PRE-PRIMARY

SCHOOLINGINDIA AND ABROAD

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INDEX:1.WHAT IS PRE-PRIMARY SCHOOLING

2.HOW IT EVOLVED

3.WHY IT IS ESSENTIAL

4.TYPES OF PRE-PRIMARY SCHOOLING

5.BEST PRACTICES

6. IMPROVEMENTS IN PRE-PRIMARY SCHOOLING

7.HOW FAR INDIA IS SUCCESSFUL

8.SUMMARY

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What is pre-primary schooling

Offers early childhood education to children

between the ages of 3 and 5.

It offers, prior to the commencement of compulsory

education.

Also known as nursery school, Kindergarten or

primary school.

Consist of nursery, LKG and UKG.

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How it evolved:

School was restricted to children who had already

learned to read and write at home.

Attempts to make school accessible to orphans or

to the children of women who worked in factories.

During 18th century many pre-schools came up in

different parts of Europe.

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Why is it essential:

Helps in physical development.

Helps in inculcating important qualities like team-work, self help and mental development.

Helps in motor and cognitive development.

The objective of these early years of learning is to produce a child who is beginning to feel confident about himself, enjoys creative tasks, can take simple decisions easily and enjoys the process of learning. The curriculum must therefore give importance to every aspect of development.

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Why is it essential:

Involve in practise of self development.

Learn to use daily tools like scissors ,brush etc.

Get familiarity with basics of arithmetic's and

language.

Explore different activities like running and allied

sports.

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Types of pre primary schooling

Due to difference in approach which sets the

curriculum there are broadly three types of pre

primary education system all over the world.

Namingly Reggio Emilia, Montessori, Waldorf.

Others are Highscope curriculum, Playway method.

Most of them named after their founder.

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Montessori Curriculum

The Montessori Curriculum is an integrated thematic approach that ties the

separate disciplines together into studies of the physical universe, the world of

nature, and the human experience. In this way, one lesson leads to many

others.

Pros:

1. Montessori schools are international in scope; there are multiple teacher

training centres and schools around the world to choose from, including those

specifically designed to assist children with developmental disabilities.

2. Certified teachers are typically friendly and approachable, which allow students

to become more comfortable with their own learning style.

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Cons of Montessori curriculum

Cons:

1. Increasing demand for Montessori services hasn't always kept

up with the current number of available resources needed to

meet a particular country's educational goals. Therefore, long

Montessori waiting lists have become the “new norm”.

2. Some Montessori schools are costly, depending on location.

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Others curriculum:

Highscope method :

In HighScope's vision of preschool education, children are doers and problem

solvers, and adults are partners who share in children’s

discoveries and gently guide their learning.

Reggio Emilia

It highly nurtures the correlation of a child’s natural development and his or her

close relationship with the environment. — Children are encouraged to dialogue,

critique, compare, negotiate, hypothesize and problem solve through mixed-group

work. In-depth studies are conducted on concepts, ideas, and interests made

within a particular

group of children.

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Others curriculum:

Playway Method:

Unlike Montessori, Playway may not be a structured and documented

system but more an adaptation of best practices from across the world, with

a greater emphasis on physical activities such as role-play, music and

movement, art and crafts, stories.

Waldorf Method:

This method views education as a far greater responsibility than simply

reading, writing, and arithmetic as they are taught the importance of social

responsibility, peace, respect, and compassion. The Waldorf model encourages

children to remain with the same teacher all the way through the primary

grades building long-term relationships and feelings of security.

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Improvements in Pre-Schooling:

Globally:

THE PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATION GROSS ENROLMENT RATIO

IN ARAB STATES INCREASED FROM 15% IN1999 TO 23% IN

2011.[SOURCE: UNESCO]

BUT ITS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT EVEN GLOBALLY THE

PRE-PRIMARY GROSS ENROLMENT RATIO IS VERY LESS I.E.

COMPARED TO THE 89% PRIMARY NET ENROLMENT

RATIO.[SOURCE: UNESCO]

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Improvements in Pre-Schooling:

Globally:

• ALGERIA WHICH STANDS OUT AS A COUNTRY WITH HIGHEST

SHARE OF GOVT. PROVISION IN REGION AT 86% ACHIEVED

LARGEST EXPANSION IN PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATION FROM

JUST 2% IN 1999 TO 75% IN 2011 AS A RESULT OF A REFORM

THAT INTRODUCED A ‘PRE-PRIMARY CURRICULUM’ IN 2004.

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Goods step by Indian government

Government of India has done commendable job.

Dept. of School Education and Literacy has sponsored scheme “Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan” to assist states in universalization of elementary education.

‘Educate for Life’ and ‘Rajasthan Bal Kalyan Samiti’ have been operating an integrated education health and livelihood project called ‘Hunar Ghar Project’ in Bakhel village of Udaipur district, Rajasthan since 2007.

In a recent survey conducted in the village it was found that literacy and health services of the region have improved significantly.

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Goods step by Indian government

‘Pratigya’ is an independent youth initiative started in 2007 under Dr

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam to ensure Right to Choose School with Right to

Education for each and every child and mobilize youth to action.

It facilitates students from underprivileged families access to a good

school around their nearby location with a 25% reservation for them.

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Education is the natural process which develops spontaneously in the human being

-Maria Montessori

ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT PRE SCHOOL IS THAT YOU CHILDREN

LEARN TO LEARN.

AS PER A STUDY BY TIME.COM CHILDREN THAT GO TO PRESCHOOL ON AN

AVERAGE EARNS MORE MONEY THAN THE CHILDREN THAT DO NOT

CHILDREN THAT GO TO PRESCHOOL ARE LESS LIKELY TO GO TO JAIL.

PRE SCHOOL WILL PREPARE YOUR KID FOR BETTER TIME DURING

SCHOOL, FOR THE KID WILL KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT FROM CLASS ROOM

ENVIRONMENT.

PRE SCHOOL WILL HELP YOUR TODDLER TO DEVELOP IMPORTANT

SKILLS,SUCH AS TAKING TURNS,LISTENING TO OTHERS,HELPING ONE

ANOTHER ,ETC.INTERACTING WITH OTHER CHILDREN WITH THE SAME

AGE WHICH CAN TEACH YOUR CHILD TO COMMUNICATE BETTER.

16So what pre school do actually?

India is home to the largest population of malnourished and hunger-stricken

people and children leading to high infant and maternal mortality. Along with

these issues are a deluge of problems ranging from diseases, lack of education

etc.

To combat this situation, the government of India 1975 initiated the integrated

development services(ICDS) scheme which operates at the state level to address

the health issues of small children, all over the country.

Social interaction is the greatest skill your child can learn at such an early age

for it will determine how he behaves with other people for rest of his life. When

you send your toddler to preschool at any early age, he will learn how to

interact with people.

preschool can help your child develop a sense of self and independent.

Your child will not have to waste time trying to get adjusted to other children.

Child is made familiar with the classroom environment and the lesson he is

supposed to learn after he has joined the school.

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Children are confined to learning in a ways that mostly don’t match how

humans learn best:

The way schools approach learning is like being taught how to rub with lead

shoes, if its begun in preschool its so you can spend 12+ years running with lead

shoes. Children are born as learning machines, they don’t need to learn how to

learn.

Children learn to ignore their feelings rather than growing to understand them.

They’re told they must go to school even if feels wrong that day.

Parents feel they arent competent to do what preschools do.

Again, this is really the saddest part, parents are made to feel they need experts

to help their children learn. Preschools make all sorts of promise as if they had a

lock of the knowledge of what preschoolers need most. The best they can

provide is a rich environment but it can’t match the nurturing and happy

exploration that a parent can offer.

18Demerits of pre-schools

Flaws of pre-school in India

The Government of India does not give much importance to pre-

school education.

There is not enough awareness regarding this stage of education

in India and hence most of the students of India are deprived of

pre-school education.

There is dearth of trained pre-school teachers in India.

There is no proper curriculum designed for pre-schools in India.

Most of the pre-schools in India lack proper study and play

materials due to shortage of funds from the government.

The lower strata of the Indian society is deprived of pre-school

education.

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Strategies for improving pre-school

education in India

Appoint only those teachers who are specially trained for the purpose by

the courses such as NTT(Nursery Teachers’ Training), JBT(Junior Basic

Training), etc.

Design a proper fixed curriculum for pre-school education by the

Government of India.

Reserve seats for children from lower income groups so as to make pre-

school education affordable to all.

Lower the student-teacher ratio, thus enabling the teacher to give personal

attention to each child.

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Continued…

Implementation of parent training programs:

• Educate parents about timely vaccination, preventing child

abuse, how to answer questions put forward by little ones, etc.

• Better parenting skills to make a positive impact on the child’s

life.

Compulsory lessons on health and nutrition to help inculcate

healthy eating habits and prevent diseases.

Combined efforts from educationists, teachers, parents and

Government needed.

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Summary:

• AS, PER UNESCO THE BEST WAY O IMPROVE PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATION GLOBALLY IS

TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF TEACHERS PROVIDING IT AND THUS PROVIDE THE BEST

TEACHERS IN THIS FIELD. IT CAN BE ACHIEVED THROUGH ITS 5 FOLD SCHEME AS

BELOW:

1. ATTRACTING BEST TEACHERS.

2. IMPROVING TEACHER EDUCATION SO THAT ALL CHILDREN CAN LEARN.

3. GET TEACHERS WHERE THEY ARE MOST NEEDED. EXAMPLE IN INDIA THERE IS A

HUGE NEED OF TEACHERS CAPABLE OF TEACHING PRE-PRIMARY LEVEL KIDS.

4. PROVIDING INCENTIVES TO RETAIN THE BEST TEACHERS.

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Summary:

5. HAVING SOME BASIC QUALIFICATION CRITERIA FOR PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATION TEACHERS.

PROVIDING AWARENESS ABOUT NEED OF PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATION CAN SIGNIFICANTLY

HELP TO IMPROVE PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATION GLOBALLY AND SEE MORE GOVT.

INVOLVEMENT.

IN INDIA, SOME PROBLEMS AS STATED BELOW NEED TO BE ADDRESSED PROPERLY TO

IMPROVE PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATION:-

VERY LESS GOVT. INVOLVEMENT IN PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION OF CHILDREN ESPECIALLY

THE UNDERPRIVILEGED ONES.

LACK OF AWARENESS AMONG PEOPLE ABOUT THE NEED OF PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATION

FOR CHILDREN.

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