The following post is from Shannen of Middle Way Mom:
Parents are inundated with the do’s and don’ts of parenting. Child-led weaning? Cry it out? Whole life unschooling? The options are endless, with resources all over the Internet citing why their way is best.
Many of us can manage these questions about the baby years on our own, but as children get older, we tend to be more concerned about their education. We want our kids to start life with a solid foundation, and have all the opportunities they wish available to them. Education is key, we know. But how early does education need to start?
Are we obsessed with early education?
In interviews with day care centers, I was surprised to hear they have curriculum for not only for preschoolers, but also for infants. How early does early education start?
In generations past, there was little to no expectation that children would come into kindergarten with previous academic knowledge, and now we are frequently finding preschools that tout “kindergarten readiness.” There is definite pressure on mothers to ensure their children know as much as possible before that first day of kindergarten, but that begs the question, is preschool necessary before kindergarten?
What does education look like?
So often, we think of education like our college years. Sit down, listen, write, repeat. We forget how much kids learn from exploratory play! Does learning have to happen at a desk, or in a classroom?
Learning can happen at the mall, the zoo (even without accompanying worksheets), the nature reserve, and even our own kitchen. More research lately is pointing to the fact that education in the early years should look more like play than anything else.
Do you need curriculum?
As parents, we like check boxes and to do lists, so curriculum can definitely have a place in early education efforts, but the best curriculum will lead you to finding education opportunities in every day life.
Before Five in a Row is fantastic at sparking your own ability to find learning opportunities in everyday activities while also giving very guided suggestions for the parent who wants a how-to guide.
Be mindful that preschool curriculum is more for the parent than the child. {Tweet this}
Some children love workbooks, but most times the best education is hidden in every day activities like cooking, reading, and playing outside.
Do children need the classroom experience?
If I had to put myself in a labeled box, I would say we are generally unschoolers in the preschool years, yet I still find myself looking through catalogs at preschool activities in our community. I recently came across a description of a summer preschool program that listed one of its benefits as “teaching children to sit and listen.”
I have to say that I disagree that this is necessary.
There are other situations where learning to sit quietly are more appropriate, like when eating meals. A child who never has any classroom experience and enters kindergarten will quickly learn the rules of the classroom. While a classroom setting can be beneficial for spontaneous moms with kids that thrive on routine, I would argue it is unnecessary for kids to “learn” the classroom setting before kindergarten.
For that naturally spontaneous parent who struggles meeting the needs of their routine-thriving child, sitting in on a few class sessions may spark some ideas on how to better build routines at home.
Is preschool necessary?
In short, preschool in a formal sense is not necessary when there is high parent involvement and opportunities for exploration. Preschool, in a formal sense, has been cited as very beneficial for working families that have less time available for providing exploration on their own, and can help stay-at-home-parents with forming routines.
Instead of jumping to a formal preschool, find resources that help you brainstorm how to build learning into every day life. To get you started, here are some of my favorites:
What other preschool resources do you like to use?
{Read Other Posts at Real Life at Home by Shannen}
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Several years ago, I wrote an article with a similar title for Catholic Mothers Online. I am a highly involved parent and my son’s childhood has provided many opportunities for exploration. However, I felt that preschool (a very part-time, play-based preschool) was necessary for my son for a variety of reasons. I would never make a blanket statement that preschool is necessary for everyone, and I would never make a blanket statement that it is unnecessary. A good preschool can be beneficial in many ways, depending on the needs of the individual child.