As a parent, you might find it difficult to choose the right early childhood program for your kid. You perfectly understand that the environment you expose to your kid has a huge impact on their growth and learning. However, most parents do not know what to consider when choosing the right program for their kids. Getting quality early education for your kid can influence their understanding in class and their overall life. So, as a parent, it is crucial to know the components of a quality program for early childhood education. The following are things that make up quality ECE programs and when choosing one for your kid, make sure you consider them.
Before you learn about these components, you need to know that ECE comes in different settings. You can decide to take your kid to a private or public school depending on your needs and capability. The public and private centers must operate with a license and the programs are monitored by the responsible entity. Another setting is where children are home-schooled where the teachers or care providers go to the homes of the kids.
What Do Quality ECE Curriculums Comprise Of?
When choosing the right program for your kid, these components will be of great help. The type of curriculum you choose will depend on your kid’s needs. Some parents want their children to be exposed to the academic world, while others focus on their social and emotional development. Whichever the need, here are things to look out for.
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Quality Teachers and Staff with Professional Characteristics
The quality of staff in a program has a big impact on the quality of the program. This is a crucial thing that parents must consider when enrolling their kids in a program. That means the staff and teachers assigned in a program must meet all the qualifications required to in ECE. Apart from the training and qualifications, the staff must also have access to professional development opportunities that grow and strengthen their skills and abilities. That includes attending workshops and frequent training. Before enrolling your child, it is critical to ask about the qualification of the staff and the period they have been in the program. The staff should be able to provide a stable and safe environment for the children to thrive.
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Appropriate Teacher-Child Ratio
This is another essential component. To provide high-quality ECE, the child-staff ratio must be appropriate. That means that every member of the staff should be responsible for not more than ten kids at a time. The ratio should be even smaller for younger kids who need utmost attention. This way, every kid can get individual attention.
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Incorporated Activities
The curriculum must also contain various activities aside from academic learning. This is very critical for the proper development of the kids. Every kid must have access to toys and other items to boost their learning. For instance, a center can buy STEM toys for kids from Good to Play for proper learning of important skills. It should also invest in top safety and health conditions.
Conclusion
These are crucial things that build quality ECE curriculums. Therefore, as a parent, you have the responsibility of ensuring your kid gets the best education. When choosing the best program, make sure you look into the above factors.
