Reading Time: 6 minutes
“Early Childhood education is the key to the betterment of society.” – Maria Montessori
This month we will be talking about the topic of school.
Included:
Introduction
My Personal Story
Lessons Learnt
Finding the right school
In Closing
Introduction:
Many parents are looking for a school for their children at this time of the year. Some are first-time parents and the task at hand seems overwhelming. Others have had good and not so good experiences and are looking for something new or a better fit for their child.
My Personal Story:
I too was once a first-time parent looking for a school for my daughter who was 3 years old at the time. I hadn’t really given schools much thought then as she was only 3. I heard my colleagues and friends talking about their little onesnattending school. I had no previous experience when it came to schools so I did what many parents do; I went on their recommendations instead of asking myself some important questions.
The result was not good. I placed my daughter in the school my colleague’s children were going to. It was a large school and there were several classes for different age groups. I would drop my daughter off at 07h15 just before I went to work and fetch her at lunchtime. I found that she would cry and hang on to me in the morning which made drop-off time a nightmare. She clearly did not want to go.
A colleague informed me that she noticed that my daughter would still be sitting at the front entrance at 9h00 in the morning after I had dropped her off. I also noticed that when I fetched her she would always be sitting in wet panties. Something was clearly not right. I decided to check if she was sitting at the front entrance all day. This would not be safe and was not acceptable to me either.
The next day I dropped her off as usual. Then I waited to see what happened next. I was dismayed to find that my daughter was still sitting at the front entrance at 09.00 and unattended. Clearly none of the staff at the daycare cared about her or even had noticed her. When I called the principal to find out why this was happening she didn’t even recognise that I was the mother of this the girl sitting at the entrance. I immediately withdrew my daughter from that school.
This was definitely not what I was expecting or looking for in a school. Did this first experience with a school matter? Yes, it certainly did! When I mentioned school to my daughter she did not want to go again. It took me another 9 months to settle my daughter after this uncomfortable experience, before I could send her to a new school.
Lessons Learnt:
What I learnt from the experience:
1. You must ask yourself what you feel will be best for your child. Armed with the answers to this question you can start looking for a school.
2. When you know what is important to you and your child it is easier to find a school that meets those requirements.
3. A school which ensures a personal touch will ensure that you and your child are valued.
4. If your child is showing unusual behaviour and there are signs that something is not right; pay attention. Naturally, there will be an adjustment period but they should settle in within a few days.
Once I had asked myself what was important for me and my child and I had done my own research, I went out and looked for a school that matched what I was looking for.
I eventually enrolled her in a small school setting (15 children in the school) where the teacher was able to give focused individual attention to each child and there was learning through play.
We received personal attention and feedback. My daughter made wonderful friends and thus loved going to school. She excelled at everything she was learning. She loved her teacher. Her teacher was
an experienced teacher and I had wonderful conversations with her daily. I could express my concerns with her and I found that she was a source of sound information when it came to children. I could see she loved children and understood their needs. Most importantly, my daughter felt safe, secure and comfortable in her new environment. She was able to start school slowly, attending 2 days a week which then led to everyday attendance. She was happy and that meant the world to me.
In Closing:
My daughter’s teacher and this school experience had a lasting impact on me and my daughter. It was as a result of this experience that I started my own playschool and I have followed many of the same principles that I learned from that wonderful teacher.
Knowing what is important to you and your child matters. Finding the school that best fits your needs and the needs of your child will be a blessing to everyone. A child that is happy and excited to get to school each day makes all the difference.
Having insight and answering a few questions can make finding what you looking for so much easier. In my next blog post I will share with you all the insights and questions I used and I am sure they will guide you in the right direction.
“The education of even a small child, therefore, does not aim at preparing him
for school, but FOR LIFE.” – Maria Montessori
