7 Reasons Keystone STARS Gives your Child the Best Start

The STARS in Keystone STARS stand for Standards, Training and Development Sessions, Assistance, Resources and Support. Keystone STARS is a program based in the state of Pennsylvania. It is built on an evidence-based reward system of four stars. The families can use it to help the early learning programs in their area improve. The four stars build on each other as a way of helping to bring out the best in the students, educators and the community at large. The Keystone center is very much aware that the best place to start helping the child get motivated to go to school and learn is the first year of school. And this happens to be preschool.

1. It encourages use of the arts (i.e. music, painting, drawing, clay-making, dance, etc.) as a way to increase the student’s readiness for further learning. This is something that many public education programs have been cutting back on for the past couple of decades. It is probably one of the top contributors to the decline in U.S. schools. That and the fact that many schools rely on rote memorization and “teaching to the test” instead of to the student. Some say that art is a child’s first language. The arts also help children to develop many other skills including fine motor, language and a healthy respect for other cultures.

2. Keystone also encourages other interaction. This includes talking, reading and laughter to build language. This doesn’t mean that Keystone encourages the use of curse words. It means that it includes encouraging children to be creative with language in their own ways. This reassures that child that he or she is included and that he or she can be creative without the threat of being thought of as “freaks”.

3. Parents and families are encouraged and expected to work as a part of a team with the teachers and other educators. The teachers and educators are expected to be sensitive to both the children’s’ and the parents’ needs and concerns.

4. The students are taught to interact with each other in a civil and respectful manner. Bullying in any form is not tolerated and comes with high consequences.

5. Teachers stay open to learning new ways to help the students thrive. This means that Keystone standards do not ask the educational systems to hold to one “tradition” of teaching because it worked in the past. Keystone embraces everything that shows strong evidence of helping students thrive in their educational environments.

6. The child is expected to come out of the program feeling as if he or she is included and is achieving well. Anything less tends to dampen the child’s sense of accomplishment and self-worth. Keystone knows that children thrive best with healthy boundaries and when they know that they are well-respected.

7. In the long run, children who are educated in environments that run by Keystone’s standards are more likely to graduate from high school on time. They will be motivated to get a secondary education and get a good career or job.

The Langhorne child care program works to make children from infancy feel at home within their center. They are aware that infants start to learn through play before they reach their first birthday. They do everything they can in their power to encourage this.

The Langhorne preschool is a prime example of Keystone standards. They provide activities that encourage early knowledge of the arts, math and science by providing an array of hands-on activities. They combine this with a healthy dose of physical activities such as dancing and jumping. Langhorne also has more than one pre-school program. The “secret” to the general Langhorne preschool program is to increase the child’s self confidence, by providing the above activities. It enhances problem solving and initiates life long learning.

The Langhorne daycare program creates environments that maintain a balance of comfort and stability for the children. They provide everything from their own homework help to safe and fun physical activities in a respectful manner to keep up with children’s’ energy levels and to keep them feeling happy and included.

In a nation with public schools that are failing right and left, the Keystone STARS center offers a new ray of hope. Keystone STARS is a prime example of what monitoring of the schools should look like. The Keystone STARS center is also currently undergoing a revision to make themselves more effective at improving outcomes in early education. Also to make it easier for parents and educators to take part in their program. Those results are expected to be established very soon now. Children need an environment in which they feel safe, respected and included. Keystone may be the catalyst for that change.

In the meantime, if you would like to participate in Keystone’s program, please fill out the application at Children Central.