Science Is Important In a Preschool

The "s" for "science" is left out in the pursuit of the "3 R's" (e.g., "reading, writing, and 'rithmetic") as the foundation for an early childhood education curriculum. However, science is invaluable in education, especially in the daycare and preschool years. Science is more than just learning chemical equations and memorizing the bones of the body. It can also form a foundation for a richer understanding of the world and other subjects.

How Young Children Learn

Children in preschool learn best from experience, not from lectures. Early childhood education specialists agree that a hands-on approach to learning is more effective in this age group. Children are still developing their own verbal skills and usually can't associate words with concepts unless they are actually demonstrated. Rather than being told something, they should be shown something, or even better yet, allowed to do it on their own. By allowing them sensory input while receiving verbal instruction, young children can interconnect things in their own way.

Science is Everywhere

Adults forget that children start out with a blank slate. To them the world is a vast science laboratory, where everything is a new experience. Every experience they have is a chance for them to learn a new concept. By growing a lima bean in a cup, a child can understand multiple things at once. They learn that light, air and water are needed for growth, demonstrating the relationship things have with their environment. It takes days for things to grow, showing the passage of time, counting and measuring, and encouraging patience. By giving their feedback, kids learn to verbalize their thoughts, describe events and compare them to others.

Repetition and Learning

It takes more than one session with a preschool child for them to understand a concept. Science dovetails neatly with this fact by expressing the same concept in several ways. Children love repetition, because repetition is reinforcement. Every time a child hears the same story or repeats the same kind of experience they learn something new. For example, a weeklong program on light and color might begin with putting food dye into and onto things and end with mixing paint colors. The child might think the first lesson "magical," but by the final lesson, they can usually predict what will take place.

How to Integrate Science

There are many ways to integrate science into an otherwise dry curriculum, especially in early childhood. Preschool kids love to get involved and they learn better this way. For instance, in a math lesson about measurement the children can learn to measure out different substances (rice, sand, water). They will see how, although they all take up the same amount of space, they have different physical characteristics and properties. On the other hand, in an ongoing lesson about growth and change the children can discuss and note the various changes their caterpillar is undergoing, bonding the verbal, written and science realms together.

Making Science Accessible

Getting science and discovery into a preschool or daycare lesson plan is simple and inexpensive. Lessons can be changed into rich, sensory experiences with some planning and supplies. Sand, beans, rice, food dye, magnifying glasses, plastic cups, potting soil, flashlights, string, building blocks, etc. can be hoarded cheaply or via donations from parents. Practically anything can be used as a tool for a science experiment or demonstration with a lesson. By being allowed to do new things and experience the results of their actions, children form rich mental representations of non-verbal concepts.

Science is all around us, and preschool-aged children want to explore it. By captivating their attention and including their senses, children can gain more from their lessons in areas other than just science. A well-rounded early childhood development curriculum will have science and exploration prominently placed, ensuring faster and better-rounded learning.

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Strategies on Early Childhood and Development During the Preschool Years

What is the importance of a preschool education?

A great preschool education is essential for the development during early childhood. Thinking skills which will be necessary for the child's entire life are developed during this phase of their lives. Research has shown that one of the factors for an adult not being able to think "ahead" and see certain consequences in situations is a lack of adequate learning activities in their early childhood years. Many adults make wrong decisions simply because of a lack of capacity to look beyond the immediate situation. They affect other people negatively around them because of their unthoughtful actions. "Grown ups" that have these problems usually didn't have these learning opportunities in their early childhood. Educational experiences in preschool help develop logical thinking skills that will be used in many situations in adulthood.

It's important to know the difference between how younger and older children learn.

Teaching small children is very different from teaching older children. Many adults who don't understand how small children think, feel frustrated when they can't relate to them. This is due to the fact that little kids have not yet had the experiences to be able to develop connections between their thoughts and organize them better. Older children have already developed their ability to interlink and relate thoughts because they have experienced many things and have been able to develop language. They have understood how one thing affects another. This is why early childhood education has to be taught differently from children of other ages.

Younger children learn best starting with concrete objects.

The ability to see beyond and understand consequences is a cognitive ability that needs to be developed. The foundation to develop this capacity later on in life is laid down in preschool. Children do not understand things like adults do. They need be able to first relate to the concrete. When children play with various physical objects and are stimulated in their thinking, they are able to understand cause and effect, spatial relationships, and classifications. Adequate preschool activities also stimulate various abilities such as creativity and language skills.

"Lectures" are not the best strategy for teaching preschool kids.

Small children do not yet have the cognitive skills to benefit from lectures. Their attention span is very short. And they don't yet have their language developed to be able to accompany a long "teaching time". Traditional "sit there and listen to me speak" kind of classes will not be positive for any child in their early developmental phases. There is a time to explain things and "teach" but it definitely can not take more than 15 minutes when kids are very young.

Using adequate age appropriate learning activities are essential for early childhood development.

A great way to develop thinking skills and other cognitive abilities in children is to provide many positive and fun learning activities. Games and hands on experiences will benefit them the most.

Here is a list of some positive learning experiences for young kids:

• creating sculptures with playdough
• playing in the sand
• building blocks
• putting puzzles together
• painting
• cut and glue activities
• playing memory games
• miniature toys
• kitchen play
• listening to a short story
• puppetry

By understanding how a small child thinks, teachers and parents can adapt their teaching to the preschool age. Much more can be accomplished in the developmental growth of preschool children.


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Montessori Preschool - What Sets the Standard?

The Montessori Preschool program is committed to keeping their promise to promote the learning methods that Maria Montessori established nearly a century ago. However, while a school can say they follow the Montessori dogma, they may not be as close a follower as you may think. So how do you choose which one is the best Montessori school for your preschooler? You must make sure to find out whether or not they are accredited and that they have the authority to claim that they are indeed a Montessori school.

The Montessori Method

One thing to consider is the fact that Montessori schools allow the child to pursue their education at their own pace and method, while traditional schools will force your child to adhere to a specific curriculum and criteria. If the school follows a definite curriculum that applies to all students, it is not a true Montessori school. Students that attend real Montessori schools are allowed to create their own school schedule and time allotment while traditional schools do the opposite.

The Benefits

Most Montessori schools have classrooms that allow children to have an environment where they are provided with several learning activities that they can choose from, in order to gain the necessary knowledge. They will actively be involved in their education as they work at their own pace and can learn what they want when they feel ready to do so.

A great difference in traditional and Montessori classrooms is that while normal classes include a teacher who teaches what they feel is necessary while the students slowly detach from the lesson, Montessori classes have teachers who are there to merely guide the student when they sway from their learning direction. While most traditional schools have a definite system for reward and punishment, Montessori schools let the child make rewards and punishments for themselves.

Finding the Right Preschool

Because these preschools are beginning to expand all over countries, some are starting to narrow down their basic goals to the point where each school is established for a different purpose or study of work than the Montessori Method. So how do you make sure that your preschooler is in the appropriate school for them?

Make it a point to find a school that is accredited, and that can show the proper documentation to prove they follow the Montessori Method of teaching and they follow the variety of learning and progression activities established for learning at Montessori schools.

Also be sure that the school is safe for your child by taking extensive care of students who enter. Once again, the teachers must show that they are not there to teach or enforce learning on a student, but are there to simply see that actual learning is taking place. At Montessori schools, your student should have the opportunity to learn whenever and however they can. So if there is any sign of certain rules and curriculum being applied to the class as a whole, it may not be the Montessori school you want for your child.

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Montessori Preschool Curriculum Choices and Benefits

Choosing a Montessori preschool curriculum is key to a successful educational program. Maria Montessori's teaching method encourages young children to develop a strong sense of individuality, responsibility, and promotes their natural strengths. When choosing a Montessori preschool curriculum it is important to ensure that the essential core elements of the program include Mathematics, Language Arts, Sensorial Activities, Cultural Awareness, and Practical Life skills.

The number one principle of Montessori education is that children retain best when they are involved in independent active play and learning. The Montessori preschool curriculum should allow for children to play independently, while the parent or teacher is the facilitator between the child and the curriculum.

Another wonderful benefit from choosing a Montessori preschool curriculum is that children are allowed to work at their own pace. This helps the child gain confidence as well as self-esteem- two important qualities that are developed through Montessori education. The Montessori educational method believes that all children have a natural desire for independence, creativity, and to achieve self esteem through mastering tasks. You will also find that Montessori curriculum is most effective when used with small group settings. This is easily obtained for those who are using the program at home with one child, but in the daycare or preschool settings where there are small groups of children, it will be beneficial to have children work individually.

The basics of Montessori encourage and foster independence. Therefore, most Montessori preschool curriculum choices will involve children working from one activity to the next. The teacher never forces a child to work or complete a task but is there to gently guide and oversee. The teacher will ask the child questions regarding which activities the child feels comfortable with and will offer their assistance if needed. By providing support and encouragement, the child will gain self-confidence and master skills according to their own time frame.

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A Preschool Curriculum Is Essential To Your Child's Early Childhood Development

Early involvement in preschool can have a huge impact on a child's development. It can help your child with anything from academics to social and physical success. As a result, a preschool curriculum that incorporates all aspects of early childhood development may be the greatest gift a parent can give a child.

Academics

Most people recognize the importance of a preschool curriculum that fosters language and literacy. In fact, those students who enter kindergarten with such skills are more likely to experience long-term success. However, the preschool curriculum must take into account early childhood development and make sure these skills are acquired through play and not drills.

Emotional Intelligence

Among the other necessary skills for a preschool-age child is the development of emotional intelligence. Children must learn to understand their emotions, to interpret the emotions of others, and to demonstrate empathy. This is critical to a child's ability to express him or herself appropriately. This could have serious implications later in life if not mastered in the early years.

Socialization

Another critical component of early childhood development is the mastery of socialization skills. As a result, a preschool curriculum must include exposure to group activities that help a child learn to negotiate, to compromise, and to share. Because schools require these skills, students are at risk of struggling later on, if they do not master them before the age of six.

Expectations for Student Behaviors

Children do not automatically know how to behave as students and need a preschool program that helps foster these skills. The curriculum should include learning to become self-motivated and to control one's actions. Simple things such as practicing raising hands, taking turns with each other, or even sharing the attention of the teacher can really prepare children to be successful students.

Physical

Most parents do not consider the nurturing of physical skills to be a necessary part of a preschool curriculum, but it is. First, children are becoming more inactive today, thus, encouragement to be physically active at a young age could have a lasting impact. Secondly, children do not automatically learn some motor skills, so teaching them how to skip or hop can help a child succeed in sports later.

Finding a preschool program that understands early childhood development maybe the best thing a parent can do for a child. The curriculum should incorporate the learning of academic skills, emotional and social skills, and even physical skills. However, above all else, make sure that it fosters a love of learning through play and exploration, as this will set the stage for the rest of your child's life.

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