KIDS EDUCATION INTRODUCTION
Education is a fundamental
component of a child’s success in life. A
good well-rounded education will help ensure
that your child will obtain a good job, stay
away from crime, and be a happy
full-functioning member of society.
There are more choices
than ever before in selecting the best
educational path for your child. And,
parents are becoming increasingly pro-active
in their child’s education. In this chapter,
you will find information on various types
of education, along with several issues that
pertain to childhood education.
PRESCHOOL
While kindergarten is
considered the official start of school,
many children begin their education in
preschool or nursery school. Many programs
accept children as young as two or three.
The main purpose of
preschool is to help a child get used to
leaving home for a set amount of time each
day and to introduce the idea of learning,
sharing, and playing in a group environment.
This may be the first time that a child has
to adhere to a formal set of rules and have
to obey an adult other than a parent. These
new skills that can be learned in preschool
will help prepare your child for
kindergarten and beyond.
As well as having many
benefits for the child, preschool can be an
advantage to the parents. Having your child
in preschool can give you a few welcome
hours of extra time. There is no need to
feel guilty about the separation. But, the
new relationships that your child will form
will help develop your child’s sense of
independence.
HOME SCHOOLING
An increasing number of
parents are deciding to take the
responsibility of educating their children
at home rather than sending their children
to school. This is a controversial decision,
though many parents strongly feel that home
schooling provides the best opportunity to
provide a high quality education for their
children in a safe and loving environment.
Home schooling is a
tremendous commitment for parents, as well
as the child. Some questions to ask before
making the decision are:
Do you have the time to
devote to home schooling?
It can be very time
intensive, with a schedule of teaching,
lesson planning, grading papers, field
trips, experiments, outside music classes,
etc. Also, it is important to keep in mind
that you will have little time to yourself,
as your child will be with you throughout
the day.
Can you afford to home
school?
Because of the time
commitment, the parent that is home
schooling rarely works outside of the home.
Thus, you will need to be prepared to live
on one salary. Additional costs include
books, school supplies, and educational
tools.
Will your child be able to
socialize with other children?
While you will be able to
manage who your child socializes with, it is
very important to schedule time for him or
her to play and interact with other
children.
Is your spouse or partner
in agreement?
Home schooling requires the
patience and commitment of both parents to
work effectively.
Does your child want to be
home schooled?
Make sure that your child is
equally as motivated to learn at home. If
your child would rather be in a classroom
setting, you will have a difficult time
effectively teaching.
If you can honestly answer
yes to all of these questions, then home
schooling may be right for your family. If
you decide to teach your child at home,
remember to keep your options open. Plan for
one year at a time, and see how it goes. As
your child matures, you may find that he
flourishes in a home school environment or
that he may prefer to go to school.
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