Pre-School Education : Principles and Practices

Contents: Preface. Introduction. 1. A day in the pre-school laboratories. 2. The child\'s introduction to the pre-school. 3. Physical care and guidance. 4. Encouraging the child\'s intellectual development: the general environment. 5. Intellectual development: books and pictures as sources of information. 6. Intellectual development: nature study. 7. Intellectual development. 8. Language and speech. 9. Guiding the child\'s personality development and social behaviour. 10. Fostering aesthetic development literature--music--art. 11. Activities related to the educational programme.

From the Preface: "It has been recognised by the Psychologists, the doctors and the social scientists that the maximum development of the faculties of the child, physical, mental and emotional takes place during the infancy i.e. from 1 year to the 3 year. This period is very crucial in the life of a child. If he is given proper education for his physical development, mental development and social attitudes, then his later education will be more fruitful and successful. It is therefore, for this reason that the Educational Departments of all the countries developing and the developed have begun to give proper education, to the pre-school education. The Governments are preparing teachers for pre-school education and they are providing money for various other requirements like Mid Day Meal, reading material and other infrastructural facilities.

It is with this background in mind that the editor has prepared this book which is very useful for the planners, administrators and the teachers. Pre-school education requires proper education at the proper time and as such the involvement of the parents in the education of children of this age is very essential."