What Are The Disadvantages Of Early Childhood Education?

Early childhood education is always a big issue, deciding whether or not to send your kids

away or if it would be beneficial to a young child who is still dependent on you as a parent. In addition, the advanced skills your child would be learning as they grow up and develop new skills such as social and motor skills.

Preschool, which in many countries includes kindergarten or pre-kindergarten, is where three to five-year-old kids take their first step towards full-fledged schooling.

A preschool marks the beginning of the child's education. But despite the widespread presence of preschools, parents may have doubts if they are efficient in prepping the child for school and college years.

Is it necessary to send a child to preschool, or should one just skip that step? It is natural to have such thoughts, and we are here to help you clear any doubts.

Have you ever thought about how much you knew when you were 6 years old? It is not too much. With the rapid development of society, the number of nurseries and kindergartens, which are built for children from birth to six years old, is increasing.

Therefore, more and more parents consider sending their children there, but others think early education is unnecessary for young children. "There's increasing evidence that children gain a lot from going to preschool," said parents' advisor Kathleen McCartney(Kanter).

For example, children who are sent to kindergartens have more chances to meet many companions to enrich their lives. Furthermore, families who send children to nurseries or kindergartens have a high quality of life.

Moreover, nurseries are good places that provide comprehensive care and the necessary curriculums for children.

Hence, early education is indispensable in each child's life; children should be sent to nurseries or kindergartens for preschool education. When children are sent to kindergartens, they can make friends to improve themselves and enrich their lives.

However, according to a survey, 33% of 2200 British parents said their main concern was their children would not make friends(Parents worry their child won't make friends at school).

The purpose of early childhood education is to motivate educators and teachers to come up with game-changing learning activity ideas, exercises, lesson plans, and initiatives that help in the intellectual, physical, mental, social and enthusiastic development of kids in pre-primary and nursery classes before they enter primary schools.

Today, the advancements in technology and computers provide the early childhood education centres, such as playschools, pre-kindergarten and preschools, innovative tools to teach and create programs, manage multiple franchises and students and, design fun classroom activities that keep kids interested in academics.

You want the best for your child, and that includes their education. But how early is too early?

It's no secret that we live increasingly busy lives. Productive lives. And lives in which it seems like there are not enough hours in the day to get done what we need to. And we tend to pass that on to our children in turn. Especially when it comes to their education.

With that in mind, we also know we won't settle for anything but the best when it comes to the education and development of our children—early childhood education in particular. We might make certain sacrifices in our lives, but not at the expense of their development and happiness. That's why we ensure that the available options are clear and goal-oriented when the time comes for preschool.

But are our children ready for preschool?

It's a question few parents ask. But the truth is, the transition period between being a toddler and attending preschool isn't always a smooth one. It's not always easy for children to adjust to a more organized structure.

New experiences tend to bring challenges that neither children nor parents are fully prepared for. It can be an intimidating process for a child and one which can place a high level of stress on their emotions.

They're learning new skills, meeting new friends, and figuring out how they learn best – all in an entirely new environment. It can be a lot of pressure. But it can also be exciting.

Preparing your child for early education doesn't require intensive knowledge in child psychology. Sometimes, it can be as simple as explaining what they can expect from the experience in a calm, down-to-earth fashion (children are much more perceptive and wiser than we often give them credit for.) But before you do, let's look at some of the pros and cons of early childhood education.

What Are The Disadvantages Of Preschool?

Children benefit from interacting with their peers, but in some preschools, emphasis on groups can overshadow the individual attention kids need and crave.

This is a particular risk if the preschool doesn't follow the National Association for the Education of Young Children's recommended teacher-child ratio of no more than ten preschoolers per staff member. However, even that number is on the high side – the organization recommends one teacher for every eight to ten 4- and 5-year-olds, one for every six to nine 2 1/2- to 3-year-olds.

Though many parents appreciate the clear rules and guidelines imposed by preschools, understand that those guidelines may sometimes be inconvenient for you, as with any group care.

If your preschool is closed for holidays or for any other reason (such as staff training), you'll have to find backup care; if they require children to be toilet trained and your daughter isn't ready for the potty, they may not let her attend.

The disadvantages of early childhood education would be that children still depend on their parents and still need their parents to teach them right from wrong and other small information that they would be able to absorb. In addition, children at such a young age still need their parents for sorting activities.

Kids that are the only child and get attention at home could get less attention at preschool so that the child might feel left out of activities. 

Cost

If you thought college tuition was bad, according to a 2012 report from the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, families with children who spend some time in private preschools pay anywhere from $4,000 to $12,000 in annual tuition costs.

Rather than spending an excessive amount of money on your four-year old's education, consider keeping him out of preschool and saving the money for his college education or using the money for parent-tot activities, such as music classes or swimming lessons.

Limiting Creativity

According to Alison Gopnik, professor of psychology and affiliate professor of philosophy at the University of California at Berkeley, teachers' direct instruction in a preschool environment limits your child's creativity and ability to discover new information. Gopnik states that children should have ample opportunity for spontaneous learning and exploration in a rich, stable and safe environment with affectionate adults. The SmartMoney website states that your little one doesn't need as much academic guidance as you may think -- and all the academic pressure can set him back emotionally and socially. Children learn through play and meaningful interactions with adults, not just flashcards and worksheets.

Peer Socialization

While your little one may pick up some good habits from his preschool classmates, he will likely pick up some bad ones along the way as well. A large group of 3 and 4-year-olds who have difficulty controlling their emotions and impulses and prone to temper tantrums are probably not who you want to teach your child manners and social skills.

According to Parenting Science, social interaction that involves an adult offers benefits that social interaction with peers does not. If your little one thanks a friend for sharing and you are around to praise him, he learns that what he did was a positive thing. If no one is around to observe this moment, it may pass by unnoticed.

Focus On Academics

Some full-day preschool programs may become excessively academic to the point that the preschool becomes like the first grade. That is inappropriate for children since they are still learning basic skills and may not be mentally ready to plunge into academics.

Children who are slow learners, but do not have developmental delays, will still find the pressure daunting. Of course, the nature of education varies from one preschool to another. Nevertheless, imparting academic skills, even if basic, may not be a good idea.

Lack of productivity

On the other extreme, some preschools just work as daycare centres, playing no role in imparting the basic skills to the child. Educational experts note that some preschools work as glorified childcare centres where children are left to do the same activities that they would otherwise do at home. It undermines the importance of a preschool and may make parents strongly consider redshirting.

Choosing to send your child to a preschool is a personal choice. A right preschool can bring a positive change in a child's life. As parents, it is essential to choose a good preschool that does not have shortcomings and provides avenues for inclusive growth.

Do not despair if your toddler refuses to go to the preschool. Give them some time to adjust. You may talk to the preschool authorities to bring the child back home within a couple of hours and gradually increase the time spent there.

But if the toddler is adamant, then you might wait for a few more months and then try sending them again, maybe to a different preschool this time. Remember, the preschool experience should be pleasant for the child and not a nightmare every morning.

Preschool Offers Less Opportunities For Socialization Than Daycare

Unfortunately, more structured environments mean less socialization than in traditional daycare centres.

And if your child isn't entirely acclimated to the process of playing respectfully with other children in a loosely organized setting, thrusting them into preschool unexpectedly can sometimes result in behavioural problems.

More often than not, these are necessary growing pains than many children have and are not indicative of an emotional disturbance.

But it can be not very comfortable. Make certain you explain to them ahead of time what is and isn't considered inappropriate. You may find they'll be more apt to listen to a parent than a stranger when it comes to behaviour.

The Ratio Of Teachers To Students Is Never Perfect (And Neither Is A Preschool's Quality)

Unfortunately, not all preschools are created equal. Consider that the average preschool size can sometimes be a minimum of 1 teacher for every 8 students. Now consider that preschool teachers can frequently be inexperienced and ill-equipped to handle a child's specific needs, both weaknesses and strengths.

No matter how much their curricula and training can meet (or even exceed) state early childhood education standards, preschool is not a guarantee of your child's academic success. 

And while it can often spark a child's long term love of learning, it isn't always the case. They need encouragement from both educators and parents. They need an environment in which their talents and potential can blossom. And they need the strength and assurance which will guide them on the road to success.

Educators who don't know the psychological age of the students and don't have good skills to recognize the educational situations can ask more than the child can at the very age they are now. It can destroy the self-confidence of the child.

The solution is rather simple - look carefully at who will work with your children. Ask other people and ask permission to sit and listen 1–2 days how this teacher is talking and acting. The best situation if the teacher forgets about your presence and will be him-/herself.

Others: 

• The technology implemented to teach can sometimes mislead and misguide kids
• Few educational institutions maintain the student to teacher ratio inappropriately, which restricts the development
• Lack of proper curriculum, student management strategies, and syllabus affects kids
• The absence of the right teaching and learning methods in early childhood education centres show negative side effects.