Learning Not So Little Life Lessons

Mulberry Child Care & Preschool For Michelle Hammond, preschool isn't about teaching her son the ABCs, numbers, and shapes. Instead, it's about introducing

her 3-year-old son,

Ryan, to a world that doesn't revolve around him and his younger brother, William.

"My hope was at age 3, the focus would be less on academics and more social learning to be a good friend, to take turns, to share,'' said Hammond, whose son attends a public program at South Street Elementary School in Fitchburg. "The academics at this age are secondary.''

While there are a number of academic skills children learn in preschool to prepare them for kindergarten, many early education experts say it's more important to focus on the basic social and life skills, particularly for younger children.

"For the 3-year-olds, the social skills and getting them used to being away from mom and dad are the big push,'' said Mary Pawela, director of the Mulberry Child Care and Preschool in Westborough. "It's a big step for kids who haven't been in a group child care center before. It's a whole different dynamic.''

By the time children turn 4, they're ready to focus more on academics, Pawela said.

She said standards for the public schools have changed over the years, so children are now expected to have more academic skills by the time they enter kindergarten.

Academic work focuses on learning shapes and colors, recognizing letters and the sound they make, and basic problem solving, she said.

A social problem may involve a dispute over a toy, while an academic problem focuses on how to make a particular craft, she said.

"They're getting ready to go into a more structured kindergarten,'' Pawela said.

Preschools in Massachusetts are not required to offer a specific program; however the state Department of Early Education and Care is working on developing a standard curriculum, said Casey Otis, the department's manager of external affairs.

Currently, the department offers guidelines, but only programs that receive a state subsidy are required to follow them, she said.

Julie Madaus, a mother of two from Worcester, said she is not worried about her 4-year-old daughter, Genevieve, being prepared for the academics of kindergarten. But she does want to make sure Genevieve knows how to co-exist with other kids and listen to directions from someone other than her parents.

"Having a child who's involved in books and loves to learn; my hope is preschool would be more about social interaction,'' said Madaus, who is also a kindergarten teacher. "She needs to know she can't be a princess all the time and always have her own way. She needs to know there are rules and other kids to share with.''

Dawn Murphy, director of Here We Grow Preschool in Auburn, said their program also focuses on the social skills for the younger children.

She said teachers help children learn how to use the bathroom by themselves, clean up snacks, and dress, for example. They're also learning manners, how to follow directions, make friends, and follow a routine.

"We focus a lot on socialization and selfhelp skills,'' Murphy said. "They need to learn they aren't the only child out there.''

But that doesn't mean the academics are overlooked, Murphy said. As the children become accustomed to school, they start to learn more of the traditional building blocks like the alphabet and counting. The academic skills also tend to be more of a focus when the children turn 4, Murphy said. Murphy said the children learn academic skills through a theme-based curriculum that introduces the children to the world around them. Each month, the children learn about concepts like seasons, safety, feelings and emotions, transportation, people, and animals, Murphy said.

The 3 year olds might practice letters by drawing a letter "S'' in a pile of salt, while the older children will practice writing on a piece of paper, Murphy said.

By the time children enter kindergarten, Murphy said the children should be able to print and recognize their first name, count to 100, follow simple directions, recognize letters, and stand in a line with other children.

But beyond the social, motor, and academic skills, Murphy said the teachers hope they instill in the children a sense of self worth and a love of learning.

"We want them to know they are wonderful people and we want them to feel good about themselves,'' Murphy said. "We want them to love learning because we feel we are all life-long learners.''

Kristen Ancker, director of Summit Montessori School in Framingham, said their program focuses on helping the children gain confidence, so they believe in themselves. She said they learn how to put their shoes on, for example, and how to tie the laces.

"One of the main ideas we teach is independence,'' Ancker said. "We help the children help themselves. We think if a child learns these basic steps of independence, they'll have a great sense of self worth.''

The school works on conflictresolution, as the children learn how to interact with each other, she said. The school has a peace table where the children go to discuss a dispute or a problem. When it's a child's turn to talk, they hold a flower and all the other children are expected to listen, she added.

While many preschools group children in classes for 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds, Summit places together children ages 3 through 6. When it comes to academics, the Montessori method focuses on handson learning, Ancker said. The school takes children outside as much as possible so they can see and touch the world around them, she added.

And when it comes to letters, the students learn the sounds before recognizing it or writing it. Reading comes easier to the students who understand how the letters sound, Ancker said. "A lot of what we do is going at the child's own pace so they never feel they have to hurry."

By the time they're ready for first grade, Ancker said they would like children to be able to concentrate and focus for longer periods of time, start blending letter sounds together, and recognize numbers and counting.

"If they have those skills, they should be well prepared,'' Ancker concluded.

Jennifer Lefferts is a freelance writer from Fitchburg, where she lives with her husband

Jason, their daughter, Abigail, 5 and son,

Benjamin, 1.

Preschool Skills Children Learn

Motor skills + Holding a pencil + Walking up stairs, with alternating feet + Tying shoes

Academic skills + Learning to recognize a letter and its sound + Counting + Shapes + Colors + Recognizing and printing first name

Social/life skills + Dressing + Using toilet on their own + Standing in a line with other children + Separating from parents + Making friends + Sharing + Following directions