Will your child be ready for Kindergarten if they know all of their letters, numbers, shapes, colors, able to write and recognize their name, tie their shoes and know some sight words?
The short answer is No. They will not be ready without certain social/emotional skills. What skills are we talking about? How to take care of their own emotions, be kind to others, learn to cooperate with others in order to create friendships, have empathy, control impulsive behavior, and use focusing techniques.
Did you know that (Social/Emotional Learning) SEL is in ALL Pre-K program/curriculum Board of Education standards in all 50 states? Did you also know that many preschools do not incorporate these skills into their programs?
How do I know this? Because I wrote a Preschool/Pre-K curriculum. I wanted to make sure our program follows all of the guidelines of NYS Board of Ed and beyond.
Miss Midgie and All of the teachers at Miss Midgies Preschool have been trained and educated to be Mindful Educators as well.
Midge Leavey, Owner of Miss Midgies Preschool, has incorporated Mindfulness Lesson Plans since 2013. See this story on Fios News Channel 1 that explains why and how Midge and her team at Miss Midgies Preschool teaches children certain coping skills and all of their social/emotional needs.
According to FORBES Magazine, In the “early years” group, Ofsted found that education providers had noted delays in young children’s development of speech and language especially since COVID-19 began.
Some Preschool teachers also found that kids lacked confidence in group activities, while toddlers and pre-schoolers also needed extra help in learning to share and take turns.
Preschool and Kindergarten teachers also noticed how the pandemic had affected young children’s physical development, such as how children had regressed in their independence and self-care skills, prompting providers to spend longer with kids on physical activities, in order to help develop gross motor skills.
Experts say, One of the most critical aspects of a good Pre-K program is to focus on how to wait your turn, how to share, how to deal with frustration, and how to solve conflicts.
You may or may not be surprised to learn that these skills are not skills you are born with. It is learned behavior. Many Preschools do not have a lesson plan or approach that helps children through their emotions.
While it seems simple and we may not remember the specific ways through which we learned to navigate our own social-emotional learning, it is a critical aspect of early childhood education.
So, visit Miss Midgies Preschool and see and hear all about our curriculum that helps children learn all the academics necessary with an EVERY DAY learning to help their physical, and mental growth.