A SPECIAL SECTION OF THE RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE - JANUARY 12, 2018
Continuing ed offers something for everyone
Play and learning intertwined for preschoolers
By LINDA LEAVITT
BY LAURIE SULLIVAN
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hen you were in college, did you ever look longingly at courses in the catalog that you couldn’t take because they were outside your major or had too many prerequisites? Later, perhaps your interests changed or new career opportunities arose for which you were not fully qualified. Well, if you live in Westchester County, you’re in luck — opportunities abound for continuing education. The Scarsdale Adult School is a leader in the field, offering over 200 courses a semester in day and evening classes open to all — you don’t need to be a resident — ranging from interactive lectures in history and culture, to games, fitness and instruction in music, cooking and the arts. The school continues to grow in number of students and course offerings every year. Ann Sacher, adult school board co-chair with Leesa Suzman, sees the success of the school as a reflection of “a community that values education very highly for every stage of life,” a place where “people continue to be intellectually curious.” Sacher credits executive director and Scarsdale native Jill Serling with creating a community of adult learners who love the old stand-bys but are open to new ideas. “Jill has a great sense of what’s hot and what’s trending — she has her finger on the pulse of the community and she’s always
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he preschool years are a time of wonder and exploration for little ones. Two of the most important things a child can do are learn and play. And when children play, they learn. It’s a gateway to growth: • They’re learning from other children and their interaction with them. • They’re learning about themselves and their place in the world. • And they’re building on small achievements and building self-confidence. Those achievements can be successfully building a block tower or using other manipulative toys or materials creatively. Or simply riding a tricycle for the first time by themselves. Small and large motor skills are enhanced in preschool and similar settings, giving them the building blocks they’ll need to ultimately be prepared for kindergarten and beyond. No matter what the philosophy of a given preschool — and they can vary widely — children will ultimately be ready to move on to kindergarten with the skills and confidence they need. The Montessori model
Grainne Bellotti, director at Pound Ridge Montessori, quoted Maria Montessori: “Play is the work of the child.” She Continued on page 10A
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Not all kindergarteners can read … and that’s OK By MAJA TARATETA
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INSIDE 3A Major choice for many students is no easy decision
4A College graduates: Preparing for the real world
8A Tips for working adults returning to college
8A Parents guide for college-bound kids 12A Which kind of school is right for your child?
13A News Notes
any parents are putting the pressure on schools to have kids reading by kindergarten. But this is not the norm of child development and some experts say the pressure can actually backfire, frustrating children instead of instilling a love of books that is at the heart of every good reader. “Children learn at their own pace,” said Sue Tolchin, director of the Early Childhood Center at Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale. Tolchin said WRT’s curriculum for students up to age 5 emphasizes important skills like self-help, following directions, coping and negotiating. “Some parents feel pressure to have their children academically prepared. My feeling is that children do get there with help from nurturing preschool teachers,”
Tolchin said. “But I understand and acknowledge where the parents are coming from. The pressure they feel is that their child should not feel behind in their ability to keep up or that they have a negative self-image. We understand this need and partner with parents. We understand the necessity of parents to have their children prepared for kindergarten. Academics is just one part of being prepared. Children need to learn coping tools and how to handle life’s frustrations in order to succeed. At Westchester Reform Temple’s ECC, we expose children to units of study, but we don’t force them into learning. The handson experiences, acceptance and fun allows them to want to learn more.” It’s a similar story at St. Patrick’s School in Bedford, which has students from ages 3 and 4 through eighth grade. Principal Sharyn O’Leary said that many parents “expect children to read by the end of kindergarten.” But there’s no rush.
“Children should begin pre-literacy skills within their preschool programs — recognition of letters, identification of sounds connected with each letter, etc.,” O’Leary said. “This also should be done at home, too. Just like walking and talking, reading is accomplished when a child is ready. Learning is a journey not a race. That being said, by the end of kindergarten, a child who has no literacy skills should be evaluated.” According to the U.S. Department of Education, from age 3 to 4 most preschoolers become able to enjoy listening to and talking about storybooks, understand that print carries a message, make attempts to read and write, identify familiar signs and labels, participate in rhyming games, identify some letters and make some lettersound matches and use known letters, or their best attempt to write the letters, to Continued on page 2A