A well-rounded preschool programme will address not only the academic growth but also the complete development of the child. Here are four criterias to watch for as you select and visit a preschool programme.
Social and emotional development
When choosing a preschool, the quality of programmes varies considerably, so parents need to be mindful. Social and emotional development is just as important to children’s learning as their academic growth. For children with separation anxiety the first few days of attending a new school can be very stressful. Experienced teachers and assistants know how to distract a child and engage them in a fun activity.
Children love to play, yet they may not always want to follow the rules. Pay attention to guideline and discipline that are consistently enforced so that children easily learn how to take turns with toys and equipment.
Activities for two or more children which foster cooperation and problem solving are an important part of a preschool. Conducting team building activities among children can help them work on developing child’s teamwork skills. Not only do they learn to focus on a teacher but also take turns speaking with their friends.
When it comes to training up independent skills, children can take charge of their own learning when the environment is set up with choices. Through consistency in expectations, they begin to take care of their work, return activities to the shelf, feed themselves, clean up after snack time and wash their own hands etc.
In addition, good preschool teachers take care to protect the self-esteem of each and every child. Their approach to discipline is always positive, ike teaching the child the right way, or never making the child feel embarrassed over mistakes.
Most importantly, an excellent preschool promotes innovative strategies to develop empathy skills. Many children are learning the concept of how their behaviour affects others. A strong sense of compassion, empathy and role play can help children learn to work out conflicts and to understand the feelings of others.
Arts performance and language
Other aspects you have got to keep an eye for include arts performance and language. These are important components to all activities even during casual times, teachers expand upon the sentences of their students. Good teachers stimulate the children with imaginative play scenarios and learning experiences in an effort to expand the vocabulary of the child. Story Telling, book reading and story writing are of integral parts to a good language programme. Working with these types of tasks too early can cause the child undue stress and frustration.
Physical skills
Furthermore, good physical skills allow children to explore the world and help boost their cognitive development. Having good motor control and gross motor skills help children generate their surroundings, thus enhancing many other areas of development such as from the eyes to control, guide and direct the hands in the performance of a task.
Conceptual and pre-academic skills
Most pre-schoolers are also learning more conceptual and pre-academic skills at earlier ages in a natural way following their own interests and at their own speed. They have innate abilities and natural curiosity to learn everything around them, and good teachers know how to tap into this enthusiasm of each child.
Discovery Center School
Jalan Solo No. 9
Menteng, Central Jakarta, 12980
FB: Discovery Center Jakarta
IG: @discoverycenterjkt
Email: abcshang@rad.net.id
discoverycenter.co.id
