Should my toddler attend a preschool program?

Preschool Planning




The Children's Learning Center

                                     

By Meghan

Blog 1: Should my child attend a toddler preschool program?

February 28, 2011

When my daughter was born one of the first things my family discussed was the year she would graduate from college. After some calculations about the year she would meet the age requirement for first grade and years of schooling necessary to complete college, we concluded she would be in the Class of ’31! That seemed impossibly far into the future. There would be plenty of time to plan everything.

My husband and I had already made the decision that we wanted her to attend Seton Hill University Preschool. Since it is located on the university campus there will be many unique educational opportunities.

We thought it was too early to enroll her at birth. When she was about three months old I called for information about the program. Surprise! The class she would attend as a three and four year old, class of 2013, was almost full. We sent a deposit to enroll her, and decided to take a more aggressive approach in planning her preschool education before the age of three.

This fall my daughter will be of the appropriate age to attend a two year old toddler program. There is the option to just wait until 2013 to start the educationally centered program at Seton Hill University, but since that is two years from now should she just play at home? She is an only child, and being home does not seem to be the best choice.

Gathering information on early childhood learning seemed to be a place to begin. Early childhood experts including Jean Piaget have determined that there is an ideal age for age specific types of learning to take place. The toddler years just are as vital to the educational development of a child as any other year. Maria Montessori studies of early childhood indicate that there is a best time to learn each skill. It is a “method of seeing children as they really are and of creating environments which foster the fulfillment of their highest potential - spiritual, emotional, physical, and intellectual - as members of a family, the world community and the Cosmos. “ The correct program for the individual child can be a great beginning to education outside of the home.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, preschool plays a large role in later academic success. "Children in high quality preschools display better language, cognitive, and social skills than children who attend low quality programs.”  In an article on how to select a preschool Danielle Wood States ," They have longer attention spans, stronger social abilities, and better language and math skills well into their elementary school careers. In fact, 20 or 30 odd years after they've put down their wooden blocks and stepped away from the sand table, they're still reaping the benefits – they're more likely to graduate from high school, more likely to hold high paying jobs, even more likely to own their own house.

Of course I expect my daughter to have a high school and even a college diploma. I hope she will have a rewarding career, and a house of her own. So I want to help her achieve this goal any way possible. A good program for a toddler seems a way to start.

My daughter needs to be in a quality program that will allow her to:

• develop independence
• learn in a way appropriate for her age
• adapt to a classroom setting
•  Interact with children her age.

I am investigating types of programs and how to choose one. This information will be in my next blog. Of course there are the practical considerations - location, schedule and cost to consider in this research. Personal experiences and information from other parents who have already made or are making this choice for their two year old children will be also invaluable. If you have any ideas please share them with me.

Next Post - March 7, 2011