Preschool programs are designed to provide young children with a variety of skills necessary for their transition into regular school. These programs focus on investigating, exploring, and expanding the mindset of children, creating a conducive environment filled with enjoyable activities while considering family expectations.
In addition to instilling values and good habits, preschool programs address behavioral issues in children. The quality of teachers is a crucial factor to consider when choosing a preschool program. These programs can be either publicly or privately operated, and the curriculum for preschoolers has long been a topic of debate.
The debate primarily revolves around the content and teaching methods employed. Advocates for an academic curriculum emphasize the development of fundamental skills, particularly language skills, numeracy, and structured activities aimed at achieving learning and developmental goals. However, critics globally express reservations about this approach and the education curriculum as a whole. They believe in a curriculum that supports a child’s overall development, encompassing health, emotional stability, physical growth, spiritual well-being, social skills, intellectual development, and the ability to communicate effectively with peers and parents.
Before entering school, a child should possess certain skills, including:
Social Skills: The ability to interact with new people, listen actively, and resolve conflicts with peers independently.
Language Skills: Proficiency in using a variety of words for communication, developing vocabulary, articulation, and writing abilities.
Attention to Detail: The capacity to observe new events or objects with curiosity, engage in simple activities, and pay attention to peers’ words.
Physical Abilities: Being comfortable with shapes and letters, showing a preference for writing with either the left or right hand, undressing before using the toilet, washing hands afterward, developing physical strength through jumping and hopping, and identifying appropriate food choices.
Cognitive Skills: Engaging in play with peers, participating in role-play and using props, conducting simple scientific experiments, understanding numbers and words and their quantitative relationships.
Creativity: Expressing creativity through drawings that incorporate people, animals, birds, and objects, and repeating complex sound patterns or melodies.
Problem-Solving: Developing problem-solving skills and the ability to shift attention between activities.
Adaptability: Adjusting to the behaviors of peers and learning to establish relationships.
Preschool programs primarily focus on personality development, social and emotional growth, communication skills, understanding the world, creativity, mathematical abilities, physical development, play, teamwork, self-help, and social skills.
Through peer interactions away from their parents, children learn to make informed decisions, regulate their emotions, empathize, negotiate conflicts, and establish relationships, forming a foundation for their future growth and development.