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Preschool Panic: How to choose the right preschool for your child Karina Money, MA President and Founder Right Path / New England

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Benefits of Preschool <ul><li>Growth and future educational success </li></ul><ul><li>Develop life skills </li></ul><ul><li>Future success: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Socially, Emotionally, Academically </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Children who attend quality preschool programs are: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>more likely to continue their education </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>less likely to be held back </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>more likely to succeed in educational endeavors </li></ul></ul>

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Types of Preschools <ul><li>Developmentally Appropriate Preschool </li></ul><ul><li>Montessori Preschool </li></ul><ul><li>Reggio Emilia Preschool </li></ul><ul><li>Waldorf Preschool </li></ul><ul><li>Cooperative Preschools </li></ul>

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Developmentally Appropriate Preschool <ul><li>Shy away from strictly academic and believe that structure is not the best way for a preschooler to learn </li></ul><ul><li>Most common in the United States </li></ul><ul><li>Emphasize the different areas of a preschooler's development (physical, cognitive, emotional and social) </li></ul><ul><li>Classroom is a “hands-on” approach </li></ul><ul><li>Both self-directed and teacher directed activities </li></ul><ul><li>Teacher may have a curriculum that fit a child's age and level of development but the child may lead the play and teacher will join in (kitchen example) </li></ul><ul><li>Schedule (morning “free play”, structured circle time or group activity </li></ul>

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Montessori Preschool <ul><li>“ A child's work is to create the person she/he will become.” - Maria Montessori </li></ul><ul><li>Belief that children learn by accomplishing different tasks, or using toys as tools to accomplish these tasks </li></ul><ul><li>Classroom is very structured, with children moving from activity to activity but at their own pace </li></ul><ul><li>Teachers are there to control the environment, not the child </li></ul><ul><li>Dr. Montessori found that children in this type of setting developed strong self discipline and lengthened attention spans </li></ul><ul><li>Calm, orderly setting </li></ul>

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Typical elements of Montessori <ul><li>Fewer toys, more real life objects, promoting the idea that children should learn how to handle real objects, rather than pretend ones </li></ul><ul><li>Teachers trained in the Montessori methods </li></ul><ul><li>Younger children drawn to the activities of the older children in their group </li></ul>

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Is this right for my child? <ul><li>Many kids do well in the realistic environment that the Montessori approach creates. </li></ul><ul><li>However, many will also find the structured curriculum and task-oriented activities difficult to follow. </li></ul><ul><li>If your child has demonstrated the ability to follow instructions, he may thrive in this setting. </li></ul><ul><li>The most important factor is that the parents are comfortable with the Montessori approach to teaching. </li></ul>

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Reggio Emilia Preschool <ul><li>Children are little researchers; they can and want to communicate with the surrounding world. They are individuals with own thoughts, emotions and expressions. </li></ul><ul><li>Combination of developmental and Montessori </li></ul><ul><li>Emphasis on a child's symbolic language such as drawing, dramatic play, and writing </li></ul><ul><li>Classroom environment plays a key role – considered another teacher. Children are taught to value and respect their environment </li></ul><ul><li>Parental involvement (school/home=partnership) </li></ul><ul><li>Child directed – projects follow child's interest </li></ul><ul><li>Projects are developed over time and work should be revisited = self expression </li></ul>

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Typical elements of a Reggio Emilia Preschool <ul><li>Community-oriented classrooms, with everyone involved, including the cooks, custodians, parents, etc. </li></ul><ul><li>Classrooms decorated with students' artwork, with an emphasis on natural materials, like pine cones, sea shells, and plants </li></ul><ul><li>Art studio and materials which are easily accessible to children </li></ul><ul><li>Lots of hands-on projects revolving around the community or nature </li></ul>

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Is this right for my child? <ul><li>If your child enjoys being creative with paint, crayons, and clay, he will likely do well in the Reggio Emilia setting. </li></ul><ul><li>Most children, in fact, will flourish in this creative and community-oriented program. </li></ul><ul><li>A child who is used to a lot of alone playtime may have a harder time adjusting to the focus on group projects, but will probably end up thriving in this environment. </li></ul>

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Waldorf Preschool <ul><li>The Waldorf approach was developed in Germany, by Rudolph Steiner. These preschools are child- or play-centered, but also have a definite structure built around routine and rhythm. </li></ul><ul><li>120 Waldorf Preschools in North America. Children work in mixed-age groupings, and stay with the same teacher from year to year. </li></ul><ul><li>This philosophy emphasizes a healthy rhythm of activities, so that children move from physical games to free play, to more focused activities. </li></ul><ul><li>Creativity is emphasized, while academics are not stressed so strongly. Waldorf teachers also model good behavior for children, rather than instructing them how to behave. </li></ul>

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Typical elements of a Waldorf Preschool <ul><li>Children acting out scenes from their lives, and using their imaginations </li></ul><ul><li>Teachers working in the background, offering gentle guidance only when necessary </li></ul><ul><li>Natural materials like cloth, stones, and shells </li></ul>

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Is this right for my child? <ul><li>A wide range of children, including those who may be somewhat shy or aggressive, often do well in Waldorf schools, because the approach is both gentle and nurturing, and offers a sense of balance for students. </li></ul><ul><li>Children will blossom even more fully if the Waldorf approach of encouraging creativity is practiced in the home. </li></ul>

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Cooperative Preschools <ul><li>The teaching approach of a cooperative school may follow any of the other philosophies, but with one main difference: the board of directors is made up of the students' parents, who run the business of the school by hiring the teachers and ordering the supplies. </li></ul><ul><li>Each parent is expected to help out in the classroom on a regular basis (anywhere from once a week to once a month), and many are also expected to serve on a committee. </li></ul><ul><li>This approach results in parents getting a close look at how their children are growing and developing in the classroom setting. </li></ul>

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Typical elements of a Cooperative Preschool <ul><li>Teaching approach may be based on any philosophy </li></ul><ul><li>Program offers an educational style that follows parents' values and expectations </li></ul><ul><li>Parents helping in and out of the classrooms </li></ul><ul><li>A feeling of nurturance in the classroom </li></ul>

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Is this right for my child (and me)? <ul><li>Need to consider their own calendar: this type of program may not be feasible for parents who work full-time. </li></ul><ul><li>For those who can make it work, this style of teaching can have a very nurturing feeling, since there are parents in each classroom. </li></ul><ul><li>On the other hand, some children have a difficult time seeing their parents pay so much attention to other students. </li></ul><ul><li>For some children who are prone to separation anxiety, it can be a better learning experience when their parents are not present in the classroom. </li></ul><ul><li>These kinds of issues must be considered if you are looking into the cooperative approach. </li></ul>

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Admission Process <ul><li>Research – open house dates (Oct-Nov) </li></ul><ul><li>Part-time / full-time </li></ul><ul><li>Distance matters </li></ul><ul><li>Safety </li></ul>

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Questions to ask when choosing a Preschool <ul><li>Are they licensed by the state? Do they have national accreditation such as NAEYC (National Association of the Education of Young Children) </li></ul><ul><li>What is the student-teacher ratio? </li></ul><ul><li>What are the backgrounds of the teachers? </li></ul><ul><li>What is the teacher turnover rate? </li></ul><ul><li>Do the teachers take part in continuing education programs? </li></ul><ul><li>What is the daily schedule? (remember, this age learns best by play) </li></ul>

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More questions to ask when choosing a Preschool <ul><li>How does the program handle a child who is having a tough time separating from mom and dad? </li></ul><ul><li>What is the discipline policy? The goal of discipline is self-control not punishment. Avoid a program that uses corporal punishment. </li></ul><ul><li>Are parents encouraged to get involved? </li></ul><ul><li>May I talk with other parents at the school about their experience? </li></ul><ul><li>Are parents welcome to observe a class? </li></ul><ul><li>How is information about the child's day shared with parents? </li></ul>

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What to look for during your visit <ul><li>Is the facility clean and safe? (smoke detector, first aid) </li></ul><ul><li>Is there a well-kept outdoor play area? </li></ul><ul><li>Is the atmosphere friendly and fun? (look for students' work displayed in hallways and around the room at their eye level) </li></ul><ul><li>Does all the art work look the same? </li></ul><ul><li>Are there various activity areas? (a reading place, art station with materials for kids to reach, blocks, puzzles, a place for naps) </li></ul><ul><li>The children should not all be doing the same thing at the same time; they should be playing with toys or other kids but still well supervised. </li></ul>

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Classroom Observation: The Teacher <ul><li>Watch the teacher – does she/he look happy to be there? </li></ul><ul><li>Does the teacher truly love his/her job? </li></ul><ul><li>How does she/he solve conflict between the students? </li></ul><ul><li>Does she/he get down to the kid's eye level when talking to them? </li></ul>

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Classroom Observation: The Students The Students <ul><li>Do they look happy? </li></ul><ul><li>Are they engaged in what is going on? </li></ul><ul><li>Are there any kids sitting by themselves in the sidelines? </li></ul><ul><li>Do they want to be there? </li></ul>

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Meeting with School Director <ul><li>Does my child need to be toilet trained? </li></ul><ul><li>How are parents involved in the school? (parent association, family picnic, holiday parties, parent socials) </li></ul><ul><li>What do you do when two children fight? (It is crucial that you agree with the school's discipline policy) </li></ul><ul><li>What is the daily routine? (You want your child to have a sense of predictability each day – circle time, snack, reading) </li></ul>

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Q & A Right Path / New England 689 Somerville Avenue, Suite B Somerville, MA 02143 www.rightpathne.com (617) 297-7379 SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY!