Core Skills to Prioritize in Preschool<\/strong><\/p>\n Most families, when thinking about their child\u2019s preschool education, naturally default to focusing on academic skills, and those are certainly important. Children should develop a well-rounded foundation of literacy and mathematics skills. This includes building vocabulary, pairing sounds and letters and sounding out new words, as well as learning to count and connecting a number of objects (e.g., three blocks) to the corresponding numeral (3).<\/p>\n Just as important as the academic skills, however, are social and emotional skills. For example:<\/p>\n Lastly is the development of early physical skills, such as balance and learning to use a pencil and scissors.<\/p>\n Inquiry-Based Learning: The Optimal Approach<\/strong><\/p>\n The best educational approach supports all skill development \u2013 academic, social, emotional and physical \u2013 while children are engaged in play and exploration. In these supportive environments, teachers can actively observe children and listen carefully to understand their interests and curiosities then guide the instruction accordingly.<\/p>\n At The Goddard School, inquiry-based learning is brought to life via its exclusive education program, Wonder of Learning<\/a>. With teacher-guided inquiry topics, children learn about themselves and the world around them by exploring their interests, investigating concepts and asking questions. This ensures learning is not only relevant to skill-building but also timely, contextual and meaningful, helping children master the foundational skills before entering elementary school.<\/p>\n Taking Inquiry-Based Learning Home<\/strong><\/p>\n Inquiry-based learning is not limited to the classroom. In fact, to best support young children, families should practice the approach at home, too.<\/p>\n Families can start by narrating what they and their children are doing and verbalizing the emotions that correspond with their experiences. For example, \u201cI can see by your face you aren\u2019t sure if you like that new vegetable. I wonder if it\u2019s the flavor or the texture?\u201d Beyond listening to their responses, watch their faces for cues and respond accordingly. Through narration, children\u2019s vocabularies are expanded and they learn to apply words to their emotions and experiences.<\/p>\n Give children choices, when possible and safe, such as choosing their outfits or snacks. Making choices helps them develop critical thinking skills and builds confidence and motivation.<\/p>\n Infuse open-ended questions throughout daily life. For example, ask \u201cWhat makes you curious?\u201d Going further, have children draw what they are curious about.<\/p>\n To help families practice inquiry-based learning, The Goddard School published a children\u2019s book, \u201cCurious Blueberry the Carousel Horse,\u201d<\/a> written by Steve Metzger and illustrated by Bruno Robert. The story follows Blueberry and her colorful carousel animal friends as they learn to find joy through curiosity and questions. Cues throughout the story prompt the reader to ask open-ended questions, creating an engaging and individualized experience for children.<\/p>\n To watch a webinar featuring Loquasto, Shaheen and Middleton sharing additional information and guidance, and to access a wealth of parenting insights and resources, visit\u00a0<\/p>\n\n
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This is the basis of inquiry-based learning, a framework that embraces the natural curiosity and sense of wonder children bring into the classroom. Researchers from leading universities found when children are interested in what they are learning, attention spans are maximized, and when they feel in control of their learning, engagement is higher.<\/p>\n
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