Part one of a series on educational enrichment explores the basic concepts behind it, and why it matters both for you and for your children.
What is Educational Enrichment?
What is educational enrichment? Educational enrichment is a buzzword that’s often bandied about in the childcare industry. As to what it means, the most common definition is a contrasting educational environment that utilizes a developing brain and helps it to grow and develop at a high level of performance. There are several performance benchmarks in place for such an environment according to the site EDUCATION.COM:
“Seven Factors or “Maximizers” for Contrasting Environments.
Physical Activity (voluntary gross motor)
Novel, Challenging, and Meaningful learning
Coherent Complexity (not chaotic)
Managed Stress Levels (not boring or distressful)
Social Support (at home, school, and community)
Good Nutrition (balanced and healthy with supplements)
Sufficient Time (not rushed, plenty of sleep)”
By themselves, each of these factors are powerful tools in early childhood development. We will explore each of these ideas in this series. For now, know that they are something that matters a lot where your kids’ education is concerned.
Education Enrichment vs. Gifted Child
One of the biggest errors that a lot of childhood development experts did was to separate children into categories such as gifted and remedial. Whenever you openly label one child as gifted, it causes his or her peers to feel inadequate. Inversely, if you apply the label of remedial to a child, it makes them feel pigeon-holed into mediocrity. Each child is different, and learns at both a different pace and in a different way. As such, the remedial child may be a gifted child in disguise, and the gifted child may feel constantly pressured not to lose their status.
The key is to let children learn at the pace that’s best for them, with only a bit of help in the areas that they struggle in. That is part and parcel to a well planned educational enrichment program.
This concludes part one of our series on educational enrichment. Be sure to read part two and part three as well.
Kid’s Corner Preschool & Childcare
2051 W. Guadalupe Rd .#15
Mesa AZ 85202
(480) 267-9419
kidscorneraz.com
