The first step of a child, is the most important one and early childhood is a crucial and a critical stage of a child's physical, mental, intellectual and moral development. Same way, preschools are the stepping stones to gaining successful education. Education begins from the moment the child is brought home from the hospital and continues on when the child begins to go to playgroups and kindergartens. The power and nature of the grasping ability of a child is identified in the preschool years. This has to be kept in mind and make sure the children attain positive early learning experiences to help their intellectual and personal growth, which in turn lays the base for later school success.
During the first few years, parents play the key role in a child's learning experience and education. They are like a mirror image to the child. In this case, the interest of the parents matters. An interested parent, by participating in a toddlers group or child-care arrangements like baby-sitting, can influence the child's learning experience. Although, the case can be turned negative as well if the child is placed in a negative environment. Strong relationships are imbedded in everyday life that caretakers provide. It is the primary caretaker that a child learns to trust and around whom the child feels secure around.
Play schools are multi-faceted. Earlier, playing with toys or objects that are stackable, can be filled with water or sand or playing outdoors were considered essential. Such kinds of play in preschools, helped develop motor and practice skills. Although, the essentiality of preschools has been decreasing eventually. A national study that has been tracking the educational progress of young children for four years has found, that those with higher-quality preschool classes did better in language and math skills than those in low-quality preschools. But as they moved into the second grade, the report said, "the difference between the language skills of children in high and low-quality care decreased." Although, while the differences decreased in language skills, the study found that children from higher-quality preschools continued to do better in math.
Although not all parents understand the importance of sending their children to preschools. Especially parents who themselves have undergone low-quality education or even hardly educated, neglect the importance of preschools. They either believe in enrolling their children directly in schools or send them to local, next-door preschools or home-schools, which is definitely not an option in today's competitive world. The challenge is always to find the right partner and a good property opening the preschool. It is definitely challenging to get the right person. Lack of technology and media was another challenge to the generation back then. Lack of affordability of qualitative primary education, is another drawback. This lack of understanding of the importance of preschools needs a complete makeover in the minds of those who still consider it unnecessary.
The concept of preschool took off in India with daycare centers that take care of child when parents are at work or not around. Preschools were primarily day care centers for children in around 3-5 age group. But now they are seen as an early training ground for children to develop their skills. Five years back parents used to consider preschool as a place for letting their children interact with peers and help their child to conquer shyness and be comfortable in meeting more people. Nowadays the parents are aware of the child’s pace, focused on each every milestone achieved by their child and on holistic development of the child. The shift has been immensely on taking preschools as a casual place to keep their children occupied for a few hours to taking preschools seriously as monumental in their child’s development.
The significance of this very industry can be measured by the very fact that is occupies the third largest expenditure group in the Indian household. With more than 126 million kids enrolling each year in preschools, it is proved that the worth of preschools has shot up. The industry is expected to be worth 13,300 crore by 2015-16, according to a Crisil research report. Although the fee depends largely on the location, franchise and type of the preschool. Over the last 5 – 6 years, the preschool sector is witnessing a drastic shift. Lately, the modern preschools have started shifting their focus from ‘teaching’ to ‘learning’ environment. This shift is more than just a change in language, a change in systems operation, in fact it is more of an adoption of the latest educational trend. This is definitely fueling the growth engine of preschool business in India.
Preschools are first form of gifts to a child in their career and this should not be taken away from them. A responsible generation makes a futuristic India.
During the first few years, parents play the key role in a child's learning experience and education. They are like a mirror image to the child. In this case, the interest of the parents matters. An interested parent, by participating in a toddlers group or child-care arrangements like baby-sitting, can influence the child's learning experience. Although, the case can be turned negative as well if the child is placed in a negative environment. Strong relationships are imbedded in everyday life that caretakers provide. It is the primary caretaker that a child learns to trust and around whom the child feels secure around.
Play schools are multi-faceted. Earlier, playing with toys or objects that are stackable, can be filled with water or sand or playing outdoors were considered essential. Such kinds of play in preschools, helped develop motor and practice skills. Although, the essentiality of preschools has been decreasing eventually. A national study that has been tracking the educational progress of young children for four years has found, that those with higher-quality preschool classes did better in language and math skills than those in low-quality preschools. But as they moved into the second grade, the report said, "the difference between the language skills of children in high and low-quality care decreased." Although, while the differences decreased in language skills, the study found that children from higher-quality preschools continued to do better in math.
Although not all parents understand the importance of sending their children to preschools. Especially parents who themselves have undergone low-quality education or even hardly educated, neglect the importance of preschools. They either believe in enrolling their children directly in schools or send them to local, next-door preschools or home-schools, which is definitely not an option in today's competitive world. The challenge is always to find the right partner and a good property opening the preschool. It is definitely challenging to get the right person. Lack of technology and media was another challenge to the generation back then. Lack of affordability of qualitative primary education, is another drawback. This lack of understanding of the importance of preschools needs a complete makeover in the minds of those who still consider it unnecessary.
The concept of preschool took off in India with daycare centers that take care of child when parents are at work or not around. Preschools were primarily day care centers for children in around 3-5 age group. But now they are seen as an early training ground for children to develop their skills. Five years back parents used to consider preschool as a place for letting their children interact with peers and help their child to conquer shyness and be comfortable in meeting more people. Nowadays the parents are aware of the child’s pace, focused on each every milestone achieved by their child and on holistic development of the child. The shift has been immensely on taking preschools as a casual place to keep their children occupied for a few hours to taking preschools seriously as monumental in their child’s development.
The significance of this very industry can be measured by the very fact that is occupies the third largest expenditure group in the Indian household. With more than 126 million kids enrolling each year in preschools, it is proved that the worth of preschools has shot up. The industry is expected to be worth 13,300 crore by 2015-16, according to a Crisil research report. Although the fee depends largely on the location, franchise and type of the preschool. Over the last 5 – 6 years, the preschool sector is witnessing a drastic shift. Lately, the modern preschools have started shifting their focus from ‘teaching’ to ‘learning’ environment. This shift is more than just a change in language, a change in systems operation, in fact it is more of an adoption of the latest educational trend. This is definitely fueling the growth engine of preschool business in India.
Preschools are first form of gifts to a child in their career and this should not be taken away from them. A responsible generation makes a futuristic India.
