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.
