IN Mars Area Fall 2019 | Page 24

SPECIAL SECTION: Come see what “Sparta” is all about! Saint Joseph High School over 100 years of preparing students for college, life, and heaven SJHS is closer than you might think! Free and private transportation is available. Schedule your private campus tour anytime. Mark your calendar: FALL OPEN HOUSES for students in all grades with their families · Sunday, October 27: 12–2 pm · Wednesday, November 13: 5–7 pm Admissions Director Mrs. Shane Palumbo ’92 [email protected] (724) 226–4932 SaintJosephHS.com Your Child. Our Care. Their Future. A lifelong love of learning starts here. Now enrolling in Your our Child. Cranberry location Our Care. 724-772-0598 A current issue of this magazine is also available online. 102 Teddy Bear Their Lane, Future. Cranberry, PA 16046 At Tender Care Learning Centers, our teachers are experts at tenderly [email protected] caring for children and helping them make new friends, while learning and having fun along the way. Give your child the opportunity to reach their We exist to help children develop full potential at Tender Care Learning Center. a lifelong love of icmags.com learning www.earlyeducationpros.org Learn more about Tender Care Learning Centers at EarlyEducationPros.org! 22 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE ❘ icmags.com AUTHORIZATION TO PRINT Attached is a proof copy of your ad for the upcoming issue of Pittsburgh Parent Magazine. THIS IS NOT A SECOND CHANCE TO REDESIGN YOUR AD. Your layout and copy instructions have been followed as closely as possible. Please return this email EDUCATION conducted by teachers. Applications that provide learning and testing for students can identify opportunities for them to excel, flag potential gaps in understanding, and provide feedback on learning progress. One exciting feature that will dramatically enhance technology capabilities in the classroom is the integration of 5G technology. Predicted to be ubiquitous by 2020, 5G technology allows for data speeds almost 1,000 percent faster than 4G, empowering educators with the ability to provide a seamless platform for limitless learning. 5G will allow for applications to run without fail or interruption, download speeds to increase dramatically, and a significantly greater number of devices to be able to connect without delays. Just another exciting way technology is expected to enhance learning. EARLY EDUCATION The next generation is starting to have children. This generation grew up in the 1980s and early 1990s, when televisions were “old news” and computers were just starting to creep into people’s homes. Gen Yers, as they’ve been named, can still vividly remember the sound of the dial-up tone as they anticipated the number of emails that would rush into their inbox once the modem finally connected. For these new parents, the answer to any question is, and almost always was, just a click away. These parents are aware of the benefits of early childhood learning and of the plethora of options available to them. In addition, shifting demographic patterns, with an increase in two working parents and single-parent households, are calling for affordable options for child care. As the importance and positive impact that early childhood education has on toddlers is realized, the demand for early education options continues to increase and expand offerings. A few key focus areas have been identified as important initiatives that will shape the young minds of the future, including early literacy, technology in the classroom, and emotional, cognitive, social early learning (ECSEL). Early literacy teaches children letter recognition, word sounds, vocabulary, and awareness of storytelling. Each of these key fundamental elements helps lay the groundwork for success in reading in the future. Early literacy programs can also be found at local libraries as a way for parents to engage their children even if they are not enrolled in a preschool program. Technology is something our children must learn and understand to succeed today. But it is important for technology in the classroom to be used properly and not abused. Early childhood educators are combining technologies with other types of play and hands-on activities to get the most out of the tools available to them. Such tools allow for young learners to work cooperatively on learning activities with the use of technology to enhance their lessons. ECSEL focuses on teaching children how to understand and manage emotions to become more confident, resilient, and understanding, which are all critical to the success of a young learner. Laying the foundation to build an early understanding of feelings and emotions allows children to better recognize emotions in others and how to cope with them. These valuable life skills add a tremendous amount of value to a young child’s understanding of healthy relationships with his/her peers.   ■