I'm concerned that my 3 year old is not learning what she should in preschool.?

Question

Almost everything my 3 year old learns in preschool she sings. Could you tell me what preschools should cover curriculum wise and if singing is the only method they should use?

Answer 1

Well at 3 years I think learning from their parent is best anyway. So what you should do is when she comes home when you make time for her then you start teaching her things you think she should know for first grade. Make it fun and entertaining so that it doesn't become a chore.

Answer 2

Singing is deffinately a very good learning tool for a pre schooler.While they are singing they are learning and dont even realize it.Kids love to sing and I think that its pretty smart for the teachers to use that as a tool for learning. My son was in pre school last yr and by the end of the school yr he knew way more than when he started. And I also taught him at home with fun learning activities and games.

Answer 3

I love this poem, it really explains why preschools do the things they do:

"Play Today"

You say you love your children,

And are concerned they learn today?

So am I; that's why I'm providing

A variety of kinds of play.

You're asking me the value

Of blocks and other such play?

Your children are solving problems.

They will use that skill everyday.

You're asking what's the value

Of having your children play?

Your daughter's creating a tower.

She may be a builder someday.

You're saying you don't want your son

To play in that "sissy" way?

He's learning to cuddle a doll.

He may be a father someday.

You're questioning the preschool's activities;

They just look like useless play?

Your children are making choices;

They'll be on their own someday.

You're worried your children aren't learning,

and later they'll pay?

They're learning a pattern for learning,

For they will be learners always.

---Leila P. ****---

Answer 4

In most daycare centers singing is the No. 1 way that they teach. Children recall better through singing.

They sing the alphabet song, the number song, weather chart song, days of the week/ months of the year, color song etc.

They have an opening circle song, "Good morning to you...."

They have songs for hand washing "Goodbye Germs, Goodbye Germs, you're going down the drain."

Songs for lunch time "Open shut them, Open  shut them, place them in your lap lap lap."

Songs for lining up "Line up, Line up everybody everwhere, line up, line up, keep your hands up in the air."

Songs for Disputes "Be nice to your friends, Be nice to your friends, hands are not for hurting, be nice to your friends."

Songs for Group Circles: "We're going on a bear hunt....."

"All around the corner at the Donut shop...."

"Can you find a circle......"

"Strangers mean Danger......"

"Brush your teeth, to keep germs away...."

"The world is a rainbow, thats filled with many colors, and when we get together....."

So yes, in Daycares, 98% of the day is used for singing, to learn about everything and anything, thats the way all Daycares teach various concepts......

A good Daycare Preschool Teacher will cover:

Numbers

Shapes

Seasons

Cultural Holidays

Colors

Weather Chart

Alphabet Chart

Days of the week/ Months of the Year

Community Helpers

Stranger Danger

Hygiene

Friendship

Cultural Diversity

Pets

Disputes/Sharing

Families

Feelings

Beginning Science Concepts

Beginning Math Concepts

Early Phonics

Preschoolers should be learning about:

Science-Ex: Magnets

Math: Ex: Numbers, shapes

Colors: Ex: Rainbows, Seasons/People

Time Sequence Concepts: Ex: Tomorrow, Today/Yesterday

Music: Ex: Cultural/ Classical/ Kids music

Foreign Language: Ex: Spanish

Sign Language concepts: Ex: Universal

Community: Ex: Mailman/Policeman/Fireman

Animals: Ex: Farms/Oceans/Zoos

Buildings: Ex: High Rise/ Towns Homes

Transportation: Ex: Tractor/Trucks/ Bulldozers/Cars/Airplanes/Trains/Ships

Computers: Ex: Mouse/Tower/Monitor/Keyboard

Whole Language: Ex: Magazines/ Books/ Newspapers

Early Literacy: Ex: Dr. Suess/ Clifford/ Barney

Countries: Ex: Argentina-Zumbawa

Exercise: Ex: Dancing/ Balance/ Hopping

Human Body: Ex: The Brain/ Muscles/ Bones

More:

Conflict Resolution

Self Esteem Concepts

Familes: Ex: Mom & Dad, Grandparents, Mom and Child,

(other- by parents consent only, that is Adoption/ g*y Parents.)

Art: Marble Painting/ Paper Mache/ Foam/ Free Style

Diversity: Black, White, Brown, Chinese, Vietnamese, Mexico, Africa, Italy, etc..

More:

911

Stranger Danger

Address

First and Last Name Identification

City/State Identification:Ex: City/ People/Culture/Map/ Industries

Preschoolers are capable of understanding all these concepts at a rudimentary level, it develops a life long love of learning.

For Discipline your Prechool should be using the following:

Redirection

Positive Reinforcement

Sit and Watch table

Take 5

Talking Table

Love and Logic (Builds self help thinking skills)

Good Luck hope this helps.

Answer 5

Singing is a great way to learn!  OMG, I had fifth graders learn their states and capitals through music!  

Preschools should cover the alphabet, numbers, colors, shapes, social skills, independence, a love for listening to stories, arts and crafts, and of course--music!

Answer 6

Good Lord...it's preschool...she's learning a lot....give it a rest....

Answer 7

While singing is one of the easiest ways to learn, and the most fun, they should also be teaching her letter and number recognition. And be encouraging her to develop  her fine motor skills (i.e. coloring and beginning to write letters) Also she should learn to recognize her name.

Answer 8

Different parents have different expectations of what their child should learn. Some would be happy if their child just learned neccesary social skills such as sharing while others want more. I am a preschool teacher and here are just a few of the things we teach the children(age 2-4). We teach them the day of the month, what month it is, the days of the week song, the months of the year, phonics(how letters sound and look), how to get along without their parent/caregiver, sharing, caring about others feelings, independance, we give them an outlet to explore and create, we teach them how to trust the teachers, routines, how to sit at circle time, manners, songs, fingerplays,theme of the month, last year we taught them the alphabet and a few words in sign language and this year we are going to try some French words. We encourage children to grow socially, emotionally, physically and intellectually.

Answer 9

The singing itself is a sign that she is learning, because i believe that she is singing songs that she didn't know before she started preschool. there are a number of methods for instruction for different educational levels for instance; lecturing works with college students but would be boring for a pre-scholar.it may also be true that she is also learning other things but she enjoys the singing more.

Answer 10

Pre-schools use singing as a method for toddlers to remember. Singing and rhymeing helps the toddlers use key words to help them remember and they enjoy it. Through song young children learn counting and letters. Pre-school teaches very minor things,although there are some pre-schoools that may go into more then just learning a few letters and numbers,the majority stick with going at a certain pace for toddlers. Toddlers will learn their letters and what they look like and numbers and what they look like. Some pre-schools will let them get these things on paper,but they really want them to get comfortable with the idea of learning and they do so through imagination as well.

Through drawing and singing toddlers grasp the idea of learning and fun as a whole.

Even the alphabet was taught to us through song,this is how we all learned it,and through song,children learn words that rhyme it helps them put new words together and helps them sound out words as well,it helps their memory and they enjoy themselves. It is not really untill kindergarten that they will get a real curriculum,with math,reading,science,social studies,music etc etc...and yes kindergarten offers as much work as a 6th grader. My daughter has just started kindergarten and I'm amazed at how much she is doing and learned in just a months time. She learned to write her name and recognize letters immediately and that is with no pre-school.

Try making up a song yourself about something you want your child to learn,make sure it's fun and active with hand gestures and rhymes and makes sense,you will be amazed at how fast the child grasped what you wanted them to,instead of just telling them. Toddlers learn through fun. You can not bombard them with learning either,they must go at their own pace and have fun doing it. Your pre-school must also give you a progress report on your childs learning progress,this is also where you can ask what the teachers are teaching the children and why they use their methods. The learning curriculum is pretty much the same,but the methods the teachers use are different,there are some you will like and some you will not. But whether you like it or not,remember it's up to t he child,if the child is progressing whether you like the learning process or not,why change what  works?

Answer 11

I think singing is good.  I did not go to preeschool.

Answer 12

If your child leaves preschool able to share, confident when spending time without you, and eager to learn, that's really all that matters curriculum-wise.

That said, no, singing isn't the only method they should use. Using only one method is bad no matter what method it is. Maybe that's just your child's favourite one, so that's the one she repeats at home?

Answer 13

Singing is the easiest way for kids to learn things, at such an early age. the songs are usually short and hold only a bit of information. I just seems like they aren't really learning any thing but they are, even by just learning the song, shows your child is retaining information.

Answer 14

I was a preschool teacher for 2 years and we did do a lot of singing.  Singing is a way for a child to remember information.  

Since she is in preschool, the teacher should be teaching the class letter sounds, writing their letters of the alphabet, gross and fine motor activities, shapes, sorting (biggest to smallest, etc.), colors, and safety.

Preschool is to get a child ready for kindergarten.  Your child is 3 yrs old, so I would not worry about the things I listed above until she is ready to go to kindergarten.  Always remember that all children hit milestones at different periods in their life.  Not one child is the same as another.  Good luck!

Answer 15

talk with the director they should be writting names sounds letters sounds like a lazy teacher try a different preschool