Never too early for world-class education

MANILA, Philippines - Is it too soon to send my child to preschool?” This strikes a chord with many parents of young tots who waver between sending their two-year-old to school and waiting until their child is “old enough.” The question becomes increasingly relevant to those who have jobs that require them to spend a significant time away from home, relying on a caregiver to keep their toddler busy all day.

Joel and Jenny Banal were confronted with the same dilemma 13 years ago as working parents. Their vision of having a place where their young children, along with others, could spend their time productively in an atmosphere not much different from home prompted them to establish a preschool with highly qualified teachers who treat the kids as if they were their own. Second Mom Child Care Preschool was born in February, 2000. Today, it is part of the IB-accredited Domuschola International School in Pasig City directed by Jenny Banal.

A world-class start

According to the “Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE),” a study compiled by researchers from the University of London in 2004, an earlier start (under age three) in education is related to better intellectual development and better performance in primary school. However, it also stresses the importance of “highly trained teachers and warm interactive relationships with children” as indicators of quality in a preschool.

At Second Mom, very qualified teachers apply the principles of their training in the IB Primary Years Program (PYP). Classrooms are not just filled with toys, but provide materials that toddlers and nursery children can use in imaginative and creative ways. Even those who are non-verbal experience learning through indoor and outdoor play, and interpret their own experiences through music and art. Inquiry-based exploration, where the teacher does not simply provide answers but also encourages curiosity, taps into emerging skills — speaking, listening, math, reading and writing. In a laid-back, safe, and comfortable atmosphere, children feel as if they are learning from home.

Proven highly effective in preschool education models are small class sizes, according to W. Steven Barnett, Ph.D., author of the study “Preschool and its lasting effects (2008).” “Preschool programs should regularly assess children’s learning and development to monitor how well they are accomplishing their goals,” says Barnett. The low student-teacher ratio of 5:1 for Toddler Program, 7:1 for Nursery Program and 9:1 for the Pre-Kindergarten Program at Second Mom allows teachers to work with parents at setting unique goals for their child in the beginning of the school year and enables them to closely monitor the progress of each child based on these goals.

Ready to grow

The question remains: At two years old, is it really too early to send them off carrying lunchboxes and waving tearful goodbyes? Many who have apprehensions of kid stress and burnout from early schooling prefer the alternative of providing alphabet, number cards and activity books for their kids to busy themselves at home. While this is also a form of brain stimulation, a child benefits more from a holistic approach during this impressionable period. Kathy Sylva, Oxford University researcher and member of the EPPE study, points out that early schooling “is not just turning youngsters into skill and drill monsters. They are really more sociable and helpful.”

As an international preschool, Second Mom focuses on socio-cultural activities in the toddler, nursery, and kinder classes with children of various nationalities and races. This teaches young children to work collaboratively. Where cooperation is fostered but not forced, toddlers develop their concepts of self-worth, understanding of individual differences and appreciation for others. Young tots acquire a positive disposition for learning at an early age and carry this on as they transition into the primary and higher years. At Second Mom, a preschooler’s excitement to go to school every single day answers the question.

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Second Mom Child Care Preschool is at Dorm 1, Philippine Sports Complex, Ugong, Pasig City (telephone numbers 635-9743, 635-2002). Visit info@dis.edu.ph; www.dis.edu.ph.