10 Reasons to Send Your Kids to Junior Kindergarten at ESK
Making the decision about where to send your child to junior kindergarten or preschool can be a difficult one. Here at ESK, we believe that “play is the work of children,” and that through play-based projects, junior kindergarten students will be able to learn life-long skills that will help them successfully transition to our Lower School kindergarten program. Below are a list of 10 reasons why junior kindergarten at ESK could be the right fit for your child.
1) Socialization, socialization, socialization
Preschoolers are beginning to understand that there is a whole world outside of their family. Through practice with peers and adults outside of the home, young children learn empathy and the skills to interact positively with many different types of personalities in various situations.
2) They need to feel cherished.
Research has consistently shown us that young children learn best when they feel safe and loved. Not only do teachers of young children need to understand child development as a whole, they also need to know the individual children in their class for their unique interests, capabilities, and eccentricities. Then it is fundamental to celebrate this diversity and make each child feel special.
3) A prepared environment is the third teacher.
The learning environment needs to be constantly assessed. Is it aesthetically pleasing? Is it child-centered? Does it provide ample opportunities for learning and exploration that the children can choose themselves?
4) Moving is learning.
Young children learn differently than older children. Moving is essential. It builds dendrites, and it is unfair to ask young children to sit for long periods at a desk doing assignments by putting pencil to paper when they do not developmentally have the fine motor strength and endurance or focus for such tasks.
5) Talking is learning.
Children learn by talking and listening. They learn by talking out loud. They need to be exposed to complex language and concepts and have ample time to process by interacting and communicating with others.
6) Materials need to be hands-on, multi-sensory and engaging.
The materials placed on the child-sized shelves and around the room within reach of the children allow them to learn by experience through indirect instruction. At this age, direct instruction should be minimized as much as possible in the classroom. Children learn more by doing than just listening.
7) Follow the child.
Children learn more if they are interested in the topic. Many times we present an idea and the children’s questions move the project in an entirely new direction than we had planned or predicted. This makes the learning fluid and gives the children a real sense of ownership.
8) To be a part of a larger community.
We have programs that help the preschool age children feel like an integral part of the ESK community. We have book buddies with second grade, dance-offs with third grade, and “Mad Scientist Day” with middle school to name a few.
9) To learn how to be service-oriented. Learning how to give back is a part of the tradition of ESK.
At our level, we learn that we are capable to change how someone’s day might be going is a very powerful lesson to learn at this age. We accomplish this throughout the year with various service projects like our random acts of kindness advent calendar, Chinese New Year wishes, and “love rocks”.
10) Most importantly, LEARNING NEEDS TO BE FUN! 🙂
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Today’s blog post is written by Junior Kindergarten teacher Sally Riley.