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What Type Of Preschool Program Is Right For Your Child?

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Your child's education begins at day one. As time goes on, however, you'll want to think about their education in a more formal sense. There are numerous preschool programs that will enable your child to flourish and will focus on his or her strengths, all the while helping them also form their own interests. Read on and discover just a few preschool programs that might be right for your child.

Parental Cooperative

A parental cooperative is for the parent who wants a direct impact on their child's education. A parental cooperative is a cooperative in the true sense of the word: the parents of the children who attend the school will serve on the board, and will make business decisions based on what is best for the community of small learners. Parental cooperatives, however, do have a drawback. With constant meetings and responsibilities doled out to members, this might not be the best alternative for a busy working parent. However, for the parent who can make a bit of extra time, this is a great way to have a hands on role in their child's education.

Montessori

Montessori schools are largely known for being a great private alternative to most public school models. Preschool teachers at Montessori schools encourage children to express themselves creatively, and don't rely on rote teaching models in order to facilitate learning in children. A Montessori education is often considered a laid back approach, with the teachers acting as a sort of guide for the children to discover what it is they are interested in, rather than impressing upon them things that they should do. Visit a school like Sammamish Montessori School for more information about this teaching method.

Deweyan Schools

Deweyan schools are those that utilize a teaching method founded in the early 20th century by philosopher and educator John Dewey. Dewey was the figurehead of a school known as "pragmatism." Pragmatism encouraged learning through experience, rather than the demands of a rote classroom schedule. A preschool that takes a Deweyan approach to education focuses on elements of play and activity. Typical Deweyan schools might make the use of puzzles to instill cognitive and critical thinking skills in your child, while singing songs and finger painting might be used to foster a sense of creativity in him or her.

Choosing the right preschool for your child is, by no means, an easy task. However, this brief guide should have given you some idea of just a few of the choices you have when it comes to the first steps of your child's formal education.


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