Nursery school is a social institution which holds an important place in the life of a child. It is important because it is the introduction to peer socialization for many youngsters. It serves as a preview to school and more demanding pursuits such as sports teams. It allows the young child to interact in a situation which is less threatening and holds less import in the larger scheme than elementary school.
While nursery school affords a new and exciting challenge for the small child it also has benefits for the young family as an institution. It allows the parent a practice session in the soon-to-be longer separation that school and other demands will place on the relationship between the parent and child. It allows the parent to see the child in a new light, that of an independent person with perhaps heretofore unknown strengths and talents.
Another benefit which may ensue from the child’s introduction and exposure to the adults, many of whom are child care and education specialists, in the new environment of nursery school is the possibility of diagnosis of any learning or social and emotional problems of which the parent was not aware. This early diagnosis can also lead to early introduction of treatment modalities which may ease the child’s transition to elementary school and quite possibly be of great importance in allowing the child to manage and even excel in his or her early education.
So while nursery school may seem to some as just a fun experience and a break for Mom or Dad, it can actually serve a much broader purpose and benefit as a societal and individual tool.
http://www.educationcorner.com/importance-of-early-childhood-education.html
http://ezinearticles.com/?Importance-of-Early-Childhood-Education&id=2672450
I believe that enrolling a child in nursery school is beneficial for social purposes for a child. I enchances their social skills, teaches them to be around other children in an environment that may be different from the home situation for the child with siblings and gets the only child used to other children and helps to teach sharing. Many years ago I was a student nursery school teacher at my high school and it does help in early child development skills. It also helped them see that interaction with other adults is helpful so they learn to obey and react to other adults than their parents. There is fun but there is alot of learning as well. Socialization is important in this setting to prepare the child for real life school habits.
I agree that nursery school can be beneficial. In my case I couldn’t afford to send my child so I was fortuate enough to have my mother. My daughter learned not only from me but from her as well. Even though she did miss out on playing with kids her own age she had the advantage of constant adult attention. So when she started Kindergarten her vocabulary was amazing and was near the top of her class. When she was only 1 year old she had at least a 50 word vocabulary and could speak in 3-word sentences. So as great as nursery school is for some things my daughters experience had benifits for her too.
Depending on the child also determines what that child needs. Some need structure in a way that only a school setting can give. Some need one-on-one more then others so a home setting is good. I work in a preschool so I see all the time how the setting can work for most but there are always a few that make you step back and consider if there should be another option for them.
In this society, there is a wide variation between the amount and quality of pre-K education children get. Some spend a lot of time in daycare, and from an early age, while others don’t get any experience of a school-like setting at all. Quality of care also varies largely. There is no single predominant pattern as for when children start preschool, what quality it is, and how much time they spend there.
In the United States, the opportunity to have one’s child in nursery school depends often on the finances available. Our society has evolved to a point where it appears imperative that a child is involved in this important institution in order to have a strong foundation in socialization. In Finland, for example, the government pays for all of a person’s education, from nursery school to college. This provides equal opportunity for all. There is lower crime rates in Finland than in the United States, and education has been linked to this. The institution of education is of utmost importance to our youngest children.
I agree with Jennifer that there are many advantages to nursery school. Even as our society becomes more computer-based, we are also getting more social. We can maintain relationships with people who are father away for longer, so social skills are very important.
I also agree with Ellen that staying at home has advantages for children. My daughter has a very large vocabulary as well. Not many 3-year-olds know words like symbiotic, frustrated and binoculars, with almost perfect pronunciation. But I do see her lacking in some areas of social skills such as going along with a group.
The issue of quality child care is also important. It is a lucrative business financially right now, which may make it tempting to start a pre-school that is less educational that needed in these times.
From the personal stories I’ve seen here, it seems that having a child at home as opposed to enrolling them in preschool has distinct advantages to its learning ability. With adults always around, they learn from adults instead and can get a bit of a “head start” with education. On the other hand, preschool provides both the parents and child with strict guidelines and schedules. You usually have to make sure your kid is potty trained and ready to go out to school. The adults there are almost always certified in different aspects of childcare like early childhood education, which gives them an edge over most parents in dealing with the children – even when parents feel that they always know best. The social aspect of preschool is also beneficial, and kids can make friends that stay with them throughout school. The experience is a good test for both children and parents in socializing, education, and formal structure.
http://www.babycenter.com/0_preschool-advantages-and-disadvantages_6059.bc