Topic: Shall Parents Send Their Children to School During the Pandemic?Date: August 28, 2021 (Saturday), 8:30 p.m.
Speaker Consultant psychologist, Ms. Lee Li Li
Q： When Children Should Start School?
Parents are often concerned with deciding the right age for their child to start school. In fact, the timing of a child's enrolment is less of an issue than the need for parents to pay more attention towards their child's readiness before entering kindergarten.
Parents have a crucial part to play in the early childhood development of their children. Parents involvement can make a positive and lasting impact on their children's learning ability, such as engaging the child's learning experiences through play with parenting techniques, which also helps to promote a child's holistic development, parent-child relationship, as well as get the child ready for school. Working parents who struggle to fulfil the child's learning needs may also seek help from early childhood education institutions.
| Topic | Early Childhood Education | Preschool Education |
| Age | 0-3 years old | 4-6 years old |
| Target Audiences | Parents + child | Child + parents |
| Objective | To educate parents about science-based parent-child education, which helps to promote a child's holistic development and parent-child relationship | To cultivate a child's learning abilities and promote their holistic development |
| Content | 1-2 years old: Sensory development, motor development, speech sound development and parent-child interaction 2-3 years old: Movement and physical development, language, peer interaction and personality development |
A standardised pre-school teaching outline and materials designed by the ministry of education. Formal lessons and playtime are planned for each day. |
| Time Frame | 3 months or less as a period: 1 or 2 hours | One semester as a period, from every Monday to Friday |
| Concept | 0-3 years old is the most sensitive period of brain development, and it's the best time to promote a child's development in all aspects. | An extend of early childhood education, a linkage to primary education, regulate child's behaviours, develop a child's ability to perceive the world. |
Q：How parents handle online classes?
It seems difficult by asking a young child to be seated quietly and study through a computer screen. Thus, the caregiver plays an important role as the “teacher” to guide the child in an online class. It's uneasy for parents to balance both career and teaching responsibility, however, it is a best time for parents to have a better understanding towards their children's strengths and weaknesses, as well as cultivate a child's independence.
J. Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development (Jean Piaget,1896-1980)
| Stage | Sensorimotor 0-2 years old | Preoperational 2-7 years old | Concrete operational 7-12 years old | Formal operational 12-15 years old |
| Learning Model | Understand world through senses and actions | Representing things with words and images | Concepts attached to concrete situations Recognises conservation of numbers, mass and weight |
Logical thinking about abstract propositions |
| Characteristics | Concept of space and time; causal relationship | Symbolic thought; egocentric; can't shift attention; increasing intellectual development | More logical and methodical manipulation of symbols Less egocentric, and more aware of the outside world and events |
Use of symbols to relate to abstract concepts Able to make hypotheses and grasp abstract concepts and relationships |
Q: How to choose the right kindergarten?
Q: How to prepare your child for kindergarten?
Transition to kindergarten is usually a big change for both parents and kids. While, parents may encourage and help the child to adapt new environment, as well as reduce anxious feelings through mental preparation. For examples:
- Getting supplies before starting school
- Establish routine
- Plan a visit to the school
- Awareness of epidemic prevention
Admission Considerations Under New Normal
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Note: The above content was transcript from our August 28, 2021 "Shall Parents Send Their Children to School During the Pandemic?" Kindly contact our office if you would like to learn more or seek consultation. Thank you.
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