Singapore has a reputation for its excellent education system. Many international students now come to the country in search of quality education. While much of the focus is on the tertiary level of education, the country’s early childhood education plays an important role in the education system.
Preschools in Singapore are an integral part of the system and have a lasting impact on a child’s growth and development.
Every new school year, parents have a big decision to make for their preschool-age kids. Now that preschool isn’t mandatory in the country, the question to ask is whether the investment is worth it.
The simple answer is that preschool gives kids an advantage in their future studies. Children who go through early childhood education programmes enjoy a wide range of benefits.
This post examines how your child earns an advantage by attending a high-quality preschool institution in the country.
Coping with Regulated Environments:
One of the biggest challenges a parent faces when handling a preschool-age child is making them learn rules. In the family setting, the child is the centre of attention and can get away with anything.
Some parents are too embarrassed to even invite guests over because of their children’s behaviour. One of the biggest advantages of preschool is the early introduction to rules.
Preschools have a regulated environment with everything revolving around rules and schedules. A child who goes through the system quickly adapts and understands the importance of structures and rules. The school setup lays a foundation for obedience and respect, which has a huge impact on the child’s life.
The change is obvious even at home where the child now respects authority more easily. The child knows there are meal times and also respects other people.
The regular routines in early childhood schools make your child more responsible and make it easier for them to learn. The structured environment introduces your child to the stringent laws and rules that characterise the education system in the country and modern society.
If your child goes through preschool. They have a huge advantage over those who skipped this crucial education level.
Benefitting from Early Learning
The country’s Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) landscape features high-quality private institutions. To highlight the importance of preschool in the larger scheme of things, the government has also chipped in through the Ministry of Education (MOE)-run Kindergartens.
The early childhood institutions have kept highly trained and certified teachers and educators. The facilities have to meet stringent regulatory standards for the safety of your child.
The biggest advantage of enrolling your child in an international school in Singapore in the early learning they get. Exposure to a learning situation makes all the difference in the child’s life.
The school programmes in the best preschools emphasise play, discovery and hands-on learning. Teachers develop tailored activities to suit the entry-level of the child. From physical exercises, games, music, dance, and art, to dramatic play, the teachers find the most thrilling activities to promote learning.
Other activities in the best international preschools include painting and drawing, puzzles, playing with blocks, reading books and reciting and listening to stories or poetry.
While these early childhood schools might look like fun and games alone, research shows the skills learnt at this stage make a huge difference in a child’s life. found in both preschools and pre-Kindergartens.
While the curriculum in every school might differ slightly,
The teachers use the learning activities to learn crucial skills including:
- Aesthetics and Creative Expression
- Numeracy
- Discovery of the World
- Language and Literacy
- Motor Skills Development
- Social and Emotional Development
The child gets a solid foundation to build on in the rest of the schooling. Children who go through the early stages of learning find it easier to learn more complex concepts in the upper classes.
The application of the simple skills learnt in early childhood comes in handy when interpreting more difficult problems in the upper classes.
Coping Easily in Primary School
A child who comes straight from home and joins primary school has a big problem adapting to the big change. At home, the child gets all the attention and might get away with some wayward behavior. The change from the family setting to a school setup requires a lot of time to adjust.
A child who has been through preschool finds it easier to adapt to the primary school learning environment. Some acquired skills in preschool including socializing, collaboration/teamwork, accommodating each other, and creating friendships, make life easy for your child. Your child is more responsible at this early age and easily adapts to the new setup.
The social-emotional skills your child learns in preschool come in handy in the transition. Your child already knows how to share and take turns, show empathy, and handle difficult situations. Other kids will look up to your child which is a great way to cultivate leadership skills at an early age.
Wondering whether preschool in Singapore makes any difference? These are only a few advantages your child has over those who didn’t attend preschool before starting international school. Go on and identify the best quality preschool and give your child a head start in life.