable. It is also important to share all the personal information about the needs, your child interests and personality, to make it easier for the teachers to get to know your child.
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Jacqueline Courtiol has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Schooling, Baby Shower and Parenting. Jacqueline Courtiol, M.A. Ed. is a teacher, mother and business owner. Jacqueline has authored numerous articles on topics of childcare, natural health, parenting and pregnancy. She is also the co-developer of Colic Calm, a natural homeopathic treatment f. Jacqueline Courtiol's top article generates over 5400 views. Bookmark Jacqueline Courtiol to your Favourites.
Tanya Wiseman has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Schooling, Online Dating and Home Management. Tanya is the Teacher's Aid with Sherman Oaks Elementary School for kidsPublishing Help by:. Tanya Wiseman's top article generates over 5400 views. Bookmark Tanya Wiseman to your Favourites.