First, I would like to apologize for my absence to the blog. My life has been extremely crazy the last couple of months. I am back on track now and I hope you enjoy the information.
High Quality Early Childhood Programs
It is hard to believe but this is the time of year early childhood programs begin enrollment for the next school year. I would like to share with you some of my viewpoints on how to choose a high quality program.
A high quality program provides a safe and nurturing environment while promoting the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development of the child. The curriculum should be developmentally appropriate for each age group. I would recommend that you look for a program that is accredited or actively pursuing accreditation by an organization such as the NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children).
What to look for in a high quality program:
- frequent, positive, warm interactions among adults and children
- planned learning activities appropriate for each child’s age and development, such as block building, art, reading stories, dress-up, writing, intellectual opportunities and outdoor play
- degreed, specially trained teachers and staff
- small teacher to child ratio
- age appropriate materials and equippment
- healthy and safe environment
- parents are welcome in the class at any time
- respect for each child and parent and cultual diversity
- respect for each child’s learning style and developmental stage
- administration has open communication with families
For further information on high quality programs or child development issues you can find information at desertsun.org or naeyc.org.
