Pre-primary school, the benefits outweigh the harms

Students of Hoa Sen Kindergarten, Dong Ha City participate in the school-level art competition - Photo: MNHS

Since the Lunar New Year 2025, many parents with children in preschool have been busy looking for literacy classes with the hope that their children will have a solid foundation before entering first grade. Many people go online to ask for advice on the right time to send their children to pre-primary school. On Facebook groups such as "Studying with children in grade 1", "Pre-primary school - confidently entering grade 1"..., articles are posted sharing experiences about sending children to pre-primary school.

Many parents worry when their children are about to enter first grade but have not yet learned the alphabet, only counting from 1 to 10. Some parents even have children in kindergarten who will enter kindergarten next year and are already looking for the right time to let their children learn first.

Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Vui in Gio Linh district works for a business in Dong Ha city and has a daughter born in 2019 who is in kindergarten. Five months ago, she started looking for classes to enroll her child in. “At first, I consulted with associations and groups and saw that many people said that it was not necessary to be too heavy on instructing students to practice beautiful handwriting and practice skills before entering first grade. However, when I realized that most parents in the kindergarten class had registered their children for classes, I decided to find a center for my child to study,” Ms. Vui shared.

Sharing the same concern, Ms. Hoang Thi Hieu in Dong Ha City said that she had been struggling to find a place for her son to study before entering first grade to catch up with his friends. According to her, pre-primary education is very necessary, so she decided to register her son to study. According to her, when entering first grade, many schools have 35-40 students in one class, and teachers cannot guide each child. Helping her son learn to read, get used to numbers, and do simple calculations will help him be more confident. Thanks to a friend's recommendation, she took her son to a center in the city.

However, the center’s teachers explained that this class does not teach the first grade curriculum in advance, but only trains children in how to hold a pen, write simple strokes, and teach necessary skills. According to the teachers here, teaching the curriculum in advance will make children lose interest in learning, leading to subjectivity and lack of concentration when entering the main course.

According to many preschool teachers, the pre-primary stage is an important transition, so parents should focus on equipping their children with skills and a strong mentality so that they can confidently enter first grade. This is a big change that can cause difficulties for children.

In preschool, children mainly participate in play and activities according to their own needs under the guidance of teachers. When entering grade 1, they must complete learning tasks in class, comply with school regulations and know how to take care of themselves.

Therefore, parents should talk to their children about the new environment; new teachers and friends; and arouse their children's excitement when entering first grade. Along with that, parents need to train their children to be punctual, always prepare books and clothes before going to school, and be self-conscious and tidy.

Sharing the same view, Ms. Phuc Hue, a teacher at Vinh Son Primary and Secondary School, Vinh Linh District, who has more than 25 years of primary school teaching experience, believes that each stage of a child's development requires a suitableeducational method. If possible, before entering first grade, parents only need to familiarize their children with letters, and pronunciation will be formally instructed at school.

Families need to be mentally prepared so that their children do not suffer shock when moving from kindergarten to primary school. Parents should not be too worried and force their children to study early, which can easily lead to stress and boredom with studying.

“It is important to equip children with essential skills and a strong mentality. In particular, it is necessary to practice skills such as communication, cooperation, self-service, self-toileting... so that children can confidently integrate into the new environment; children should be encouraged to boldly express their opinions and seek help when necessary,” Ms. Hue shared.

If children are sent to preschool with the purpose of learning knowledge in advance, it is completely inconsistent with the laws of child development. Pre-primary school is the "golden stage" for physical development, thinking ability, training children to learn and helping them feel interested in self-study. When these characteristics and personalities are trained, the child's future learning path will be easier and simpler.

Khanh Hung

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/hoc-tien-tieu-hoc-loi-bat-cap-hai-193697.htm