The
Chicago Tribune published a “preschool primer” this weekend and while reading
the article, this piece of advice caught my eye: Check out the walls.
Besides
inspecting the building for safety and assessing toys, activities, teachers
and whether or not children are engrossed in activities, parents should pay
attention to the artwork displayed on the walls.
"If
all the pictures look the same, then your child will learn to make a bunny just
like everyone else's,” Steven Barnett, director of the National Institute for
Early Education Research said. “That's not really the goal."
A
good preschool, some say, will use art to promote creativity and problem-solving
skills. The focus should also be process instead of product.
Was
art at all a factor when you chose a preschool for your kids? What do you think
are the characteristics of a good preschool?
While
we’re on the subject of preschool, please check out a post earlier this month
on the NY Times’ Economix blog, which explained why early childhood education
is a wise investment. Here’s an excerpt:
Willing to invest for the long term? Looking for a socially responsible
growth industry offering consistently high returns? Want to “buy American” and
create domestic jobs without discouraging international trade? Consider the
benefits of public investments in early childhood education...
This blog is intended to provide a forum for parents to share knowledge and resources. It's a place for parents young and old to combine their experiences raising families into a collective whole to help others.
