How can high-quality, early education help children bounce back and close their educational gap post-COVID Pandemic?
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Only high-quality Preschools understand the learning and developmental challenges impacting children during the COVID Pandemic; furthermore, how to counteract those challenges so as to help our children learn and thrive.
From prevention to remediation, only high-quality Preschools can deliver exceptional educational strategies to enable students to become well-rounded and healthy children, both over the short and long term.
Without high-quality, early education, students will not be able to comprehend what they are learning in school. They may also lack the motivation and the necessary skills for school success; consequently, exhibit low achievement, low self-esteem and behavioral difficulties.
Nevertheless, with expert support and prompt interventions, students will develop the ability to adapt and catch up. For example, children who tested lower in language and math literacies by the end of Kindergarten can catch up, with appropriate interventions, by 3rd grade. This will be evidenced by an increase in their qualitative, independent test scores, as well as in their motivation, attitude and discipline.
What does high-quality early childhood education look like?
Early Childhood Education includes the first eight years of a child’s life, starting early in Preschool, usually at age two and continuing to early elementary grades.
It prepares children for the challenges of later school years. The more children can learn in the early formative years, the better they can achieve at greater tasks as they continue their education and intellectual development.
These are crucial formative years; therefore, the educational opportunities our children receive during this time are critical for their overall optimal development.
Early quality education focuses on igniting children’s curiosity, encouraging innate creativity and building the necessary language and math literacies through educational play.
In these early learning years, children mostly learn through play, which is why expert educators use best educational play practices to help them learn better, faster and achieve mastery of literacy and cognitive skills.
This is why high-quality Preschools like DelCampo School must have an accredited, internationally standards-based curriculum framework reinforced by unique, robust programs and valuable educational resources focusing on maximizing our children’s learning during these most important formative early years. At DelCampo School, young children happily, easily and effortlessly learn by "doing."
To learn more about DelCampo School’s unique programs embedded in their World-Class curriculum, please visit DelCampo School website. These one of a kind programs include: Readers Writers Workshop Model; Program for Early Childhood Stimulation (PECS); DelCampo Academy (DCA) ; Social-Emotional Learning (SEL))
Expert Educators at the Heart of High-Quality Early Childhood Education
The essence of quality in early childhood services is represented by the expertise and skills of highly trained educators and in their capacity to inspire, teach and build positive relationships with their students.
Today, research reveals more about the capabilities of young children, how they learn best, and the importance of quality early learning for later school success. Therefore, the knowledge and skills required of an effective preschool teacher have increased significantly.
Only high-quality Preschools, with experienced teachers, will take the time to develop different educational plans with differentiated instruction for individual students who need more help or have been left behind.
Equally important, is teacher planning and ongoing professional development. Both provide the needed education, information, and strategies to link high-quality education and achievement.
Nowadays, best intentions from teachers are not enough, they need to be highly qualified to understand optimal child development to foster their student’s highest potential. Moreover, our children need quality educators to help them build social skills among peers as they progress through school.
Equally important is when professionally staffed and early childhood preschools pay attention to young children’s emotional and social needs since they have a maximum impact on the development of strong brain architecture and preparation for success in school. Social Emotional Learning is a priority to help students bounce back and thrive after the COVID Pandemic.
When it comes to high-quality early childhood educational opportunities, researchers now know that these vital formative years are extremely important for our children's overall wellbeing. Hence, parents should choose the best learning opportunities for their children wisely.
Conclusión
A heartfelt thanks to all those who "read" and "shared" these Blogs. I genuinely hope I was able to shed some light on the importance of the high-quality, early education post-COVID Pandemic, to help you and your family choose the best learning opportunities for your children.
As parents and educators, we hold the future of our children in our hands; let’s make it count!
Leave your child’s education in the hands of experts. Let DelCampo School, The World-Class School in Honduras, show you how.
Time is of the essence; act now by sharing your contact information either at the bottom of DCS’s website or by writing to info@delcamposchool.org. One of our experienced educational specialists will gladly assist you promptly.
Bibliografía
https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/social-emotional-learning-should-be-priority-during-covid-19
https://www.tes.com/news/coping-covid-reading-key-closing-learning-gap
About the Author
JACQUELINE CASANOVA, MSED
Bachelors in Psychology, Emory University, USA
Masters in Science & Education, University of Miami, USA