Why Preschool Education Is Important For Your Child

   

                                                      

We need to out-educate, out-innovate and out-build for our future generations." President Barack Obama

Deciding on a Preschool Education

I was one of those parents who was fortunate to be at home during my children's early formative years. I worked out of my home and traveled when our first son was young and we could take him with us while traveling. Once he turned three years of age, we decided to place him in a preschool which only met in the mornings and we chose three half days a week. We wanted our child to have a quality preschool education. While there was no primary emphasis on learning academic skills at this school, there was an emphasis on building the whole child; learning basic social skills in a group setting and having the opportunity to have a structured morning of songs, stories, outdoor activities, art, making snacks every Friday, and listening to different kinds of music and using musical instruments. They learned self-help skills, responsibility, and how to get their own snack and drink set out properly on the table. They each took turns with assigned jobs such as door holder, line leader, snack helper, calendar girl/boy, pet feeder and a few others that would change during the year.

The teacher had a degree in early childhood education and expected and gave respect to each student and parent. It worked somewhat like a co-op and we had to volunteer one morning a month. We then had to move because of reassignment with our company and ended up in upstate New York. We decided to put our son in a half-day preschool again in preparation for Kindergarten and I gave birth to our second son. The time my oldest was at school gave me time with my newborn. We did the same with our second son when he turned 4 placing him in preschool on a part-time basis. I believe those early years helped form their character and gave them a diverse experience of learning about others and adopting the social skills and structure that are necessary for a successful school career.

When my children were old enough to be on their own at home, I went back to work full time in the classroom as an early childhood educator. I have taught in both public and private school settings. I believe there are five primary, significant reasons why preschool is an important choice for the children and the parents.