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The focus of life that was once on finding a career has now shifted to obtaining a quality education. While education is in itself a means of finding the right career path, it is also about grooming personality, reinforcing values, and building character.
Perhaps the most critical juncture for any child is when they begin school. Preschool years are the ones where children begin their real social interactions, induct themselves into mainstream education, and learn to build habits and structures that last with them for life. In instituting these practices, early childhood education has played a pivotal role.
Times are changing rapidly, and the prevalence of technology cannot be ignored. Especially considering it has taken over every facet of our life, the possibilities, and presence of technology is a given. The same is true for childcare management software as well. A market that was pegged at a little over USD 150 million in 2018, its valuation grew exponentially in the last year following a forced migration to a virtual world in the wake of the pandemic. It is only slated to grow consistently from here on.
What is Early Childhood Education?
Early childhood education includes any educational program that is available to children in their preschool years. Common names for early childhood education include pre-kindergarten and preschool. This institution was set up with the intent of providing children with an opportunity to engage, play, and build on certain fundamentals in cognition, numeracy, and literacy that benefited them in their learning and development. Children who have experienced an early childhood education program are more likely to adapt to school faster and learn more quickly as compared to others.
Most Compelling Reasons Why Early Childhood Education is Important
It is a fact that children stand to gain immensely from an early childhood education program. Here are some reasons why we need it more than ever:
Fewer Dropouts:
Evidence indicates that dropouts and poorly educated individuals have a greater penchant for being in prison or health-care facilities in the US. With more children having access to early childhood education, we are fostering a generation of more literate, conscientious adults who have a better chance at building communities and caring for their families.
Building Potential:
It is established that maximum growth and learning in a child occurs before the age of 5. Children with greater IQs, communication skills, and social adjustment are found to be from environments where the child is stimulated, where communication is constant, and where children are nurtured and protected. Early childhood education programs provide this to children in a structured, guided environment that allows children the freedom of experimenting, experiencing, and engaging constructively.
Children in Need:
Although there are numerous pre-preliminary programs available to children, the figures are disheartening. There have been studies by the National Center for Education Statistics that state that only a little over 50 percent of 4-year-old children are enrolled in a program, while the numbers are significantly lower for 3-year-olds. The availability of preschools in the vicinity is among the largest reasons for these startling figures. It is sad to say that the US falls behind many countries when it comes to enrollment in early childhood education. This is why the options of childcare software and virtual classroom software are the need of the hour.
National Gains:
Needless to say, an educated generation creates an educated nation. By simply allowing children to learn to read and write early in their life, we can help them stay in school, prevent delinquency, and create adults who are aware, responsible, and employable. With the many initiatives and benefits that are being instrumented to make early childhood education viable, there is little excuse to deny your child this need.
Holistic Development:
Many people think that early childhood education is mainly useful for getting children ready for primary school. But early childhood education does much more to a child’s development than one can imagine. A child takes the first step towards being a part of a community, thereby, learning to develop not just intellectually but also socially and emotionally. A child’s cognitive and physical development also gets a boost by opting for early childhood education.
Investment For the Future:
According to UNICEF, early childhood education should be considered more like an investment rather than a cost as it brings about returns in the future. There are studies that state that children who receive early education are more likely to achieve various feats in their future life. With every penny spent on early childhood education, the returns are usually four or five times or higher as per UNICEF’s study.
But early childhood education can have adverse effects on the child if the curriculum is not properly and scientifically designed. If the curriculum and pedagogy cause high levels of stress for a child at such an early age, there might be severe consequences in the child’s future. This might ultimately hamper the emotional and cognitive well-being of the growing child.
Try to observe and talk to the child while imparting them education at an early age, find out if they are having any difficulties and teach them problem-solving skills by not spoon feeding but being a helping hand.
Parents want what’s best for their child, and will go any lengths to give it to them. They want to be hands-on, informed, and available to their children whenever needed. With their working schedules and lifestyles, it’s not always possible to be at school all the time, aware at each point, or available at every instant. Preschool and daycare app like Illumine takes care of all these, making you an engaged parent with the click of a button.
Early Child Care and Education Made Easy
Childcare software like Illumine can help facilitate both teachers and parents to make early childhood education easier for the children. With features like streamlined enquiries management, online payments for parents, open and easy communication to facilitate engagement and transparency between parents and teachers and a database of records, Illumine is a wholesome comprehensive child care software that helps in facilitating early childhood education. With the option of viewing photographs of classroom sessions, videos, special events, and provision for live streaming, Illumine’s daycare software keeps parents aware and actively engaged.
Early childhood education can be a boon for children and society if done properly and scientifically. When our lifestyles and activities are all mandated by technology today, it is only expected that education is compliant with it too. With so much to be gained and a world of possibility to be explored, Illumine shows you how great childcare software can make preschool a breeze, try out a free demo with us now.
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