7 Secrets pertaining to Preschools - How to get the job done

1. Little Jimmy loves playing on the swings in the apartment play area for kids. Here his little friends from preschool come with their Moms. He runs from one swing to another slide and exchanges little pleasantries with his friends. His Mom chats with other neighbours. “I am having fun, I don’t want to go home Mom”. Mom is strict she says “I have to make   dinner and then you go off to bed”. Jimmy plays longer with Toby on the slide and Mom begins chatting with Mrs. Rothschild a neighbour. Ten minutes elapse and Jimmy and Mom are again involved with friends. Then Mom looks at her watch and says “Jimmy it is the time  we went  home”. Jimmy realises it is time to go home. Why did Mom give him those extra 10 minutes? Dinner is going to be late and so also sleep time. Next day Mom realises that the previous evening was long drawn out. This time she is brisk and clear in “Jimmy it is time we go home now don’t play on the slides we have to go”. Jimmy is now is 2 minds does he get more time or should he go? Mom didn’t give him those extra 10 minutes. It is time to go home and runs to his mother and catches her hand. Mom then realises she has to be firm and to the point. Dinner has to be served, then bath and bedtime. The routine   is   set and Jimmy and Mom both follow the time period in the playground.

Teachers are more efficient and give instructions in precise, clear language. Miss Joyce doesn’t like crying babies and after they say goodbye to the day to Mom. She says, 3 hugs & kisses and little Jimmy knows the rule.

Mom has now put a little clock on Jimmy’s bedroom wall. She memorises the time taken to get up, wash and brush and get ready for school. Milk time and a little time for cookie  all noted mentally and then she rushes to  get  jimmy  onto the school bus which is always on time. Initially, the time span for the morning activities takes longer. Jimmy understands he is being rushed but complies. No tears and no fuss. She makes a note on the chart on the wall.

2. Fine Motor skills need time to develop. Miss Joyce knows Jimmy, Sebastian, Toby, Anna........love playing with clay. She lets them roll out the clay on the board and helps them make little cabins, snakes, a dog, and a cat. Some of the children graduate to making a giraffe. It is fun and they use both their hands.

She lets them use the small blackboards in the classroom to scribble using crayons or chalk. Sebastian loves cutting and says “please may I have a scissor”. He is ready to move from rolling to cutting. It is fun and Sebastian cuts them in any shape and size. Ready to begin, when the dough is finished. He rolls the dough back into one piece and cuts it again. All the other toddlers seeing him having so much fun all want to do the same. Scribbling time is over and the teacher hands out the letters of the Alphabet and teaches them to use it as a stencil. Many do the letter upside down, sideways or at any angle. Then it becomes interesting. Miss Joyce makes them say the letter “A” aloud before she hands it to the child. Next day “B” and so on. Once they finished the big letters, she hands out the small letters.

Cutting and sniping the paper is an extremely interesting task. The child uses a kid safe scissors and sticks the snippets of paper on  animal figures, doing  the outlines and borders for frames for photographs, making flowers or butterflies. The A4 size sheet of glow paper can make interesting designs or patterns Yarn or wool can be wrapped around a can (penholder) a mud baked vase made colourful. These are all given to the children to take home and show Mom. Origami figures made of coloured paper will follow once their fingers become skilled at folding paper. Strings coated with wet paint and pulled through  folded  chart  paper  form interesting designs. This interesting activity    starts   when babies learn to manipulate their fingers and thumb. Vegetable prints taken by using vegetables like –okra, cucumber, potatoes, dipped in colour give interesting colourful designs. 

Old greeting cards are sent to the school and teachers help   toddlers  write out the messages. They identify the 1, 2, 3, 4 letters words in the messages. These messages are interesting as the child learns to speak out Birthday, Christmas, and New Year wishes.

3. Storytime at bedtime mustn’t be too long. A fairy story or a favourite song played for a short time many lull a child to sleep. Sleep time must be at the same time and must follow a set routine. Don’t let Jimmy play a game for too long a period of time. He needs a  game which doesn’t engross him   too  long.  Play activities will take him past his bedtime and play will be extended, he will sleep late and not wake up in the morning, in time for school.

4. Children need little cues for getting their attention. Mom says “Time for Dinner” may not be effective as short and crisp instruction as “Dinner Time” in 5 minutes. Jimmy follows the rules and instructions, puts away the toys,  washes  hands and comes  down for supper(dinner) Miss Joyce uses another method. She   doesn’t  raise her voice, she simply starts a Nursery Rhyme and the children quieten down and pay attention to the rhyme. Once she has their attention she starts off on another activity.

5. Play becomes an important part of a child’s entertainment and enjoyment. Girls love dressing dolls. But doll’s clothes do not have too many attachments like buttons or zips. Doll shoes have laces which the child keeps practising on how to tie knots.   Velcro on shoes  are  available  in  shoe stores and make it easier for the child to fit snugly into his shoes without effort. Mom marks the shoes with a marker L & R. He has been taught which  is  his left foot and right foot. He  matches the toes before putting on the shoes. A child learns to practise the way to manipulate a  Zipper  or  a Velcro attachment or a button. Mom  utilises  old clothes to make Jimmy learn how to zip or unzip, button or unbutton. He plays and practises a long time on those old clothes and makes sure he knows how to do it. Mom lays out Jimmy's  clothes on the settee next to his bed. She puts little stickers on them as 1, 2, 3.....  Jim knows in what order he has to wear his clothes.

6. The queue system is  unique, a certain order is maintained with this system even amongst the toddlers in class. The favourite toy is always fought over. Miss Joyce has a unique system. She attaches a slip to the toy with the names of the children. Each child  is given 15 minutes to play with it. After that time is over it is passed to the second child and continues till the last child has played with it. Little Jimmy, Sebastian, Toby, Anna........are all satisfied and after their turn  pick up another toy to play with. Miss Joyce then organises another game with a team till the next activity period. Sebastian and Toby don’t cry and feel frustrated as they  play with all the toys in the class.

7. A happy school produces happy children. A preschool without stress and enjoyable learning is what every parent looks forward to. Jimmy’s mother loves looking at her child’s work. She admires the preschool teacher who achieves so much in a short span of time. “I am also learning” she tells her friends, she frequently talks to Miss Joyce and gets tips on parenting from her. “Jimmy has to be brought up with all the love and care we can give him”. The little tips which she receives  after the observations she gives are great. The teacher is developing Jimmy into a happy child who loves his parents and his teacher.