The first seven years of a child’s life are called the formative years, and it is from the age of 2-5 years old that a child should be introduced to learning, which takes the form of a pre-school program. Of course, there are many learning institutions that offer pre-school programs, and with that in mind, here are a few of the essential aspects that a good pre-school program would include.
Understanding the Learning Process
Whether you are looking for a preschool in Bangkok, or any other city, focus on institutions that have a comprehensive understanding of the learning process. Early years education should never be teaching focused, rather understanding how learning is best achieved, and an effective early learning curriculum would incorporate art, movement, story-telling and other fun-based activities.
Multiple Learning Strategies
From the age of 2-5, children can learn through a number of strategies, which would include the prime 3 learning areas of:
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development.
- Physical Development.
- Communication and Language.
Take the British Early Years Foundation Stage (BEYFS) for example, which is a play-based framework that allows each child to develop at their own pace and in their own way. This program focuses on developing critical skills that will provide the perfect foundation for further learning, and each child is recognised as being unique in their make up.
Essential Parent-Teacher Communication
A good preschool would have an effective communication system for both parents and teachers to use, which ensures that the child’s development is across the board, and with daily contact, any issues will quickly be identified. The system might utilise the school website, where parents have usernames and passwords and can add their input to their child’s folder on a daily basis. If the parent collects their child from school, they should spend some time talking with the carers about their child’s overall development, and with consistent behaviour from both parties, the child will have positive reinforcement.
The Right Kind of Learning Environment
Young children should be surrounded by their own work, and fun-based learning resources should be evident and freely available, should a child wish to engage. Fostering positive relationships with their peers and teachers should be a major objective, as this helps to build strong and independent learners.
Qualified Staff
The carers of preschool children should be qualified and understand the needs of the children in their care, and leading by example is a very effective way to help children develop positive characteristics. Each child is very much unique and not all children learn at the same pace, and with qualified carers who fully understand how to encourage positive development in all areas, your child will develop into a well-balanced learner who is equipped to succeed in the following 12 years of formal education.
If a school website looks promising and they take the time to explain how they see early learning, the next step is to pay the school a visit, where you can observe some activities and have an opportunity to talk to the school principal, and if you’re happy about what you see, you can proceed with some confidence that your child will receive the essential support as they move through their formative years.
