Which is more important in preschool development...?

Question

...academics or social skills?
Personally, I lean towards social skills. They will have time to learn letters and numbers when they reach kindergarten. What do y'all think?

Answer 1

As a preschool teacher, I definitely choose social skills. All those other "academic" skills will come in time, but social skills are vital to a preschooler's self-esteem, classroom participation, ability to make friends, play ability, and ability to follow directives. A child who is lacking in the social skills needed in preschool will be behind in kindergarten, no matter how their academic skills are. Social skills like turn taking, lining up, sitting down, attending to a task, listening, sharing, following directions, and behavior expectations, etc. are far more important than the ability to recite the ABC's or count rote to 10. Of course, all of these "academic" skills are usually taught alongside the social ones, but I tend to focus more on the social skills that will help a child throughout their lifetime.

Answer 2

I am completely for both. Social skills is important for children to communicate with their peers and the teachers. Academic skills are also important. My daughter is in the first grade now and is doing great! However, it was because she had a head start in writing her name, learning her numbers and all sounds the letters make, all the basics in preschool. When she got to kinder., she was expected to know those basic things because the teacher was going to focus on the Math and reading. She reads with no problem and loves math and she get alone with her peers well because she knows how to respond to a child who is really sensitive or even to bossy and this is where the social skills come in place. But most importantly, I believe we as parents are the best teachers when it come to those first years of teaching them some social and academic skills.

Answer 3

It is not only social skills, but those skills that will help them once they get to school. This includes sitting for longer periods of time than they were used to and focussing attention on a teacher, forming a line, taking turns. This will set the stage for the academics to come.

Answer 4

I agree with you. Without social skills, children will not be ready for academics. But, I do believe that there is a way to combine the two. You don't have to choose between one or the other.

Answer 5

Preschool did not do some thing for me because i did not bypass. i became homestead-schooled by technique of my mom, so by technique of the time I were given to kindergarten, i ought to already do addition and subtraction issues in math and became interpreting at a fourth grade factor. I had a particular binder that I worked out of that became extra better than the different childrens. And by technique of the time i became in second grade, i became doing multiplication. i don't think of preschool is critical. i did not bypass and that i'm doing positive. That being reported, my brother also did not bypass to preschool, and at the same time as my mom tried to homestead-college him, it did not workout to boot because it did with me. So i imagine it quite relies upon on the baby on no matter if or not they could study from preschool. that's in basic terms my opinion.

Answer 6

You can't say that one is more important than the other. If they are not adept academically, they might regress socially also. SO, both skills are important side by side.

Answer 7

Definitly social skills.

Answer 8

Preschool development has multiple dimensions - social, physical, and many more. Choosing right preschool is a very tricky situation. you are looking for good preschool or play school. Before finalising on any list look for - "Reality Check for Parents preschools in India" on the website of - “Preschool for Child Rights” and read the article –
http://www.preschoolforchildrights.com/home/preschool-kindergarten-articles-curriculum-development/reality-check-for-parents-preschools-in-india-reviews-top-compare-list-good/

The fact is that none of the preschools / day care / creche etc are having any proper syllabus and curriculum. The problem of preschools in India is so grave that even the Government of India is awakened to this reality and is coming up with Curricular Laws.


I also suggest you to go for Five Point Formula from “Preschool for Child Rights”, which is mentioned here – http://www.preschoolforchildrights.com/free-articles-school-parent-preschool-play-school-magazine-parenting/articles-for-parents/how-to-choose-the-best-preschool-for-your-child/

List of websites :
http://www.preschoolforchildrights.com
http://www.preschoolforchildrights.org
http://www.preschoolforchildrights.net
http://www.blog.preschoolforchildrights.org
http://www.thezerocurriculum.com


Many things regarding Preschool etc is also explained in this video –

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKgNSDBs_YQ