This topic can be very touchy for most parents. I have been on both sides of the coin as a teacher and as a parent. At every back to school night that I have been to I often here parents asking, ? What is the curriculum for my two or three year old.? Parents await and answer that tells them exactly what their child will learn and expect that their children will be reading and writing by the end of the year.
This cycle of forcing a child to understand that school is a place that we do ?work? can be a scary one as it can set up children to resent school. This is a child?s first experience at school and it needs to be a positive one. At a young age children need to understand that learning is something that takes place everywhere and it is fun, not work. If you are relying for a teacher to teach your child you have the wrong idea about education. You want your child to learn at school; learn how to make friends, how to be self sufficient, how to separate home-life and what the basics of school are.
If they happen to learn a letter or number along the way great. School should not be the first time they are exposed to reading and writing and practicing with you where they feel safest to explore is a great thing! I am not saying break out the blackboard at home, rather spend time with your child teaching them through hands on experience. If your child loves dinosaurs read about it, count dinosaurs, visit museums, pretend to be dinosaurs, cook with dinosaur shapes draw paint and cut until they are interested in something else. Have Fun!
