To the Floridian families,

Letter to the Editor

To the Floridian families,

Dear parents or legal guardians: this note is to inform you about our preschools across Florida.

I would like to take the time to congratulate those parents of preschool children who are doing a superb job educating them, and getting them ready for Kindergarten, Elementary, and Middle school. However, not all of us have that wonderful opportunity to be home and available to help those pre-schoolers build up a strong educational foundation that is necessary for them. So, I urge all parents and legal guardians who have little ones at home and do not have ample time for them, to please consider preschool throughout the State of Florida. Maria Montessori, an Italian female philosopher, Medical Doctor, and educator (1870-1952) stated, “the goal of early childhood education is to cultivate the child’s own natural desire to learn. Your child has a strong sense of personal dignity. If you expose their minds to appropriate learning experiences at appropriate developmental times, their minds will grow.”

In order for our children to grow and learn well, they need to have excellent teachers to teach in the preschools. In the State of Florida, preschool teachers have to attend classes and be certified to work at a preschool. There are even some preschools that require their teachers to have a degree in education in order to work as a teacher at their schools. Our high quality preschools have specific, developmentally appropriate curriculums, which are tailored to the individual child’s time frame. “Educators must plan a developmentally appropriate curriculum that enhances their students’ logical and conceptual growth; stated Jean Piaget, a Swiss developmental physiologist/ theorist (1896 – 1980).” Since 2002 according to the State of Florida, all’ four year olds are entitled to free Voluntary Pre-kindergarten (VPK) education. This program has two options to choose from: “A school-year program consisting of 540 instructional hours; and a summer program consisting of 300 instructional hours.” Parents just need to apply so that the child may be qualified for this program. If a child is not developing like other children normally do at a certain age: either by having difficulty learning or not doing things by him or herself; that child’s pediatrician should be able to help. The specialists will do screening,  assessing the child in order to choose the right preschool that will meet the needs of the child. Early intervention is the key to increasing learning outcomes. There is great help out there for our preschoolers to enjoy no matter what the case may be.

Preschool teachers have several responsibilities: interacting, protecting, and most of all, teaching their students. They change them, feed them, and they facilitate the play that the children initiated to enhance their cognitive thinking skills. The preschool environment helps the children to grow in their physical, (fine, gross motor), social, cognitive, language, and emotional development. Teachers give children the language and words to express their feelings and thoughts. This language skill helps children, who do not have the vocabulary yet, to ex-press their feelings. Teachers also sing with them and let them interact with a variety of musical instruments that produce different sounds. This session introduces them to the basic music appreciation skills. The children are introduced to textures,  learning how to place an age appropriate development puzzle back together. Three and four year olds would often work on rhyming and counting. They are also introduced to the Alphabet letters,  their different sounds and much more. “Learning materials and activities should involve the appropriate level of motor or mental operations for a child of a given age; avoid asking students to perform tasks that are beyond their current cognitive capabilities” (Jean Piaget1896 – 1980). In the four and five year old group there is a diverse age appropriate curriculum of creative, fun work to achieve. Four and five year old students learn how to write and spell their names. They learn how to match one on one correspondence cards associated with rhymes, shapes, colors, opposites and numbers. They review the Alphabet letters and their different sounds. This gives them a solid foundation on blending sounds, reading words, and it is an indispensable skill to be an excellent reader with great comprehension.

That foundation in reading proficiency will help the student greatly throughout life. Our teachers are excellent! They are gardeners; they guard after those precious children as little seed that has been planted. Teachers protect them, and watch them grow properly. Yes teachers, whether in Nursery, Preschool, Elementary, Middle or High school are not the sole investors in a child’s life. Yet, they do in-spire their students for well being in life. I wanted to take the opportunity to send a round of applause to all Teachers, Support Staff, Directors, Principals, and the Administration team for having the determination to train up well our recent and future society; “No matter how many time they got disrespected by many who should have said: “Thank you for being here for me! Even when I did not feel like it or did not know I needed you. You were always there for me.” All I want to say is keep up the good work teachers and staff!

Please!!!! Parents or legal guardians, I urge you to send the children to preschool. It is a great benefit to them and yourself. That wonderful foundation is so essential; it will truly tailor them for an intellectual educational success. Knowing that your loved one is learning, developing, growing, and being cared for in a safe and, healthy atmosphere; allows you to focus on your wellbeing, and initiate a new venture throughout the day. Therefore, when you meet in the afternoon, it will be the greatest joy for both of you to reunite again. Without a doubt, there will be several things to talk to each other about. It will be a great feeling knowing that each one of you has learned and enriched yourself that day. So, parents/ legal guardians check the State Department of Children and Families/Childcare website to find a qualified preschool of your choice. In all, thanks for helping the children to get all the great things that our preschools in our communities has to offer in the State of Florida. Hope this article was helpful to you and yours!

All the best to our Floridian families

Sincerely, Mrs. Naella N. Michaud