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Once again, it is that time of year when parents across the country begin the process of determining where their child will go to preschool next school year.
It can be a daunting task with so many things to consider for the care and development of your child. The choices are many, ranging from government programs, public schools, private preschools, daycare, and homecare.
In fact, the idea of the neighborhood facility is an ideal situation for most families.
However, today’s parents need to be informed consumers when dealing with the early education of children. Therefore, it is important to know what to look for when visiting centers. Early education has shown to make a significant difference in a child’s future educational success.
As parents, be observant when visiting potential centers. Notice if teachers are engaged and nurturing, consider the student/teacher ratio, is the environment inviting for children and review the daily schedule. Check if the children are engaged in teacher-lead activities and free choice activities. Also, look to see if they get plenty of time to play. During a child’s early educational years, play is the best activity for growth and development.
Play helps your child develop essential skills that will enhance their experience during their early education years. The ability to focus, have self-control and accept delay gratification is a problem that many children face. In today’s fast-paced lifestyle the lack of focus and instant gratification play major roles contributing to an environment that is intense and complex for children.
As an early childhood educator of over 30 years, I realize that we must provide opportunities to children to develop the ability to focus, a lifelong skill. An enriched environment and offering the opportunity to play are key in fostering this skill.
The ability to focus will strengthen their cognitive flexibility, their working memory, and their inhibitory control/self-control. This sounds like a big hurdle to have children accomplish, however, the beauty of it is that it can be pain free through the normal age-appropriate activities of playing. While playing a child needs to be able to direct attention, meet determined goals, tune off distractions, and stay on task. As parents and educators, we have many quality opportunities to facilitate this skill. A premium center will offer your child a caring and well-rounded experience.
Remember that electing the correct early learning center for your child should be one that meets all your expectations, meets your child’s needs, and gives you the “good feeling” from the first time you visit.
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is a large nonprofit organization in the U.S. that focuses on the well-being and education of preschool children. The organization’s standards and methods are highly recommended if you have any questions or concern, so visit them at www.naeyca.org.
Maria Caballero is director of Vanguard Children’s Academy.
For information, call Vanguard Children’s Academy 786-762-2244 or visit www.vcapreschool.com. The school is located at 924 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables, Fl 33134.
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