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What Constitutes a Quality Pre-K Program?
Home » Early Learning » Importance of Pre-K Classes » What Constitutes a Quality Pre-K Program?Posted by Your Guide on March 15, 2006 5:37 PM
Quality Pre-K programs include a variety of learning opportunities. There are eight developmental areas which should be included, whether the program is designed to be full or part-time:
Early Math Skills
• Counting
• Sorting and Categorizing
• Ordering
• One to One Correspondence
• Listening
Early Reading Skills
• Story Time
• Listening
• Telling Creative Stories
• Relating Events in Their Lives Verbally
• “What Happened Next?” Games
Language Development
• Problem Solving
• “Reading” Picture Books
• Conveying Personal Needs, such as, “I’m hungry.”
• Art
• Coloring
• Drawing (which is different than coloring)
• Painting
• Sidewalk Chalk
• Finger painting
Music
• Listening to Music
• Singing and Finger plays
• Rhythm
• Motion
Social Skills
• Manners
• Sharing
• Waiting Your Turn
• Expressing Personal Needs, such as, “I was playing with that.”
Playtime
• Sharing
• Laughing
• Hugging
• Resolving Disputes
Snack and Nutrition
• Making Good Food Choices
• Enjoying an Occasional Cupcake or Twinkie
• Water is a Great Drink – So is juice.
During a typical Pre-K day, the lines between these developmental areas will blur, fade, and even be invisible as the children move from one activity to another. They will participate in all these areas of learning at the same time, or focus on just one. Children are like sponges, soaking up all the knowledge we can present to them, as long as it is presented in an age appropriate and developmentally challenging way.
Pre-K programs are among the best educational opportunities around. If all of our educational experiences were as well planned, and yet as flexible, children would love school as much as preschoolers love their Pre-K programs.
Related Articles
- Why is Participation in a Pre-K Classes Program Important?
- Participation in Pre-K Classes Can Prevent Learning Difficulties Later in Life.
- Participation in a Pre-K program builds on what Children are ready to Learn.
- What Constitutes a Quality Pre-K Program?