"Magic 8" in Preschool Education
A study that run for two years involving more than eight hundred preschool children across more than twenty classrooms yielded a set of areas that correlates with improved academic and social outcomes. These areas, called the "Magic 8", are reducing transition time, increasing the quality of instruction, creating a more positive emotional climate, teachers listening more to children, providing more sequential activities, fostering social learning (associative and cooperative) interactions, fostering higher levels of child involvement, and creating more math opportunities.
These areas are not listed according to any order, but it is still worth noting that the first is about logistics. The time between activities is not only a waste of time, but also a potential gap during which children can become easily distracted which can often lead to either bad or unproductive behavior. Quality of instruction goes beyond a child simply regurgitating information. It must include development of inferential thinking which begins only after a child is given the opportunity to reflect on their thoughts and what they are learning. Children need emotional support and they need their voices to be heard. There must be an order in the activities for this is how a child learns multi-step approaches to solving a problem. Children learn from each other both academically and socially. Recess and free play are important. Children need to participate. Children are never too young to begin learning both math and science.
By the way, the above "Magic 8" not only applies to preschool, but also to basic education.
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| Above copied from Free Childcare Clipart |
These areas are not listed according to any order, but it is still worth noting that the first is about logistics. The time between activities is not only a waste of time, but also a potential gap during which children can become easily distracted which can often lead to either bad or unproductive behavior. Quality of instruction goes beyond a child simply regurgitating information. It must include development of inferential thinking which begins only after a child is given the opportunity to reflect on their thoughts and what they are learning. Children need emotional support and they need their voices to be heard. There must be an order in the activities for this is how a child learns multi-step approaches to solving a problem. Children learn from each other both academically and socially. Recess and free play are important. Children need to participate. Children are never too young to begin learning both math and science.
By the way, the above "Magic 8" not only applies to preschool, but also to basic education.
This blog helps to understand the benefits of preschool. Preschool is an important part of our child’s life because it is their first foray to the outside world on their own. It is where they can meet with their fellow kids, mingle with them and learn basic life skills they need as they grow older. If you want to more than preschool is better or at staying home, read https://smiletutor.sg/how-to-decide-which-is-better-preschool-vs-staying-at-home
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