Debunking Preschool Myths

Whether you’re a stay at home parent or a career mom on the go, sending your child off to school for the first time is liberating and yet still a huge responsibility. If you’re going to send your child to school, you’d hope that they’re learning something while they’re there. While some parents send their children to school without concern, others worry about the impact it has on their kids.
For all the positive information on the internet about early education programs, there is equally as much critical feedback. The truth is, not all programs are the same, but at its core preschool education is a powerful and effective first step for children from all walks of life. In the spirit of transparency, here are three of the most pervasive myths paired with our feedback.

They’re Just Babysitting
If you’re expecting your preschooler to come home with homework or produce a science fair project you’re not going to find what you’re looking for. However, don’t let a lack of obvious and immediate results confuse you. There is a lot of learning going on in those classrooms. A key to ensuring that you’re paying for more than just babysitting is choosing a school where the teachers are educated and experienced in the field of childhood education.

It’s Not Real Education
Again, if you’re expecting your preschooler to come home having read the classics or experimented in a biology lab you’re going to be disappointed. However, there is real, powerful education taking place in those classrooms. Experienced teachers know how to draw deep learning out of simple lessons. When you see finger paints, they see lessons in manual dexterity, a child learning their letters, and students working together toward and common purpose. Don’t let the vision of education that is cemented into your mind confuse you into thinking that the learning that takes place in a preschool classroom isn’t valuable.

It’s Not Worth The Money
To be honest, this final myth is one that must be weighed by each family. Only you know what you can afford from an early childhood education, but it’s important to mention that early childhood education has some significant benefits that are hard to achieve at home. Most notably, children’s social and emotional development is established at this age and a positive early education experience helps keep them on track in language learning, problem-solving, and simply knowing how to navigate a classroom environment. If this isn’t worth the money, we don’t know what is.

If you’re struggling to decide whether preschool is the right choice for your child, we hope you’ll consider our program. At St. Barnabas we specialize in balancing high-quality education with faith-based community and the result is kind and intellectual children from early education through eighth grade. For more information, give us a call today.

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