5 minute read
The Real Benefits of Preschool
It may not be required, but preschool puts your child on track to success
WORDS ALEXIS PATTERSON
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IF YOU HAVE A LITTLE ONE, YOU KNOW IT WON’T BE LONG before they’re immersed in school and all that entails. Most of the day will be spent with teachers and classmates. Homework will be a thing. Co-curricular activities will pop up. So it may be tempting—particularly when they’re not trying your patience—to keep them home with you or loving relatives as long as you can. But hold on, Mom. Preschool may not be required, but there are plenty of reasons to enroll your kiddo.
IMMEDIATE BENEFITS
My son is an only child, and he was never in nonfamilial care before he started preschool several years back. It was hard to see his quivering chin when I dropped him off that first day, but he was soon happily heading off to class. His first preschool experience was two days a week; the next year, we enrolled in full-time pre-K.
I’m so thankful for both of those experiences. They helped me fill his day with purposeful activity and less screen time. He became familiar with sitting at a desk, walking in a line, sharing with other children, speaking up, listening to adults besides Mom or Dad and following the directions.
“Pre-kindergarten establishes the foundation for a positive school experience,” affirms Kristi Brown,
director of early childhood for Grapevine-Colleyville ISD. “It helps our youngest learners transition from home or childcare to a structured school day. This transition allows them to hit the ground running in kindergarten because they have a solid foundation of the expectations and procedures of a classroom.”
Of course, there’s also the education. We worked on letters, numbers, colors, reading and so on at home, but preschool (full-time pre-K in particular) really cemented those concepts.
“Pre-K teachers are able to create learning opportunities through purposeful play, allowing students to learn through experiences rather than worksheets,” explains Brown. “The pre-K classroom has opportunities to play, explore and create in a way that is developmentally appropriate and meets the unique needs of each student. Through these experiences, it gives students the opportunity to build language skills and vocabulary that will benefit them for years to come.”
LONG-TERM POSITIVE OUTCOMES
A variety of long-term benefits are documented in research. A recent study looked at children who attended a preschool with an enrichment program developed by Penn State. The program was designed to improve social and emotional skills plus language and literacy through “stories, puppets and other activities that introduce concepts like understanding feelings, cooperation friendships skills and selfcontrol skills.”
Researchers found that the students were less likely to have behavior problems, trouble with peers or experience anxious or depressed feelings in adolescence. “The program had an effect on internal benefits, including better emotion management and emotional well-being, as well as external benefits, such as reduced conduct problems,” reported Karen Bierman, Penn State’s Evan Pugh professor of psychology. “So not only did the program result in fewer distressed adolescents, but it also resulted in less distress for their teachers and peers, as well.”
The program in the study focused on kids from low-income families, but the ideas and outcomes are important for children across the board.
FIND A PRESCHOOL
Need helping finding a preschool? Many of the campuses on our Private School List (page 23) offer preschool options, and there are pre-K programs offered through local public school districts (page 39). You can also check with churches near you as well as science and nature spots. For example, Southlake’s Bob Jones Nature Center, Dallas Zoo, McKinney’s Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary, Fort Worth Museum of Science and History and Fort Worth Zoo all offer preschool programs.
What to ask a preschool
It’s wise to have some questions prepared when you’re researching online, making calls and touring preschools.
A couple of basic questions to start off:
1. Is the school licensed or accredited? 2. What is the school’s philosophy? Since the answers to those questions could impact which schools you seriously consider, we recommend you have those answers before taking a tour or putting them on your final list.
Here are 11 follow-up questions:
1. What does a typical day look like? 2. What is your school’s approach to discipline? 3. How is technology used during the day, and how much screen time do kids get? 4. How many kids are usually in a class? 5. Does my child need to be potty trained? 6. What kind of safety training do the teachers and staff have? Do you have a security protocol? 7. If it’s a religious preschool, how is that faith incorporated? 8. What is the policy for sick children? 9. How involved are parents? Are there parent-teacher conferences? 10. Are references from other parents available? 11. Is there any financial aid or assistance? Of course, this list is not exhaustive, and you should not be shy in asking all the questions that come to mind. The more information you have, the easier it will be to make your final decision.
Unmatched Academic Results
Come tour a campus and see for yourself!
Challenger School offers uniquely fun and academic classes for preschool to eighth grade students. Our students learn to think for themselves and to value independence.
Legacy (PS–K) (469) 573-0077 6700 Communications Parkway, Plano Independence (PS–K) (469) 642-2000 10145 Independence Parkway, Plano
An independent private school offering preschool through eighth grade
© 2022, Challenger Schools Challenger School admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin.
THE COVENANT SCHOOL
“Pursuing Truth, Goodness, and Beauty”
Th e Covenant School is a Charlotte Mason-inspired K-12 community of faith and learning emphasizing the classical arts and sciences.
At Th e Covenant School, a proven model of classical Christian education is used to teach students to confi dently engage the world for Christ through authentic Christian living, wisdom, and virtue. Covenant off ers: • Rigorous curriculum using Socratic instruction • Championship winning sports teams • Rich fi ne arts program • Small class sizes
