new curriculum for kinder

With the prevalence of school stress, pressure and failures today, we are faced with the dilemma and the question, "does school really work?". Ive encountered so many parents concerned with their children's lack of enthusiasm in studies. Their children were exposed to formal schooling at an early age, they said. And the pressures and rigidness of formal schooling made their children passive and even lazy when it comes to studies. Indeed, sending our children to formal school at an early age is stressful. But allowing them to explore, enjoy, play as well as learn in a play school can bring so much hope in their formal schooling in the long run. Playschools should stimulate children's creativity and thinking skills as well as enable children to enjoy their childhood. Playschools should teach children how to think...how to ask questions...how to be persons. Playschools are there to make learning meaningful...to make meaning out of life, out of everything in the environment. Playschool should never tire children....Playschool should be fun.
But after preschool? Whats next? This is the question that haunts us. Continuity is something that each of us desire, but with the lack of alternatives, we end up choosing something contrary to our beliefs and options. With much considerations in all forms of education and approaches, I've formulated a curriculum to uses the valuable and time-tested knowledge and core curriculum of American education through Accelerated Christian Education program and balanced it with a school environment for social and physical development. Accelerated Christian Education is an internationally recognized program, that uses p.a.c.e.s (or modules) to teach, as well as, develop student's potentials. These paces are equiped with all necessary knowledge that students need in their level. Also, the individualized instruction helps them develop patience and diligence toward studies, without having to compete or to be left behind by others. The very key in this curriculum is school-parent collaboration. To ensure success, school with the help of parents continue to encourage and monitor the child's level and success in his or her paces. There is a balanced of worktime and choicetime , ensure that children still have social interactions. Choicetime includes, physical education, social studies, science lab, music and movement, arts and filipino. Worktime is assisted and monitored by teachers who will help student know and understand the concepts. Also, students will be having extra curricular activities with social studies themes, like fiestas, family, community helpers week, etc. This is to ensure that children still have enough exposure to build self-esteem and friendship with other students. By having this kind of environment, children will learn all essential knowledge, skills, values and attitudes, without having to go through the pain of pressure, competition and failures. For indeed, our children have the right to be children. I once had a professor who said that children have different rate of development. Thus, individualized and specialized education is the key make successful life long learners. Well....and its sucessful lifelong learners- those who never get tired of learning and growing and developing, who become successful people.