Pre School and Play School Is No Longer Optional for Kids

As the school year gets under way, many parents of three and four years olds are considering if pre-school is in their child's future. While in many areas of the country kindergarten is the first step in the official education system, attending school early may be quietly required. No matter what the official stance is, experts agree, if pre-school is available, children should attend.

In years past, formal education began with kindergarten and even first grade in some cases. This is no longer the case. Kindergarten is more rigorous than ever. Kindergarteners are expected to know their letters and be able to count. They are also expected to be well on their way into being readers and writers. In addition, kindergarteners are expected to be able to sit still for formal instruction and understand the intricacies of school like raising their hands, taking turns, and not talking out of turn. All of these skills used to be taught in kindergarten.

Pre schools now teach all of these things and more. Many pre-schools begin working on the standards that kindergarteners must know. But something much more important happens in pre-school, children take their first steps towards independence.

Psychologists and other educational experts point to the important role going to school plays in the path toward personal independence for children. Being away from parents allows children to begin to find their own path and discover who they are. Working with other adults and children at this very young age begins giving them the confidence they need. Because pre-schools know this, for the most part the teachers and other adults at these programs are experts at nurturing this independence in very young children.

Research indicates that the effects of a good pre-school can last throughout a child's education and into adulthood. Programs like Head Start show increases in IQ, reduced grade repetition, increased likelihood of graduating from high school as well as going to and completing college. Additionally, because Head Start focuses on nutrition and healthy lifestyle, their students show better health throughout their lives. All of these things also lead to increased earning potential through their adult years as well.

Of course, for the majority of parents, the decision to send their baby to Play school is agonizing. It is hard to leave a small, crying child in the hands of a stranger. There are many cases where going to pre-school is not a good choice, particularly for children with health or other issues, but for the majority of children, pre-school can have benefits that significantly outweigh the painful separation that occurs at the beginning.

No matter what, parents should always carefully consider the needs of their individual child. The benefits of a standards-based program are not the same as what occurs at most day care providers. Parents should realize that baby sitting at day care is not the same.

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Created on Dec 31st 1969 18:00. Viewed 0 times.

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