Choosing the right preschool
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Choosing the right pre-school for your child By Elise Newton, October, 2002 Here are some of the things to consider when choosing a pre-school: Staff: 1) Loving and knowledgeable staff (hard to tell from first glance, but you can ask alumni mothers) 2) Big “Hello greetings” when the children first walk into the room to get settled. 3) Good control of the classroom. 4) Classroom that is bright and exciting to enter with children's artwork displayed. 5) Attentive to parents’ requests. Education: 1) Kindergartens these days require children to know a lot upon entering. You should be aware of what they are teaching in their pre-K classes, so that they are prepared for kindergarten. (This was a difficult one for me since I believed in a more developmental approach to preschool, but had to succumb to the pressures of kindergarten and go with a mix of scholastic and developmental.) 2) Variety of curriculum to keep the children interested. Including Holiday pageants, police officers, firefighters, etc. 3) Boxes of manipulatives available when children are finished with project or need something to do. 4) Status reports on your child's development. Organization of School: 1) Good correspondence with parents. Letting the parents know what is going on at school via newsletters and when to expect events, field trips, etc. 2) Playground that is well-kept and usable. With sand, riding toys and play structures. 3) An area for children to play on rainy days, so they don't feel pent up. 4) Snacks that are well-suited for young children. Editor’s Note: The October issue of Parents Magazine featured (in our view) an alarmist article about abusive pre-school teachers. One important rule to take from that: if the pre-school does not allow parents to drop in at any time to observe, this should ring warning bells. Best way to check a school: drop in unannounced! Also you should ask the school for any State or County accreditations and about the background of teachers. As Elise says, asking “alumni moms” is the best recommendation you can get. If you’re new to the area, ask the pre-school principal for a list of names and numbers. About the Author: Elise Newton is a mother of four children, under eight years old. She lives in Almaden Valley, California and is revered by all mothers who have the pleasure to knows her © siliconmom 2002
