The Preschool Approach At Home

The Preschool Approach At Home

While recently doing some research on the preschool learning and preschool homeschool curriculum, and what type of preschool activities would create a positive self motivation preschool learning environment for the homeschool, I came across some ideas that are so simple it was almost embarrassing that I had to discover this through my ‘research’ time.

When one preschool teacher was asked ‘what is the one preschool teaching tool or tools in your classroom that you could not do without? She answered real life stuff. Pots and pans, staplers, hole punchers, anything around the house that will provide real life experiences for preschool activities.

Think about it…. Every thing you need for your homeschool preschool is just around the corner at a yard sale! If your going to teach preschool homeschool your classroom should be set up like a real life home. Imagine that. A real life home environment for the preschool child, and you did it. Can you teach that way? Of course, you can.

You probably already have, and do allow your child time to play, read, run outdoors, and discover the world on their travels. And you do so in a loving environment.

What you provide will far exceed what is provided for in a public preschool learning environment.

You are the best teacher the child will ever have and your home is the best leaning environment for the preschooler. You certainly don’t need to spend vast amounts of money equipping your home for preschool activities. As mentioned earlier, thrift stores and yard sales can provide more than you could ever use.

Also remember, real life experiences. Let the child help you bake, do laundry, and other household experiences. They all offer visual, hands on, and subtle problem solving. And you thought homeschool preschool would require a classroom setting.

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How To Choose a Preschool

How To Choose a Preschool

Choosing a preschool for your child requires knowing what you want in a preschool and then asking questions to see if the schools in your town match what you are looking for.

There are many philosophies on working with toddlers. Some programs offer academic curriculums and some don’t. Some offer a pre reading program and some don’t. Some offer a lot of social opportunities and some don’t.

So what questions can you ask to see if the program offered is a match for you?

Let’s start with the hours of the school. Some schools open as early as 7:00 a.m. for before school care and some school open at 9:00 a.m. when the preschool day begins. If you need to be at work at 8:00 a.m. then you’ll first need to narrow your choices to those schools that offer before school care.

It is my suggestion that you visit the school without your child. Speak to the director of the school and ask what the best time of day is to visit. You’ll learn more by visiting during indoor time versus outdoor time.

Most schools have a rough time schedule of what the kids do while at school. Does this time table fit what you hoped to have for your child? My children went to two different schools. My older daughter needed more structure. At the school she went to, the kids moved from class to class. One class was manipulatives such as puzzles, while another room had dress up clothes and yet another room held art supplies. Finally, the last room was what I called the academic room. You could find letters and numbers and books in this room. This system worked wonderfully for her.

My other daughter went to a school where academics were non existent, but socialization was constant. This very much fit the child she was and met both her needs and my needs.

So, it’s very possible to find a good school with a great program, but have it not be the right fit for your child.

I also suggest meeting with a kindergarten teacher when making your choice to find out what the kindergarten teacher at YOUR school hopes to see when your child enters the kindergarten classroom on day one.

Here are some questions you can ask when visiting:

1. Do you teach reading and writing at all? Please remember, there is not a right or wrong answer. You, as a parent need to know whether this is important to you. As I mentioned, for one of my daughters it was quite important and for the other child, it was not at all on my list of what was important.

2. What is the adult/child ratio the school tries to maintain? Every state dictates what the state requires, but all schools have their own set of guidelines within the state system. My older daughter was in a school that did not use teacher’s aides. However they kept the classes small. My younger daughter was in a school that utilized teacher’s aides and so the ratio was very small like 3:1, even though the state allowed a much higher ratio. With more children in the class, there is also more opportunity for playmates.

3. What is the sick child policy? Every school has a different sick child policy. As a mom, I did not want my kids around sick kids all the time. On the other hand, I knew if my child had a runny nose, I’d probably be called to come pick her up.

4. How often are new toys bought and how often are old toys thrown out? This was important to me, both because of safety but also the longer a toy is in circulation the more germs live on it. At some point, the dirt just doesn’t wash off anymore. Also, times change and new toys come out on the market. In addition, when dealing with items like puzzles, pieces will disappear. I wanted my child to be able to complete the puzzle, not have one piece missing.

5. What is the communication system between the school and the parent? Some schools send home a monthly calendar of the upcoming month, while some schools send out a letter on Friday that sums up the week in review. Most schools have conferences. Moms like to hear how wonderful their preschooler is. If the school detects what they believe might be a problem such as hearing, speech, sight, or even a behavioral problem, what is their method of informing you?

6. How are the children separated? Is it by age? Are there multiage classrooms? Does the system this school uses for developing classes meet your needs and the needs of your child? Every child is different. My older daughter did best with kids her own age. My younger daughter did great with kids of many ages.

7. What are the food rules at this school? Do children bring their own lunch? Are snacks served? Is the school peanut free? Some preschools choose to be peanut free to accommodate children who have peanut allergies. Are hot lunches served? If so, ask for a month long menu to see what foods are offered.

Without your child, it’s important for you to observe a class. Do the children interact with each other and with the adults? Do the children play both alone and with others? Are you seeing activities and toys that allow the child to be unique and creative? Or is every child told to make the same color flower? Children are children. If you see two kids argue, how does the teacher solve the problem? How large are the classrooms? Is there enough space for different children to be playing with different items? For example is there space for two girls to play dress up while two boys build a train track? Where are the bathrooms in relation to the classroom?

Plan to visit the school during drop off time. Are kids eagerly running to their classrooms or are most kids unhappy to be there?
If you feel the school matches what you want, ask if you can bring your child for one day. Most schools will allow a test day. If your child is happy, you’ve just found the right school to enroll your child in.

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Preschool Education In USA - Emerging Trends And Implications For Future

Preschool Education In USA - Emerging Trends And Implications For Future

Early childcare and education is now universally regarded as an important component of basic education. The World Conference on Education for All held in March 1990 at Jomtien, Thailand promoted the idea that "Learning begins at birth". According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNICEF, proper early childhood programs can produce more agile minds, better school attendance, lower repetition and dropout rates and stronger academic skills. And at a time, when most parents are increasingly finding it difficult to spend adequate time with their children in USA, playschools or preschools in USA, by providing early childhood care and education, have come to play a very significant role in the proper development of skills and ethics of the future American citizens. Therefore, it is very important to take stock of the emerging trends in the preschool education of USA and analyze the implications they bear for the future.

Preschool Education in USA:
United States of America has a federal structure and education is primarily a State and local responsibility. This is reflected well in the expenditure pattern on America's education. While the local communities, private organizations and State agencies contribute more than ninety percent of education budget; federal expenditure generally remains below ten percent. States and communities, as well as public and private organizations of all kinds are involved in establishing schools and colleges, develop curricula, and determine requirements for enrollment in educational institutes of USA.

Emerging trends in Preschool education of USA:
While, by allowing private players to provide elementary education, a healthy competition is sought to be promoted among the playschools in USA, the government is also taking some measures to make preschool education available for all. In order to make early childhood education and care available for the disadvantaged section of American society, the U.S department of education sets aside the Title-I grants. Moreover, the Early Reading First program, established in the No Child Left Behind Act, provides competitive grants to school districts and pre-school programs, such as Head Start centers. The grants fund the development of model programs to support the school readiness of preschool-aged children, particularly those from low-income families. In order to make the children with disabilities succeed in their life, the Special Education Preschool Grants and State Grants program are constituted. They would provide formula grants to states to make quality preschool education in USA available for the 3- to 5-year-old children with disabilities. Thus, while several preschools in USA are making profit by taking care of the young children, some measures are also being taken to make quality early child care available to the marginalized sections of the society as the Bush administration has promoted the "Good Start, Grow Smart" policy when it comes to preschool education in USA. However, all is not hunky-dory when we look at the state of preschool education in USA and despite all the efforts to provide quality preschool education to all, preschool fees in several parts of USA have gone sky high. According to the Forbes magazine, the admission fee in some of the preschools has crossed $30,000. The admission fee in New York's Ethical Culture Fieldstone School has gone up to $ 30, 440. Another preschool in New York, bank Street charges $ 27, 450 and the Center for Early Education in Los Angels charges $ 15, 400. This rising admission cost of preschools in USA paints a picture of preschool education in USA that is in sharp contrast to the European model where most countries prefer to provide state sponsored free quality preschool education.

Conclusion:
While competition among the preschools to provide best facilities and education cannot be dubbed as bad, a check on the rising cost of preschool education in some of the preschools in USA would definitely help driving away feelings of alienation from the various sections of American population and help in producing quality human capital for the nation.

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Free Preschool Lesson Plans For Making Music With Your Preschooler

Free Preschool Lesson Plans For Making Music With Your Preschooler

Here are some free preschool lesson plans for making music with your preschool class or your own preschoolers at home. These are very simple, and will introduce your preschooler to listening and thinking about music.

These activities will help your preschoolers learn:

-To listen for the difference between loud sounds and soft sounds
-To identify how sounds are the same or different
-Different ways they can create music with their own voices.

Now, onto the fun!

1. What's making that sound? Look around your home and collect items like marbles, bells, pencils, paperclips, and other small items. Put one item in a small box and shake it around. Ask your preschooler what they think is in the box. Does it make a soft or a loud sound?

2. Make your own rock band! Go outside and collect rocks of different sizes. Your preschoolers might even enjoy helping you with this. Then pick up various rocks and bang them together, one pair at a time. Ask your preschoolers if they can tell you if the sounds the different rocks make are the same or different. If they are different, how are they different?

3. No talking allowed! Play a game with your preschoolers where they have to talk to each other by singing their words instead of speaking. For some reason, this game reminds me of a scene in the movie Finding Nemo, where Dory was "talking" to the whale. If your preschoolers are familiar with the movie, you might use that as an example of how to sing words instead of speak them.

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Teaching Preschoolers How To Choose Healthy Food

Teaching Preschoolers How To Choose Healthy Food

Preschool nutritional programs emphasize the importance of healthy eating by combining all food groups in a daily menu plan. Teaching children the importance of a healthy eating plan as a child will guarantee that they acquire good eating habits that will last a entire life.
Establishing healthy eating habits for children includes modeling their eating habits at home so that when they enter the school environment, they can make healthy selections.

The guidelines for teaching kids a healthy eating plan should include:
*Children should ingest a variety of foods. Each of the 5 major food groups contributes specific nutrients that are necessary for children’s growth and development.

* Teach little ones to balance the kinds of food they eat to maintain a healthy weight and a healthy body

*Teach children moderation in the amounts and kinds of foods they consume. Eating foods high in fat content or consuming too many sugary snacks should be limited.

You can determine the amount of food from each food group that is right for little ones depending on their age. The USDA has specific guidelines for little ones from the age of 2-8.

Finding a healthy eating plan for your child will include selections from each of the five food groups. These recommendations are based on the guidelines from the USDA food pyramid.

1) Bread and Grains: 6 servings a day

These foods provide energy for activity and growth. Little ones should ingest some whole grain items. At least half of the grains eaten should be in the form of whole-grain cereals and sandwiches prepared with whole wheat bread. Check the ingredients on the product label to make sure that the product is in fact made with "whole wheat."

2) Milk & Milk Products: 3-4 servings a day

These products provide needed calcium for stong teeth and bones. Little ones from 2 to 8 years of age should ingest 2 cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or its equivalent in milk products.

3) Fruits - 2 servings per day

The amount of fruits little ones should eat is determined by their calorie needs. But the base requirement as outlined in the food pyramid for this age group is a minimum of 2 fruit servings per day.

4) Vegetables – 3 servings a day
Veggies provide the vital nutrients and minerals to protect eyesight and the body's immune system.

5) Meats, Beans & Nuts: 2 servings per day

Meats, beans & nuts provide protein and iron to form muscles.

After the age of two, the little one's diet should limit the types of fat and salt they consume. Caregivers should limit the consumption of high saturated fats or salt (sodium) in the diet to reduce the risk of high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Total fat intake should be limited to 30 and 35 percent of calories for children ages 2 to 3 years, and between 25 and 35 percent of calories for children and adolescents from the age of 4 to 18.

Most fats should come from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.

Limit the number and amount of sugary snacks your child is eating. Sugary snacks containweight problems and cavities.

Replace sugary snacks with healthy snacks like fruits, veggies, and whole grains which are all good choices.


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