Preschool Observation

For many years, the uncertainty on what age a child should start school has been an ongoing problem. When the time comes, eventually parents need to send their children to school. Who doesn’t like a head start? Why not take advantage of the early opportunity? Parents sending their children to pre-k benefits them in being ahead in their academic skills for kindergarten and later on in their studies. Not only does these childrens studies improve but preschool promotes structure, socialization, and easier transitions. Although some may be stuck on the idea of keeping them at home until school is mandated, school curriculums are changing and only getting more advanced. In the end, the only ones affected are the children and their future. When entering preschool, starting off strong is key in the first few years of schooling due to the lack of familiarity for a child. Preparation for Kindergarten starts a year before, and what’s a better way to familiarize a child than starting in preschool? Preschool promotes recognition of letters and numbers instead of just memorizing the ABC’s and the “pointing-to-count” technique. Some parents believe their children know the numbers and letters when in reality they just memorized the order in which they fall in. In preschool children learn one or two letters out of order in the alphabet, and learn sets of numbers weekly. Holding a pencil to trace, learning how to write their names, and recognizing the title of a book are all lessons implemented in a preschool classroom. Science and history are also promoted.

Most children even catch on to rhyming patterns due to phonics. The Sydney Morning Herald stated that “ children who attend a high-quality early childhood program in the year before school are up to 40 percent ahead of their peers by the time they reach year three in primary school.” There is nothing wrong with learning at an early age, and keeping them at home isn't as beneficial. Being ahead is always better than falling behind. Preschool has lifetime effects. Promoting structure in a preschool is crucial. When having structure, students feel secure and have a relief of knowing when things happen in the typical school day. A structured environment aids children by learning order and organization, knowing what is expected of them and when, and developing self- discipline. According to Psychology Today, the source stated statistics that prove going to preschool develops structure for ongoing years. “At age 28, the adults who received preschool educations years before had significantly higher job prestige, earnings and socioeconomic status.” What children carry out in a preschool setting is carried out through life. In order for a healthy future, getting children to improve in social skills is necessary. Socialization skills are essential and are a big part in why parents want their children in preschool. Getting them to be social is another key lesson that they carry on during their lives. Once children begin attending school, they aren't just socializing with their family and the people they are familiar with and see on a daily basis.

Children begin to socialize amongst classmates, teachers, and school staff. A study that was examined for about twenty years shows that children who were more likely to 'share' or 'help' in preschool were also more likely to achieve higher education, and were employed with full-time jobs almost two decades later. Children learn all kinds of communication skills throughout their lives, but what they learn as a young child gives them the basis for future experiences as they attend school. No one of any age has an easy way of dealing with transitions. Most people can relate to being a young child dealing with a transition of home-life to school because it is something that the majority of the population has gone through. It is not pleasant for everyone to leave the comfort of their parents, or grandparents. Preschool is the foundation of their school-life. A quality preschool, from a very young age, can instill a sense of responsibility, accountability, and self-motivation that a child carries wherever they go. Students understand their responsibility is school, they are accountable for the work they do in the classroom, and have the self-motivation to participate in class when going from different grade levels. Children in preschool become accustomed to school Monday through Friday from the given time that they attend. It is easier for the children who had a school experience, such as preschool, than the ones going into kindergarten straight from a home setting. They are used to bookbags, cubbies, surrounding peers, and student-teacher relationships.

When dropping off a child for the first time to school, it confuses the young individual because they think that their parents stay in the class with them, because it is all they’ve known. They are entirely dependent on the fact that they are with their guardians all day on a daily basis. Not all children cry when starting school, however many do, and unfortunately it will happen in the beginning of preschool for some. Every child has their days. Once a few months pass, they become accustomed to school, have made friends, and are comfortable with their teacher. When going into kindergarten, kids who attended preschool already know what to expect the first day since they already experienced the home-to-school transition. Those who didn’t attend school before are in shock and take longer to get settled in and used to the ways of schooling. For most, they get excited for the years to come and starting a new school year. Transitioning is easier to cope with when knowing what you are dealing with, especially for these young children. Putting a child in school for the first time for a parent may seem frightful at first.

Most hesitate putting their child in school at an early age due to concerns of teachers being unable to getting children excited about learning, helping them build friendships, and promoting their wonder about the world by focusing more on alphabet recitation, writing numbers, letter sounds, and counting to 100. Due to preschools implementing academic structure, parents believe this results in kids being less creative, having less curiosity, and incapability to think critically. The curriculum which includes, “long” circle time, worksheets, and assessments are seemed to believe stressful on the children which causes the parents to back out of putting their children in a preschool. Although academics in a preschool are implemented, the creativity, curiosity, and critical thinking from children is never shut out. Preschools are well aware that self- expression is not shown through most academic activities. Teachers play an important role in creating classroom environments that stimulate critical, creative thinking and curiosity for children. Encouraging children to try new ideas through exploration to nurture creativity, curiosity, and critical thinking is a prime factor in their social, physical, and emotional development. Art, dress-up, and some science activities in the classroom have children engage, pretending to be a fairy dragon, or an astronaut fireman, a blob of paint represents their family, and doing easy science experiments has them learning while curiosity and critical thinking is implied. Imagination is key with children, and curiosity fades for too many children too quickly when they are rarely exposed to scenarios that trigger their imagination.

Experimenting with imaginative play, daydreaming, nap time to relax, and discovering children’s abilities to things that interest them are implemented in school. The classroom does not only involve ABC’S and one-two-three. The point of preschool is to include academics and fun for children to learn through themselves. When it comes to what parents think is a “long” circle time, worksheets, and assessments are actually beneficial. Circle time is a crucial part of a preschoolers day, and it is not more than thirty minutes, making it not actually very “long”. This is where they learn about shapes, colors, the alphabet, numbers, and the days and months of the year. Worksheets implement and improve fine motor skills. Assessments show the improvement of children throughout the school year, and how they progressed which is something parents should want to know. Preschool is the point where you really know what a child enjoys academically and what engages their creativity, curiosity, and critical thinking and all senses are promoted. Preschool is the starting foundation for a learning setting. It is not just limited to academics, but also structure, socialization, and easier transitions. Learning is not only about math, reading, science, and history. It is about learning mannerisms, expressing problems, and cooperating with people and environments that surround them. Preschool promotes developmental growth both physically and emotionally. With so many positive aspects, who wouldn't want their children in preschool? School is never a negative thing at any age. No one is ever too young to start learning and growing, and starting sooner is beneficial in any aspect. Age is not the factor; the child’s future is. 

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