In different countries the statutory education for a child goes under different names such as elementary schooling or primary schooling. Generally the statutory education starts when the child is 5 or 6 years old. Preschool provides for the education of a child before the child commences statutory education. Preschool is a very influential period in a child's upbringing.



Even small children who are not old enough to go to regular school have a sharp, inquisitive mind. They can assimilate information fast and they can learn quickly. They have a keen interest and fascination for each new discovery. Cultivating their minds correctly at this stage is very important. There are many Preschools available for doing this; they are known by various other names such as day care, nursery school, and kindergarten or Montessori school.

Subjects covered by Preschool curriculum are language, mathematics, geography, science, and arts. Various specialized methods of teaching like Montessori, High Scope, Waldorf, etc are followed by preschools. Let us have a look at one of the commonly adopted method of preschool education, the Montessori education method that has become so popular.

Dr. Maria Montessori, in the late 19th century; developed certain concepts about children's education; they were based on the observation that children develop and think differently from adults and that children direct their own learning, choosing among the materials and resources available to them. Montessori education methods are based on these concepts. Montessori school children learn the same preschool curriculum subjects such as language, mathematics, geography, science, and arts that children from other preschools do; but the Montessori children do that in a different atmosphere.

Children up to an age of around six have an assimilative mind, that their motivation to achieve perfection of skills and understanding within their environment is tremendous; this is one of the basic concepts in the Montessori learning method. The young children have ability to learn by repetition of activities; for instance, incessant babbling which is totally incomprehensible to us is the child's language practice; it leads to his competence in language.

The Montessori learning method allows children to pursue subjects that interest them and at their own pace. There are long periods of time when a child works without interruption on a topic. Montessori classrooms have feature areas devoted to different subjects emphasizing motor skills, sensory and memory skills, etc. and a child goes to an area when he feels interested in that subject.

Montessori classrooms provide small pets and, living plants so as to allow the children to feel and experience as much of the natural world around as possible. Introducing the children to suitable material and then observing and guiding them are the primary roles of the Montessori teacher.

Kindergarten school is a variant of the preschools. Children join kindergarten school at the age of five. Here they learn to interact and play with other children. They are provided materials and activities to motivate them to learn the language, mathematics, science, etc. They are taught social behavior and they are also taught music, art, etc. Pre K (Pre Kindergarten) refers to a program similar to Montessori and covers children of three and four years of age.