Preschool isn't required for children, but with an estimated 332,000 children under the age of 5 in our state, preschool is undoubtedly on the minds of a lot of Minnesotans. And with good reason.
"I think it's extremely important for children to have wide and varied experiences and relationships with adults," says Lynn Galle, M.A., director of the Shirley G. Moore Laboratory School and co-coordinator of early childhood programs at the University of Minnesota. "Preschool is one way you can enrich your child's life."
With so many parents looking outside their homes for ways to provide additional stimulation and learning for their kids, it's no wonder there are a growing number of preschools to choose from. Early childhood development has been studied for years, and most educators agree that preschools need to focus much of their attention on social skills in preparation for later academic learning. In other words, what a child learns isn't the question, according to Terrie Rose, Ph.D., associate director of the Irving B. Harris Training Center for Infant and Toddler Development at the University of Minnesota. Parents should pay attention to how their children learn those skills.
Though there are schools that call themselves Montessori and Waldorf, for example, most of today's preschools and day care centers develop curriculums that are based on pieces of several different educational theories. To help parents better understand the thinking behind some of the schedules, activities, and toys in different classrooms, we'll help demystify four of the most popular theories.
High/Scope is a relatively new educational theory. Though children and teachers work together in a High/Scope classroom to pursue goals and solve problems, independence is encouraged. Each day, with the help of teachers, children follow a strict plan-do-review sequence. This daily series of events, however, is not the same for everyone in the class; each student makes his or her own choices about what to do and how to do it. There are 58 "Key Experiences" that the High/Scope curriculum aims to provide to all students. They are grouped into the following 10 categories: Creative Representation, Language and Literacy, Initiative and Social Relations, Movement, Music, Classification, Seriation, Numbers, Space, and Time.
The Montessori educational theory was developed in the early 1900s by Maria Montessori, M.D. This Italian pediatrician and psychiatrist spent much of her career studying children and the ways in which they naturally learn. Since the term "Montessori" is not copywritten or patented, its meaning today can vary widely. According to the International Montessori Index www.montessori.edu, one of Dr. Montessori's most important ideas was to always "follow the child." In a traditional Montessori school, the teacher acts as a guide for children who are each creating their own individual methods and paces of learning.
Children are encouraged to move around the room and work alone or in small groups. A Montessori instructor teaches very few group lessons, but instead observes and records the progress of the children as they each develop their own ways of learning about the world. These records and observations serve as the Montessori school's method of assessment. Grades aren't given at a Montessori school-even in the elementary and secondary schools.
The Reggio Emilia early childhood teaching philosophy was created in the 1940s in an Italian village by the same name. Art, creativity, and involvement from the entire community are at the center of a Reggio Emilia preschool education. Much of the curricula is created by the children themselves. For example, the children may notice a shadow while playing outside. With help from the teachers, parents, and others in the community, this small observation could turn into a multiweek study on shadows, sunlight, time of day, the seasons, etc. Such work could include art as well as the academics of simple science and math. Though the children often choose the initial ideas they want to explore, teachers and parents play an integral part in the Reggio Emilia preschool experience by providing direction. Early childhood experts have tried to import this way of teaching into the United States, with mixed success. The ideas are inviting, but the total community involvement portion of the theory doesn't seem to work as well in modern American culture.
The Waldorf theory takes a holistic approach to educating children, focusing on the body, soul, and spirit. In preschool, this means emphasizing creative play over academics and structured learning. Freedom of choice and individualism is emphasized. The teacher works closely with the children, becoming more of a partner than a guide, and eventually creating a familial relationship with the children. In fact, Waldorf teachers often stay with the same students for up to eight years. Waldorf is named after the first school created by Austrian Rudolf Steiner. In 1919, Steiner opened a school for the children of the workers at the Waldorf Astoria factory in Stuttgart, Germany.
In the end, the most important part of preschool is the relationships they build. "We know that relationships are probably the major component of healthy development," Galle says. "So you want whatever environment you choose for your child to have that as a critical piece-adults who are responsive, caring, and knowledgeable about young children."
