Quality Preschool Tutoring in Austin, Texas
Early childhood is a time of major growth and development, both physically and mentally. Young children who attend preschool need a program of learning that meets their needs. When it comes to educational needs, a quality preschool should integrate some academic subjects into its curriculum so young children are introduced to basic concepts that will help them to understand more fully when they reach kindergarten and continue on their early academic journey.
The National Association for the Education of Young Children, (NAEYC) is a child care cneter accrediting organization that advocates for quality and excellence in early childhood education; their position regarding preschool curriculum states that it should be “thoughtfully planned, challenging, engaging, developmentally appropriate, culturally and linguistically responsive, comprehensive, and likely to promote positive outcomes for all young children.” To that end, lessons and activities across the curriculum should be created to include as many facets of this statement as possible. Development of a curriculum from this foundational position will help the majority of young children to be prepared for primary school and beyond. But what does this mean in terms of each subject area? Read on for a basic overview.
MATH AND SCIENCE
Preschool math and science curriculum is important for children to explore the world around them in a concrete way. Children in a quality preschool program should have the opportunity to learn to identify and use numbers; they should be introduced to counting. Further, they should be exposed to activities that encourage number recognition, sequencing, matching, sorting, etc. which can be accomplished via interaction with math resources like puzzles, pattern blocks, and scales. As for science, preschoolers should be offered hands-on activities that allow them to experiment; science topics that they might explore include magnetism, color and light, and sound.
READING
Quality preschools should incorporate a reading curriculum that allows children to learn and identify lettersand letter sounds. They should ensure that children are read to frequently, and that they have access to books and other reading materials. They should have a curriculum that encourages children to build their vocabularies, and helps them learn how to physically write basic things such as their names.
SOCIAL STUDIES
Well-developed preschool curriculums include social studies topics. In terms of early childhood education, social studies involves learning about the wide variety of world cultures and community environments. They allow young children to gain a greater understanding and awareness of what it means to be part of a community and the wider world by experiencing their school as a microcosm in which they participate by dealing with classroom and social issues.
THE ARTS
Preschool arts offerings are also important. A good arts curriculum is built by including time for children to sing and dance, to make art (e.g. painting, sculpting with clay, etc.), and to otherwise express themselves creatively. A quality arts curriculum provides a creative outlet for children (while also helping them develop and strengthen their fine motor skills).
Preschools can help children build an academic foundation, while encouraging them to become lifelong learners. A preschool with a quality curriculum can prepare children for the future. Early childhood education can nurture children as they grow.
Tots ‘N Tutors is a professional mobile tutoring company that offers support to students in pre-kindergarten through high school and college. Tots ‘N Tutors offers tailored tutoring sessions to any student in need of academic support. Our learning guides meet with students individually or in small groups, in person or virtually, to help with academics and other foundational skills like organization time management. Contact Tots ‘N Tutors today to discuss how we can help your child reach his or her goals.