A human being cannot be made to learn what he is not mentally, emotionally, morally and physically ready to learn. – Yemi Adedeji. That is why at RubyGates Preparatory School, Age Appropriate Teaching-Learning is a core value. The official entry age to primary one in Nigeria and Britain and over half the nations of the world (Google that) is 6 years old. That position is the result of child development research. As early child educators, we too have seen it play out, over and over again. That child can talk but has a poor pencil grip so he can’t be write yet; that child has a good pencil grip, but does not yet know the difference between yes and no, so he cannot be assessed yet; this child can talk, has a good pencil grip, but hits and bites his mates so never learns to play, share or learn in a group yet; that child learns quickly but at his age is too clingy and weepy, so he is always disruptive; that one thinks it is proper to say someone else is responsible for everything he did, so he causes more disruption. These are all signs of ongoing mental, emotional, physical and moral development; but by six years of age, when more specific learning begins, in the average child, all these will have come together. This is our position, our principle. We are not one of those schools that will concede anything just to get your school fees. We do not, we cannot, lie to parents. We are working for posterity, to see Nigeria become a glorious nation, not a nation of mediocre people rushed through everything, including learning, thus operating at below average. Our Motto: Leadership, Integrity and Purpose. We mean it.
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July