Take-off with Effective Early Learning

What is a Preschool Program?

• Preschool is a exactly what the name entails: it's a schooling or educational system that caters to children before the age of 5 or 6. It starts as early as the age of 3 and can go up to the age of six, right before your child enters a full-time school program (Kindergarten to Grade 12; private, public, charter, or home-school).
• Some preschool programs are full-time from morning to evening and some only run up to noon. It all depends on your child's needs and your personal schedule.
• A preschool curriculum is either based on a pre-designed research program or it is designed by teachers/coordinators at the preschool.
• Most of the preschool programs are based on seasonal and/or monthly themes. This helps your child identify and relate their learning to real-life (i.e. in the winter time, your child will learn about snow, cold, winter animals, etc.).
• Parents have the option of providing preschool at home or sending their child to a private/public preschool program.
• Benefits of Preschool:
• While in Preschool, your child will learn social, emotional, physical, and intellectual skills to succeed in their school years.
• Early learning in Preschool helps to prepare your child for school and beyond.

Preschool at Home - Studies show that children aged 0-5 should spend as much time at home as they can, with their parents for a healthy body and mind development. Separation at an early age may cause anxiety which leads to frustration, boredom and lack of interest in learning. While your child's at home, you can take the curriculum at your own pace and cater to your child's needs. After all, who knows your child better than you: the Parent. We have watched them grow, helped them walk, fed them, changed their diapers, potty-trained them, taught them life skills and values, and much more. We have watched them experience a wide range of emotions from scared, anxious, angry, sad, frustrated, happy, energetic to excited. We have watched them fall, then get back up and we have been there to lend them a hand all the way. Anyways, the best at-home Preschool program is designed by an educated or informed parent (someone who has read, researched, planned, and/or attended professional development classes). Why did I use such specific terms? Being a teacher, I understand the UTTER IMPORTANCE of teaching content that is well-planned and has been looked at from all point of views before presented to my students. Personally, I love my career and take my parenting just as seriously. As my son's teacher, I bring my enthusiasm and passion of certain subjects into our Preschool program. For example, my love of literacy is something that he has picked up as well. He listens, reads, shares, talks, discusses, inquires, and shows a keen interest in everything. Overall, my point is that a learning program at home should have a sense of direction, even if it changes and grows in only one category. Take your time and be the best you can be for them!  

Private/Public Preschool programs have many benefits and some disadvantages as well. A good preschool program will be based on a solid research-based programming and teaching/learning. Their staff will be trained in the research-based programming. The preschool center will have toys and learning resources that cater to their visions or objectives. You can be sure that your child will go to school on specific days with a specific schedule. This will allow you to have some time off or start work professionally. The major cons with private/public preschool programs is the quality of programming and the ratio of teacher versus children in a classroom. In an ideal scenario, the ratio of 1 teacher to 10 students is recommended. But that is not always the case. The preschool classrooms sometimes end up having around 20+ kids with only one classroom teacher to supervise them and several part-time assistants (if they have the budget for that and most of these assistants are not trained according to the program's visions). This in my opinion is not the ideal scenario for a parent to send their child to for their first experience of a social learning environment. But some of us are trapped with the pressure of expenses and ever-rising prices of housing, groceries, bills, etc. Most parents cannot afford the financial commitment of sending their kids to private preschools or to school them at home. That's why it is equally important to be prepared when choosing the right preschool program for your child.

There are tons of articles and directories that list the names of best or worst preschool programs on the internet. But your best bet is to do your own research. You can start off by setting up an appointment or a trial period for your child to try out various preschools. This will give you a chance to observe how he/she may react to the preschool programs. You can also talk to the teachers and other parents about specific questions or concerns. Fairly, this will give you much to consider when choosing the right preschool programs for your child. If you don't feel comfortable then it is important to have a list of preschool in your desired neighborhood ready. If you are uncertain about taking your child to different preschools, then the parents will have to go on their own before choosing the right one for your child to try out.

© Everything Family Guide

Below is a FREEBIE that I have adapted for my preschooler's learning at home. It is designed for a 3 or 4 year old child, who is getting ready to transition into a Kindergarten program in the upcoming year(s). The theory is based on the Prekindergarten Prepares website. This schedule is pretty basic and can be applied to any preschool program at home.

I hope you like it!
Annie