Early Childhood Education Has Many Benefits
Many people will start their children at school when they hit kindergarten age. However, research does suggest that children do benefit from attending an early childhood education program. In fact, this could be just what your child needs to get a ‘head start’ in life.
Future Prospects
Many studies have been carried out on children who have attended pre-kindergarten schools, as well as those who did not. These studies indicated the following:
- Those who attend pre-k are less likely to require special education.
- They are more likely to graduate from high school.
- They are less likely to be held back while at school.
- Once they graduate, they tend to have higher earning prospects.
This may seem like a lot of ‘benefits’ for somebody so young, but you do have to remember that the future of a child is shaped early on in their life. The things that they do now will have a major impact on them going forward. However, it can’t be stressed enough that if you want to obtain these benefits, you do need to send them to a decent school. This is one with a proper teaching curriculum. A day care is not going to be enough!
Children get a boost on their education
Many children will enter first grade without knowing things as simple as the alphabet. Sure, the teachers are going to be equipped to teach the child the alphabet, however, you do need to remember that all the while the child does not know the alphabet, their reading skills can’t improve. With pre-k, the child will get a boost in learning the alphabet. This means that they will be able to jump right into first grade knowing how to read some basic stuff, but even if they can’t, they will be well on their way to tackling their first pieces.
Some stats have come out about this. Did you know that 88% of people who read poorly in first grade will still be behind in reading by the fourth grade? 74% of the people who read poorly in the third grade will remain like this until they reach High School!
Preparation
One of the biggest challenges for a teacher of first graders is ensuring that their students are following instructions properly. This is the first time that the student will be placed in an environment like this, which means they may not know what to do. This sets learning back. If a child has attended pre-k, then they will already have been taught how the educational system works. This means that as soon as they enter first grade, they will know what is expected of them. This really helps to speed up the learning process.
Remember, if you wish to obtain all of the benefits highlighted above, then it is important that you put the effort into choosing the best early childhood education program in your area. This means finding the school that is absolutely perfect for your child.
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