Kindercramming
***
Less could mean more
Every January sees parents of preschool children worrying about what
the right preschool choice is for their child. Some preschool programmes
accept preschoolers as young as 2 1/2 while others require that your
preschooler be at least 4 years old at the beginning of the year.
What is the best choice to make for your child?
***
by Aditha Dissanayake
I confess I was a kindergarten drop out. I screamed my head off when
my father left me at the gates of the Montessori of the Sacred Heart
Convent, Galle, safe in the hands of white clad nuns.
I do not remember if they were kind to me or not, (they probably
were) but what I do remember is the relief I felt when my parents, after
a week of trying to cajole, bribe, command me to wake up early in the
morning to make me go to preschool, finally gave up and decided to leave
me to my own devices till I started my formal education.
Apparently this is the best that could have happened to me. Judging
by the latest research, those who are not forced into learning their
ABCs at an early age, those who do not graduate from kindergarten are
more likely to enter university and excel in their studies in the years
ahead.
The mantra here is that parents should not turn a child into a
super-confident jack of all trades before he or she can barely stand on
his or her chubby legs. According to Greg Duncan, social-policy expert
and the lead author of the latest issue of Development Psychology, "the
kind of skills that matter in affecting later learning are things
parents can pretty easily convey to their children in the home.
Most children are not ready to read until the age of five at the
earliest and hastening that process "not only makes no sense, socially
or emotionally, it makes no sense psychologically too".
Parents should be reminded that when their "doni" picks up a flash
card she is not reading. Though her preschool teacher who would probably
have a Certificate in Preschool Education and knows everything about
children from child psychology to health and nutrition, will explain
that this is called "paired associate learning', and make you feel
impressed, what it counts down to is the fact that, even pigeons can do
it.
The popular belief seems to be if your kids learn to read before
Grade one, it will ultimately help them get into university or find a
good job. Learning through play is out. More numbers and reading skills
the better. But is every preschooler ready for this kind of cramming?
"No", admits the Principal of a Preschool in Battaramulla who has
been running her school for over fifteen years. "All preschoolers are
different and what is best for one preschooler may or may not be the
best choice for another. As long as you are providing a stimulating home
environment and have plenty of quality time with your preschooler, the
age that they start attending a formal preschool education program does
not really matter."
If you have the time, home schooling is surely the best option. Your
child is sure to feel more comfortable learning from you, taking their
own time than being admitted to an outside preschool education program.
In this way you can have some quality time with your preschooler and
if you incorporate a lot of play into it, you and your preschooler are
bound to enjoy the time that you have together.
After all as Dr. Maria Montessori said, "There is no description, no
image in any book that is capable of replacing the sight of real trees
and all of the life to be found around them in a real forest".
Give your child the best possible gift of childhood. The chance to be
him/herself.
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