Study: My Understanding of Options

Finding the Right Preschool for Your Child The moment you decide your angel is ready for preschool, it’s time to search for a good program. It’s wise to begin your search early. Some families – particularly those who live in large cities – even apply to the best schools soon after their child is born. After pinpointing a few good schools, submit applications to all of them. If you’re not accepted your first choice, you’ll have a backup or two. To look for the best program for your child, take the steps below. Prioritization
Lessons Learned About Preschools
First of all, what you want? A preschool close to your home or near your workplace? Must the curriculum include activities like dancing, singing and storytelling? Any specific learning approach? Write everything down and refer to the list while evaluating different programs.
Lessons Learned About Preschools
Homework Friends and family can provide names of schools they like (or don’t like). Also check out accredited schools in your area, and don’t forget to check the yellow pages. Interview and Personal Visit You can ask a few questions on the phone – for example, about enrollment or fees – but you won’t know what a preschool is really like unless you actually go there and meet the people behind it. Meet the director and ask about everything, from schedules to childrearing philosophies. Trust your intuition about the place and observe how the director answers your questions. As you visit the classrooms, see how many kids are under one teacher’s care. According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2 to 3-year-olds must be in groups not exceeding a head count of 18, with two teachers at least. For 3- to 4-year-olds, the recommendation is groups of 20 or smaller, again with no less than two teachers. For 5-year-olds, there may be as many as 20 students in one class with two teachers at least. References Ask every school you’re eyeing for a list of parents with children who have attended the school. Allot time to call them and ask particular questions. Don’t just ask if they like the preschool – ask what exactly what they like (or dislike) about it. Also inquire from your state’s Better Business Bureau whether the school or any of its teachers have dealt with any complaints. Kid Testing Finally, visit the school with your kid. That way, you can witness how your child and the teachers interact with each other and whether he or she seems happy to be in the preschool’s environment. Certainly, picking a preschool is a personal decision. If, after a visit to the preschool with your kid, you both seem to like going and being there, then it’s probably the one for you – of course, after everything else checks out.