THE IMPORTANCE OF PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

According to brain research conducted over the past decade, learning in the early years is critical to a child's lifelong development. The neurological pathways children will later use for everything from coloring to calculus are constructed within the first few years. This discovery has led most civilized states leaders pay special attention to pre-school education, activity that is mirrored in global and European statistics. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]

Headnote

Abstract: According to brain research conducted over the past decade, learning in the early years is critical to a child's lifelong development. The neurological pathways children will later use for everything from coloring to calculus are constructed within the first few years. This discovery has led most civilized states leaders pay special attention to pre-school education, activity that is mirrored in global and European statistics.

Keywords: Education, preschool education, children, Member States, European Union.

1. Short history

In the recent decades there has been a growing awareness of the crucial importance that preschool years have in the optimal development of the child.

The second half of the twentieth century brought with it a change in the world both socially and economically, and in family. In industrialized societies families have moved from rural to urban and mothers began to go to work. Thus there arose the need for a system of preschool education. Public preschool education systems have been implemented for the first time in the socialist countries of Eastern Europe after the Second World War, and then it was taken over by Scandinavian countries in the 60s who were followed shortly by France and Italy.1

Hunt (1964) and Deutsch (1964) found out that early learning affects later learning and the educational potential of the first years of life is too great to be wasted. They also noted that a good environment is essential to early learning.2

Also in 1964, Bloom concluded that the fastest development period appears to be the first five years of life and that 17% of the accomplishments of education take place between the first 4 and 6 years.3

Midness and Keliher (1968) analyzed 47 studies about the importance of the education received in the kindergarten and supported the inclusion of preschool education in the public education system in the United Kingdom. These studies are related to various aspects of preschool education such as growth rate during the years children spent in preschool, the effect of the preschool experiences on cognitive development, young children's learning potential, social and personality development etc.4

In 1950 in the United States of America a recommendation was made that nurseries and kindergartens that meet the highest professional standards must be included in the public education system.5

But only in the '60 preschool education has received an unprecedented development. Hunt's theoretical writings and Bloom's have prompted these changes. New social awareness and government funding that resulted from it, and increased confidence in the development and maintenance of preschool program made it possible to change the existing situation at the time. Originally preschool programs were developed only for those who had a lower socio-economic status and children who were culturally disadvantaged.6

2. The importance of pre-school education

Pre-school education comprising children aged 3 and 5 years old has certain features that facilitate the process of thinking among children. Through games, drawing and music children are taught things about the environment and about the society in which they live.

Pre-school education has been considered as a tool for poverty eradication. Many theorists in this field consider that it is desirable for all children to go to preschool, but it is more necessary for disadvantaged children. Without preschool education there is very little possibility of achieving equality in education.7

Preschool education is essential for children whose mothers work. In 1969 Sargent emphasized the importance of preschool education for those children whose living conditions are poor and where mothers are used to go to work. It was noted that good light and fresh air, opportunities for play and sleep are vital for proper preschool education of children. Therefore, children living in unsuitable conditions should be enrolled in preschool.8

Pre-school uses certain techniques designed to improve children's mental processes and skills with particular attention to conceptual and mental development, to improve language skills, to improve children's health, to help in their emotional and social development by encouraging self-confidence, self-esteem and dignity, spontaneity and discipline.9

There is substantial evidence showing that through play children show improved verbal communication, social skills and interaction superior to other children who did not receive preschool education, they use materials used in games in a creative way, have divergent and imaginative thinking skills and problem solving capabilities. Play and playful activities are leading to complex forms of knowledge, to skills and understanding, especially in the cognitive and social fields.10

Looking at play through the theoretical lens has demonstrated that play is not just the child's world, it reflects his understanding and the interpretations that he gives to this complex social and cultural world in which he lives.11

Participation of children in preschool education highlights the following features:

* The experience of pre -school compared to non-participation in this type of education improves the multilateral development in children.

* The participation (in months) is also important; an early start (under age 3) is linked to a significantly better intellectual development, which is noticeable when children begin primary school especially in their results in language and communication.

* Participation in preschool full time does not bring greater benefits than attending part time.

* Disadvantaged children benefit significantly from the experiences of high-quality early childhood education, particularly in centers where there is a mixture of children from different social backgrounds.

* In addition, disadvantaged children participate in preschool education a much shorter time than those from advantaged backgrounds, with 4-6 months less than others, and this reduced time spent in preschool is a disadvantage in addition to these vulnerable children.12

In terms of quality preschool education the results of the analysis are:

* High quality pre -school education is linked to better intellectual development, social development and behavior development of children.

* Institutions that have employees with high qualifications have higher quality scores and their children make more progress.13

Currently the kindergarten teachers are expected accomplishments from which will benefit the whole society. There is evidence that children who are enrolled in high-quality preschool are more likely to finish high school, to get into college and have a job than the children, who are from the same background, but did not receive preschool education.14

Preschool is seeking to carry out the following objectives:

- Social and interpersonal goals (helps children to get along with other children and adults and have good relationships with teachers, also teaches kids to help others and to develop feelings of compassion);

- Goals related to self-help skills (teaches the kids how to take care of their personal needs such as dressing and to know what clothes they should wear, teaches them how to eat with cutlery and how to use a napkin, teaches them how to wash and bathe and brush their teeth, shows them how to comb and how to clean their nails);

- Goals related to self-esteem (promotes self-help skills to teach children how to develop a good self-image and self-esteem, helps children learn about themselves, their family and their culture, helps them to develop a sense of self worth by experiencing success, teaches them about the parts of the human body and their functions);

- Academic goals (teaches the kids their own names, addresses and phone numbers; teaches them colors, sizes, shapes and positions of an object, teaches them numbers, letters, identifying shapes, sounds and rhymes);

- Objectives related to thinking skills (involving children in activities that help them develop essential skills for building schemes such as classification, counting and knowing the concepts of time and space, gives them an opportunity to respond to questions that asks them to synthesize, analyze and evaluate);

- Learning readiness goals (children learn to obey the teachers and to do what the teachers ask of them, learn to pay attention in class and how to work alone, how to perform a task and how to sit still);

- Goals related to language and literacy (the ability to interact with adults and older children makes children develop their oral language skills, they learn how to converse with other children and adults, helps them to increase their vocabularies and language skills, helps them to develop early literacy skills);

- Objectives related to nutrition (teaches children the importance of healthy food, diversify their diet that relies on a balanced menu rich in nutrients).15

3. Pre-school education in the European Union

EU gives great importance to preschool education. This is reflected in Eurostat statistics that addresses this issue.

The European Union percentage of children who attend preschool education between ages 4 and 5 or at the latest 6 years is quite high. Since 2000 when it reached 85% it gradually increased to 92% in 2010. But the target that EU has proposed to touch until the 2020s is 95%, which it can be done if we think that in 2010 it had already reached 92%.16

The situation in the Member States is the following: France and Spain are the countries that since 2000 until 2011 had a rate of enrolling children in preschool to 100%, Spain had a period of decline from 2005 to 2010, but was recovered in 2011. Surprisingly the lowest percentage of enrolling was in Finland in 2000 which was only 55%, but this percentage increased annually reaching in 2011 to 74%. Poland, Lithuania and Cyprus were at the bottom of the ranking in 2000 with 58%, 60% and 64%, but they managed to grow at 85% in 2010-2011 in Cyprus, and Poland and Lithuania 76% and 77%.17

Participation in early childhood education -% of the age group between 4- year-old and the starting age of compulsory education. The share of the population aged 4 to the age when the compulsory education starts who is participating in early education. This indicator measures the Education and Training 2020 strategy's headline target to increase the share of children participating in pre-primary education (measured as those between 4 years old and the age for starting compulsory primary education) to at least 95% in 2020.18

The next table shows the entrance age to the primary education and the age range of the indicator by country:

In some European countries only the last year of kindergarten is considered as pre-school, whereas in other countries of the old continent preschool encompasses all age groups until the start of compulsory education. In most European countries preschool education is free.1

In Finland the new preschool curriculum focuses on cooperation with parents, individually or as a group, to develop the educational plan. This plan shall identify the key factors in individual development, such as goals to be attained for child growth and development and evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses.2

Based on the national preschool curriculum core each preschool institution develops their detailed curriculum based on local circumstances and profile.3

Denmark stands out as the European leader in providing a comprehensive and coherent preschool program, but Ireland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom are lagging behind in this regard. Britain has been close to the bottom in the European ranking for publicly- funded preschool educational places for three and four year olds. This means that children who have the greatest need and would benefit most from early education will not receive it.4

In Sweden since 1995 municipalities are obliged to provide all children between the age of 1 and 12 years old, whose parents are employed or studying, a place in a public or a private educational institution. Children aged 1 to 5 years are offered a place in a day care centre, the 6 year olds not yet enrolled in school are offered a place in a preschool and children attending school a place in an after-school centre, until they are 12 years old.5

Parents can choose whether or not their children will use these facilities, but local authorities must be able to provide these services. In addition there are private educational institutions run by churches or other organizations.6

In France preschool education is seen as an important factor in reducing inequality. Therefore, all families with young children are recognized the right to enroll their children in preschool regardless of their cultural, social, ethnic or geographical origin.7

Preschool institutions accepted children's enrollment regardless of their nationality. In fact, it was even recommended enrolling the children of migrant workers in nurseries and kindergartens from the earliest age, in order to adapt to the French education system.8

In Germany preschool attributes greater importance to the daily experiences of children and their families at the expense of artificial learning situations, parent participation and the integration of the kindergarten in community life.9

4. Conclusions

Participation in preschool education is essential for optimal development of children. Enrolling in this type of education helps children to gain more information about their world and develop their thinking and social skills. It has been shown that dropout is less common in children who have attended preschool.

Also disadvantaged children enrolling in preschool is seen as a way to alleviate poverty because they will be able to continue school, get into college and find a job. Between the ages of 4-6 years old are established the foundations of thinking and learning skills in children which will help them later in their development both in childhood and in adolescence and in the young adult period.

Footnote

1. Rebecca Staples New, Moncrieff Cochran, "Early Childhood Education: The countries. An International Encyclopedia, Volume 4", Greenwood Publishing Group, 2008, p.p. 861- 862.

2. Bhooder Singh, "Preschool Education", New Delhi, APH Publishing, 2007, p. 3.

3. Idem.

4. Ibidem., p.p. 3-4.

5. Ibidem., p. 4.

6. Idem.

7. Ibidem., p.p. 4-5.

8. Ibidem., p. 5.

9. Ibidem., p.p. 5-6.

10. Angela Anning, Joy Cullen, Marilyn Fleer, "Early Childhood Education: Society and Culture", 2nd Edition, London, SAGE Publications Ltd, 2009, p.p. 29-30.

11. Ibidem., p. 31.

12. Kathy Sylva, Edward Melhuish, Pam Sammons, Iram Siraj-Blatchford, Brenda Taggart, "Early Childhood Matters: Evidence from the Effective Pre-school and Primary Education Project", Abingdon Oxon, Routledge, 2010, p. 94.

13. Idem.

14. Petr G. Grotewell, Yanus R. Burton, "Early Childhood Education: Issues and Developments", New York, Nova Science Publishers, 2008, p. 9.

15. R.P. Shukla, "Early Childhood Care And Education", New Delhi, Sarup & Sons, 2004, p.p.18-21.

16. Eurostat.

17. Eurostat.

18. Eurostat.

19. Evridiki Zachopoulou, Jarmo Liukkonen, Ian Pickup, Niki Tsangaridou, "Early Steps Physical Education Curriculum: Theory and Practice for Children Under 8", Human Kinetics, 2010, p. 4.

20. Bernard Spodek, Olivia N. Saracho, "International Perspectives on Research in Early Childhood Education: An International Study", IAP -- Information Age Publishing Inc., 2005, p. 90.

21. Idem.

22. Lesley Abbott, Helen Moylett, "Early education transformed", Routledge, 1999, p. 44.

23. Colin Brock, Witold Tulasiewicz, "Education in a single Europe", Routledge, 2000, p. 355.

24. Idem.

25. Tricia David, ?Educational Provision for Our Youngest Children: European Perspectives?, SAGE, 1993, p. 40.

26. Ibidem., p.42.

27. Ibidem., p. 66.

References

REFERENCES

Angela, Anning, Joy Cullen, Marilyn Fleer, (2009), ?Early Childhood Education: Society and Culture?, 2nd Edition, London, SAGE Publications Ltd.

Bernard, Spodek, Olivia N. Saracho, (2005), ?International Perspectives on Research in Early Childhood Education: An International Study", IAP -- Information Age Publishing Inc..

Bhooder, Singh, (2007), "Preschool Education", New Delhi, APH Publishing.

Colin, Brock, Witold Tulasiewicz, (2000), "Education in a single Europe", Routledge.

Evridiki, Zachopoulou, Jarmo Liukkonen, Ian Pickup, Niki Tsangaridou, (2010), "Early Steps Physical Education Curriculum: Theory and Practice for Children Under 8", Human Kinetics.

Kathy, Sylva, Edward Melhuish, Pam Sammons, Iram Siraj- Blatchford, Brenda Taggart, (2010), "Early Childhood Matters: Evidence from the Effective Pre-school and Primary Education Project", Abingdon Oxon, Routledge.

Lesley, Abbott, Helen Moylett, (1999), "Early education transformed", Routledge.

Petr, G. Grotewell, Yanus R. Burton, (2008), "Early Childhood Education: Issues and Developments", New York, Nova Science Publishers.

Rebecca, Staples New, Moncrieff Cochran, (2008), "Early Childhood Education: The countries. An International Encyclopedia, Volume 4", Greenwood Publishing Group.

Shukla, R.P., (2004), "Early Childhood Care And Education", New Delhi, Sarup & Sons.

Tricia, David, (1993), "Educational Provision for Our Youngest Children: European Perspectives", SAGE.

Eurostat.