Are Your Kids Ready for Big School?
As appearing in Childcare Business Matters, Issue 3
By Suellen Stubbs
How important is it that your children are socially, emotionally and intellectually ready for “Big School”.
It is hard to know what the best school readiness plan is. Different children have different needs and it is not always evident just what those needs are. That is why it is important for preschools to have a good comprehensive program in place.
Transition to big school can be traumatic for some children especially if those children have any developmental problems. It is much easier for them if these problems are recognised and addressed before they leave preschool.
I have worked in the early childhood
education industry for thirty
years and during that time I have
observed that by teaching young
children the basic principles of art
their overall development improves.
Areas of improved development have been:
- concentration,
- observation,
- language,
- socialisation,
- listening skills,
- self esteem,
- maths concepts,
- problem solving,
- environmental awareness,
- fine motor,
- cognitive skills and
- hand eye coordination.
These observations encouraged
me to develop a program, based on
fine art principles and observational
techniques. The program is called
K.A.R.T. [Kids Are Raw Talent].
It is an interactive program that
encourages teachers, parents and
children to work together.
K.A.R.T. has been designed in a
workshop format for early childcare
educators and parents, it is
accessible, inexpensive and easily
integrated into childcare and early
education programs.
More than that however, K.A.R.T.
is not just a theory; it works. It has
been successfully introduced
into many preschools.
Workshops have been conducted
along the mid-north coast of
N.S.W., at The Child Studies Annual
Conference at Coffs Harbour
for three consecutive years, and
for adult presenters in several
locations.
These workshops have been enthusiastically received by professional educators who have introduced the program into their places of work. The adults who have taken part in the workshops have been amazed at the results of their own efforts and their art works. It is a non threatening, fun way of learning that moves at the child’s pace, and promotes self confidence in both student and teacher.
Every child should have the best. Many don’t and they slip through the cracks and struggle all their lives because their learning difficulties were not picked up and addressed at the preschool stage. How much better is early intervention than remedial learning?
At the present time workshops are being organised for Nambucca Heads, N.S.W. and Yarraville, Vic. depending upon interest.