Feature : Pre-school Education

How to choose a nursery school
The Department of Social Development’s research conducted both in South Africa and internationally indicates that the early years are critical for development.
According to the research, birth up to seven years is a period of rapid physical, mental, emotional, social and moral growth and development.
The early years of a child’s life are a time when they acquire concepts, skills and attitudes that lay the foundation for lifelong learning.
These include the acquisition of language, perceptual motor skills required for learning to read and write, basic numeracy concepts and skills, problem-solving skills, a love of learning and the establishment and maintenance of relationships.
This is why choosing the right school for your preschooler is of utmost importance.
According to the Department of Social Development there are certain minimum requirements for a preschool and you can check these for yourself.
The Department of Social Development says any facility which has more than six children enrolled must be registered and a certificate will be provided to the facility once the government has done checks to confirm everything is in place.

Equipment of the school
• Is there ample seating and working surfaces available?
• Are the beds, mattresses or mats for sleeping safe and clean?
• Does every child and staff member have a place to store their personal belongings, clearly marked with their name or surname?
• If they own a sand pit. Is it regularly cleaned and treated every six weeks by wetting the sand with a bleach solution? Is the sand replaced at least once a year?
Premises of the school
• Are the buildings and equipment clean, safe, weatherproof, spacious and well ventilated?
• Is the premises disability friendly?
• Are the playroom, office and kitchen clearly marked?

How to make the right school choice for your primary school child
Understanding that these choices are different with help you make a well-informed decision that meets all the needs of your young child
All too often parents believe that choosing a school for primary and high school students is similar.
Understanding that these choices are different will help you make a well-informed decision that meets all the needs of your young child.
Holistic development that considers physical, emotional and social skills will affect how children develop the necessary academic skills needed to succeed beyond school.
Before even embarking on finding a primary school, we must remember that strong foundational skills in language literacy, basic mathematics and school readiness will help you find the right school fit for each of your children.

In some cases, they will never be able to catch up need to succeed in primary schools.
Being proactive in building these skills personally, through family time and a good pre-school, will help your child keep up with the requirements of his/her primary school.

Tips to consider when choosing the right primary school for your child
• Meeting the holistic needs of children are a priority so they can reach their physical, emotional, social, academic and spiritual milestones and needs.
• Leadership and management of the school must resonate and align with your beliefs and values.
• The type of curriculum followed is vital in understanding the skills and future opportunities available for your child beyond primary school.
• Hours of operation will help you to plan drop off and pick up times, types of transport needed and management of support systems like homework and assignments.
• Distance between home and work will help you allay feelings of emergency trips when children need you for medical or physical needs.
• Physical environment spaces, including class sizes, must be conducive to learning, with opportunities for creativity, acceptance and safety.
• Educator qualifications, work experience and personality traits are also priorities as your child will spend the majority of their time with educators.
• Policies, classroom and behaviour management systems including bullying, harassment, discipline policies and procedures must be positively uplifting and child oriented.
• Sports, the arts and social responsibility projects bring the much-needed balance to a child’s life.
• Go with your gut feeling, if it feels right and ticks all the boxes then you have made a good choice.
Taking time to research the options available for your primary school child is time well spent.
Being a well-informed parent or guardian will ensure that your child
develops the foundational skills they
need to transition smoothly and trouble-free to high school and life in general.


How to use praise to encourage and empower children
Praise is a powerful tool that can shape how a child thinks about themselves and ultimately impacts on their behaviour, motivation and self-actualization. When used mindfully, praise can help to create an affirmative, enabling learning environment and the development of a growth mindset.
An education expert says it is important to understand the dynamics of effective praise, to ensure it has the intended impact.
“As a parent/guardian or teacher, understanding the nuances of praise and the significant impact that it has on a child’s development and psyche is paramount. While praise is essential, it is equally important to encourage effort, resilience, and the development of a love of learning in the child. Combining this with a supportive environment means empowering the child and enabling them to thrive and be successful,” says Lynda Eagle, Academic Advisor at ADvTECH schools.
Eagle says effective praise should be specific, celebrate effort, and emphasise practise.
“Praise should focus on the actions, rather than the innate characteristics of a child,” she says.
BE SPECIFIC AND DESCRIPTIVE
Being specific helps children understand what they did well, and how they can build on or extend their skills, understandings and knowledge.
“Instead of using a generic praise such as ‘good job’ it would be more impactful acknowledging the work that has been done and the effort applied – ‘I noticed how carefully you arranged those blocks when creating your pattern. Would you like to explain to me your thinking?’,” advises Eagle.
CELEBRATE EFFORT AND PROGRESS
Where a child is working towards a goal, then it is important to provide support and encouragement over time. Adults can offer praise and acknowledgement of the work that has been put into achieving the result. This highlights the fact that the effort and process in achieving the goal is as, if not more, important than the outcome.
“Mistakes and setbacks are seen as important learning opportunities. Praise children when they manage disappointments well and encourage them to keep trying and moving forward.”
Eagle says body language is also important.
“Using an enthusiastic tone, adopting a relaxed posture, while smiling and acknowledging the child, drives the message of support home and gives children the psychological boosts they need to continue doing their best. Take care to be sincere however, as children can sense inauthenticity and fake praise.”
BALANCE AND REFLECTIVE PRACTICE
It is important to remember that excess praise or praise that is not sincere, may undermine the child’s intrinsic motivation and the development of a strong internal sense of accomplishment.
By offering praise when warranted, and providing constructive and mindful feedback when necessary, the child builds trust in the process and the support provided as they navigate their way through the various learning experiences.
Mindful and specific praise builds trust and will have a profound impact on a child’s development.






