Recently, we have been surprised by many child abuse cases in nurseries and preschools, which made most parents feel insecure about sending their children over. But as working parents, you might not have any other choice than to send your child for care.

You probably wonder how to find and choose the right preschool for your child. Not only do you want a safe and sound place for them, but an advanced, supportive, and engaging learning environment is essential for your children's development. 

You are in the right place now, so keep reading to find out how!

Types of Preschool Education Methodologies Available in Malaysia

Before we start, you may want to know about the preschool education methods available in Malaysia. Pay attention to this part as this would help you to decide what is the best primary education for your children. 

Malaysian Curriculum

Malaysia has its curriculum called The Standard National Preschool Curriculum (KSPK). 

This curriculum focuses on science, technology, communication, spirituality, attitude and values, humanities, physical development, and aesthetics.

Montessori

The Montessori curriculum is one of the most widely available and used programs for preschool education.

The program takes a child-centered approach, aiming to provide a learning framework tailored to each child's developmental needs and interests. 

It focuses on five key learning areas: Practical Life, Sensorial, Mathematics, Language, and Culture. 

Waldorf/ Steiner

The Waldorf curriculum (also known as the Steiner curriculum) focuses on art, nature, and imagination — encouraging children to engage with their minds, hearts, and hands.

Reggio Emilia

Reggio Emilia - a child-centered, like the Montessori method, emphasizes the importance of community.

This curriculum is project-based, with teachers assigning assignments and long projects based on the child's interests. They are encouraged to give presentations, collaborate, and discuss what they want to learn.

British Curriculum

By far, the most popular curriculum offered by international schools in Malaysia is the British Curriculum. However, international schools frequently implement more than one curriculum.

The British curriculum is a comprehensive and well-balanced framework that covers arts, sciences, and humanities subjects. The curriculum supports a systematic, rigorous, and discipline-driven approach that tracks progress and achievement from preschool to university level.

Combined Curriculums

Many preschools in Kuala Lumpur incorporate best practices and principles from the above-said curriculum content into their programs.

The curriculums mentioned are foundations for new learning programs, individual education, or used to support teaching across multiple languages in these preschools. 

Things Need to Measure Before Choose Right Preschool for Your Child

Now you might have one or two education methods in mind, let us look at things to measure before choosing the right preschool for your child. 

• Value of the Preschool
• Teacher Qualifications
• Child Needs
• Frequent Updates
• Preschool Program and Curriculum

Value of the Preschool

Choose a preschool that can provide what you want for your children. For example, high-quality early learning education in a fun, safe, and clean environment and a set of programs that take care of your child's health and wellbeing - physically and emotionally.

A preschool with a good syllabus and facilities is good, but find one that can also provide your children with a well-balanced nutritional meal. Your child needs a good meal to grow and develop better.

Teacher Qualification

You might want to stress the teacher's qualifications and experiences.

Ask this first - are the teachers equipped with the latest and most relevant pedagogy to the current educational landscape? A qualification alone does not guarantee a good teacher, so inquire about their experience.

Book a visit to the preschool - you can observe how the teachers teach in the classroom and their interaction with the children. 

Child Needs

Before deciding on anything, you should be able to know which preschool has programs that meet your child's needs at the moment.

Every child is different, and so do your child. If you discover that your child can develop skills better with a hands-on activity, find those preschools that implement this way of learning.

If your child has difficulty making friends or interacting with others, a preschool that can ensure your child builds strong confidence will be the best one.   

Read: Evaluate Childcare Centre: What Matters to Parents? (link)

Frequent Updates

Good preschools have nothing to hide from parents - they even go the extra mile to inform parents about their child's development. 

When a preschool actively promotes its activities, events, and schedules, parents can see that it is well-organized, professional, and reliable. It is also convenient to get updates on our child's development at school through a daily tracking system.

In MyKiddyland, we provide parents with an application that updates their child's activities and behaviors in kindergarten.

Preschool Program and Curriculum

An organized preschool should have a well-organized curriculum and education pathway that focuses on the development of children.

There should be a lot of playing and physical activities to promote brain growth and enhance children's early development.

While playtime and social communication are necessary, look for a preschool with teachers who actively encourage social learning and creative exploration.

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