The Importance Of Preschool Education
Are you looking for the importance of preschool education?
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Don’t panic because in this article, you’ll learn the importance of preschool education as we progress.
What is Preschool Education?
A preschool, also known as nursery school, pre-primary school, or playschool, is an educational establishment.
Or it’s a learning space offering early childhood education to children before they begin compulsory education at primary school.
It may be publicly or privately operated and may be subsidized from public funds.
Pre-school can also be defined as an early childhood program in which children combine learning with play in a program run by professionally trained adults.
Children are most commonly enrolled in preschool between the ages of three and five, though those as young as two can attend some schools.
This is the first exercise in which children are separated from the comfort and secure zone of their parents.
Therefore, a Pre-School has to be a place that is a second home to the child.
However, this is the first place where children build their self-esteem.
Every child learns to communicate with his teachers and fellow students in the Pre School.
It is the right place for the child’s foundation for lifelong progress.
The skills and knowledge that the child develops in preschool have a great impact on the aptitude and attitude of the child later in life.
Research has shown that children taught at an early age usually have improved social skills, fewer behavioral problems, and better grades without special attention.
Self-confidence gained by learning in a playful manner adds to the personality development of the child.
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Features Of A Pre-School
Below are the features of a pre-school:
- A good head start for learning
- Teaching in a fun-filled way.
- Putting children on a path of lifelong learning.
- Development in language and mathematical skills.
- A great opportunity to develop social skills.
- Exposure to enhance communication skills.
Basic Facilities Provided By A Pre-School
- A neat and hygienic environment.
- Trained soft speaking teachers.
- Semi-skilled helpers.
- Colorful classrooms.
- Plenty of toys, bicycles, and block-building games.
- A rest corner in the classroom.
- Drawing black or green boards.
- Sandpits.
- Playground.
- Flashcards to identify letters, animals, vegetables, and colors.
- Close proximity from home.
- Good and safe transport facility.
- Good and clean toilets.
- Clean and filtered drinking water.
The Importance Of Preschool Education
Below is the importance of a pre-school:
- Socialization
- Great Academic Performance
- Love of Lifelong Learning
- Improved Self-Esteem and Confidence
- Better Attention Span
- Exposure to Diversity
- Provision Of STEM Skills
- Pre-School Helps A Child to Stay Active And Healthy
- It Boosts Creativity
1. Socialization
In sociology, socialization is the process of internalizing the norms and ideologies of society.
Socialization compromises both learning and teaching and is thus “the means by which social and cultural continuity are attained”.
It is strongly connected to developmental psychology.
Children who take part in early childhood education programs have improved social skills.
However, in a preschool setting, children learn crucial skills like listening, sharing, and taking turns with others.
In pre-school, teachers will use songs, games, stories, and more to teach children how to interact.
Play is a critical component of learning the social skills necessary to take children through life.
2. Great Academic Performance
Academic performance is the measurement of student achievement across various academic subjects.
Teachers and education officials typically measure achievement using classroom performance, graduation rates and results from standardized tests.
Data shows that children who participate in early childhood education perform better when they get kindergarten.
Children who had access to preschool before starting kindergarten perform better on math and reading.
There is a direct correlation between underperformance in school and children who stayed home with their parents.
3. Love of Lifelong Learning
Lifelong learning is the “ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated” pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons.
Therefore, it not only enhances social inclusion, active citizenship, and personal development, but also self-sustainability, as well as competitiveness and employability.
One benefit of early childhood education is that it builds a love of learning that lasts well past the preschool years.
Moreover, in preschool, children’s lessons are presented as fun games and activities.
Preschool helps them to discover all these new things about the world they’re living in.
4. Improved Self-Esteem and Confidence
When children attend preschool, they experience tons of positive reinforcement.
Preschool helps children to have positive interactions with their teachers and their classmates.
These early interactions build up the child’s self-esteem at an early age.
This confidence will carry them throughout life.
5. Better Attention Span
Attention span is the amount of time spent concentrating on a task before becoming distracted.
Distractibility occurs when attention is uncontrollably diverted to another activity or sensation.
Moreover, it’s the ability of a child to pay attention to the task at hand.
Once a child starts school, one of the most important things they need to succeed is having a developed concentration span.
If your child has trouble focusing in school, they will struggle to keep up and miss out on important information.
6. Exposure to Diversity
Learning about diversity is important because children need to learn to respect all people and understand that everyone is alike, but also different.
Moreover, learning about diversity can also affect their social and emotional development.
Children who attend early childhood education programs are exposed to more diversity in their lives.
In preschool, children are going to have the chance to interact with peers who are different from them.
However, the exposure a child gets in a preschool is beneficial and it plays a crucial role to the world.
7. Provision Of STEM Skills
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics is broad term used to group together these academic disciplines.
STEM is an approach to learning and development that integrates the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Through STEM, children develop key skills in problem-solving.
According to the National Institute of Early Education Research, children who attend a good pre-school have better pre-reading, Maths, and Science skills than those who did not go to a pre-school.
However, in preschool, children get an early exposure to Science, Technology, Math, and Engineering, also known as STEM.
Being exposed to STEM topics early can boost their STEM skills and critical thinking.
8. Pre-School Helps A Child to Stay Active And Healthy
When children attend a pre-school that emphasizes physical activity, they get to learn and stay active simultaneously.
They’ll have access to a structured outdoor time where they can play on the playground or run around and explore nature.
However, getting into the habit of being active at an early age is key to building healthy lifelong habits.
It is of great importance for a preschool to have plenty of things to attract the attention of their students.
9. It Boosts Creativity
One of the best things about pre-schools is giving kids lots of opportunities to get creative.
Another, significant part of preschool programs is exposure to music.
In pre-school, children get to sing, play instruments, and learn about sound at an early age.
Making music, clapping, dancing, and other fun activities can help develop children’s fine motor skills.
Singing songs can build the child’s brain and body coordination.
Conclusion on The Importance of Preschool Education
Preschool education helps in a child’s emotional, social, and personal growth and development.
Although a child learns how to talk while at home, in preschool continuous interaction and exposure with children of the same age group helps them to enhance their communication skills.
Moreover, this involves the translation of mental images to languages so that thoughts and knowledge be transformed into information.
I believe you now know the importance of preschool education?
If yes, please kindly drop your thoughts in the comment box below.
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