If you are a young parent who is thinking about your son or daughter’s introduction to schooling, there is much to consider. The first few years of school are known to be the formative years and it is during this time that your child will develop values and form opinions about the world they live in, and if you are currently on the hunt for a suitable kindergarten program, here are a few tips to ensure that you make an informed decision.
- Fun Based Program – Learning is not something that should be regarded as boring or uninteresting, and this starts with kindergarten, where games, song and dance are all encouraged. It is critical that a young child enjoys their time at school, so look for a school that focuses on a fun approach, with games and group activities on a daily basis and your child will develop a life-long love of learning.
- Holistic Approach – A child is an individual and his or her needs are unique, something that the school should recognise, and each child would be developed in a way that is tailored to their interests. If you are looking for a leading international School on the Eastern Seaboard there is one school that follows the British curriculum and they view each and every student as unique, plus the school accepts students from 2-18 years and that means no changing schools for the entire 12 years of formal education, which can only be good for the child.
- Qualified Teachers – It is essential that your child is taught by experienced and qualified kindergarten teachers, such as you would find at an international school, as they would be skilled at bringing out the best in their students. A typical early learning school would comprise of a few experienced teachers and a number of novice teachers, who play an assist role, while gaining valuable hands-on experience, and they work together to create fun projects that are suitable for early learning.
- Browsing School Websites – This would be the first place to begin your quest for the right kindergarten program, and if you start with international schools, you can create a shortlist for booking a tour. Make sure you visit their vision and mission page, as this is basically an overview of the school, their values and their objectives regarding their students.
- Talk to Parents – The only way to find out how other parents see the school, you can combine your tour with talking to a few parents. This will enable you to get a first-hand view of the school from a parent’s perspective, plus you will make a few new friends in the process.
- Observe Class Activities – This would typically involve telling a story, or perhaps talking about the evening before as a group, and being in the room will enable you to feel the connection between teacher and students, plus you can see how the children feel about their learning.
It is, of course, essential that your child enjoys the school experience, and by having a degree of participation, you get to see for yourself the learning environment and your child will be equipped to move onto academic learning.
