High Quality Pre-School

I am doing a couple of consultancies at the moment in the Pre-School area, one with a new PS Director and the other with a Head of School who is planning on launching a PK - K program next year. Inevitably the question arises as what is a quality pre-school and or pre-school program.

I have two answer to this question. The first comes from research I read many years ago, although sadly cannot find it right now, which suggested that the behaviors exhibited in Middle School largely result from values or attitudes or character attributes or habits of heart and mind formed in ages 3 - 8, the first half of which lines up with Pre-School. So if you want your Middle Schooler to be kind, courteous and respectful you need to put in the hard work in PK and K.

TLDR - a quality Pre-School program should be values-based, and I am sure we would all agree on the bulk of these. Immediately coming to mind : taking turns, putting things away, sharpening a pencil over the trash can, waiting before speaking, finishing what you start, sharing, handwashing ...

Question (1b) is then how to "teach" values and of course you can't. You can however inculcate values which come from teacher modelling, behavior and discipline codes, classroom expectations and of course skills-based Teaching & Learning.

The second answer to "What is quality Pre-School?" is that it prepares students for success in Elementary (which reminds me of "outcome-based education"). So we need to consider and to define this, and I have my responses ready :

• Literacy
• Numeracy
• Approaches to Learning (aka "Learning to Learn")
• Problem-Solving
  
• Social-Emotional Learning
• Fine and Gross Motor development

Note that each of these involves a set of skills and practises, none of which suggest defined-content or "stuff".

Question (2b) is similarly how to "teach" these skills and for this I have two responses.  Firstly, skills-based or competency based Teaching & Learning (which again reminds me of "outcome-based education") and NAEYC's Developmentally Appropriate Practice.

As a PK - 12 Director, I have overseen three highly effective Pre-Schools, for one of which I wrote and implemented its program, following these two principles. My coaching and support to these and to other Pre-School leaders follow this tried and true path. 

**Please leave questions and comments below.**

Further Reading

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) Position Statement

Play-based or experiential learning versus play

Common Core - introducing standards-based education