Best Preschool Practices

Considering my growing interest in Early Childhood Development, I have started a certification with an Institute and this amazing course has changed my perspective to many things. I learned the foundations of every curriculum, starting from Montessori to IB and EYFS. However, after reviewing their strengths and weaknesses, I have now become a strong advocate of Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), so strong that I have reconsidered my decision for changing my little one’s school from upcoming session.

We all have seen children with different behavior and characteristics. Some seem to be more rebellious while other seem to be more quiet and peaceful. If we think for the reason behind then the answer is simple, it’s the environment in which the child grows and the things which he learns from the environment influences child’s development. When we talk about environment, then there are aspects which relate to both emotional and physical (outdoor and indoor) environments.

The emotional environment lays the grounds for developing strong relationships between children and educators, children and children and educators among themselves. As, if the child feels secure in an environment only then he would be able to explore the physical environment around him. This concept of enabling environment is the key of EYFS. To make children relax and comfortable, to feel like at home, so they can build a sense of security, which will ultimately enable them to build positive relationships around them.

The edge of EYFS is it focuses on skill building. The curricula / practices at our time lack in this very aspect for many reasons. Who would not love seeing those little hands painting a wall? when we were only allowed to paint in our drawing books. Yes, you are guessing it right, it’s the curriculum which believes that boundaries restrict those neurons from exploration. It further believes that class room settings should be wider where children can move freely and explore different objects or corners. Children spend substantial time outside, participating in different activities, including the ones which were previously considered as indoor activities. It gives time to children to interact and explore nature. Children initiate their own learning experience and activities, with educators available to support them.

During our school hunt for my toddler, I have seen schools where students are even not allowed to enter their school gardens. Those fascinated gardens are just maintained to captivate visitor’s eyes. Even many big schools don’t have playgrounds, and they justify by saying that we don’t have much space in our Junior Campus but we do have a playground in our Senior Campus. So, the concept in our society is sports fit the elders only. No doubt, our nation lacks in sportsmanship. How, those important skills would be built in a child when schools even don’t consider providing proper facilities? How schools can claim that they are working on child’s holistic development when they are lacking in two major areas of learning and development?  Parents, do not forget that Physical Development and Personal, Social & Emotional Development are the prime learning areas.

The prime learning areas are essential, as they determine the child’s success in all the other learning areas. The three prime areas are:

·         Personal, Social, Emotional development

·         Physical development

·         Communication and Language

The specific areas give opportunities to children to broaden the spectrum of their skills and knowledge, these areas are:

·         Literacy

·         Mathematics

·         Understanding the World

·         Expressive Arts and Design

The specific areas cannot be developed in isolation with prime areas. As, the children would always explore the world through communication, physical, and sensory involvement.

I wish more preschools in our country may switch to this curriculum and can understand the need of ‘education with care’(provided they don’t charge an arm and a leg for this implementation). Enabling many parents to rethink about their schooling decisions. So far, I can only learn about one school in Karachi which is practicing this Curriculum, and that school which is cutting edge these days is Veritas Learning Circle www.vlc.org.pk/. I guess this Mama is in more love with their environment than my toddler.Would be writing shortly about that in my next posts. Till then, stay tuned!