preschool

we're looking ahead a bit here & thinking of putting the girls into preschool next January (they'll be 3.5) but i really haven't the slightest idea what i'm looking for, so i thought i'd ask you ladies:

if your kids are in preschool, what do you like/not like about their particular school and why?

 

I love that the boys school is full of loving nurturing teachers. It is located at a childrens farm and I like that much of their learning is nature based. It is a traditional type of program (a letter a week) and i like the coziness of that.

The only negative I have, especially 4 yr old preschool opposed to last year, is that I wish it was more academic based. I am not all about pushing my kids academically but I know they are capable of more than a letter a week and I want them to always work towards their potential. I am making up for it at home and I think me being a teacher has helped me know where I want them to be. I wish their program incorporated writing/journaling more.

I could have put them in montessori which was our other option (they went to montessori toddler program when they were two) which maybe would have allowed for more academic based learning, however I am not a montessori fan. So I chose what I found to be a more traditional program where I knew they would be happy to be every time they went.

 

A&S have been at the same daycare/preschool since birth, so it's a little different, but FWIW:

Like:
They have so many really cool activities -- things I would never do with them at home because of the mess, expense, or the fact that I just can't have that much stuff in my house (i.e., separate dress-up bins with various themes, or 6 different types of building toys). They also do extracurriculars on an occasional basis, like yoga or pottery. This week they had a dinosaur lady from the university's natural history museum.

The teachers have all been very caring and use gentle discipline -- no time-outs, no swatting (god forbid), etc. They really work on conflict resolution and communication with the kids. We've never had a teacher I wouldn't trust with my kids' lives (which is good, because that's what we're doing!).

And they provide lunch and snacks! :ibiggrin:

Dislike:
They are pretty set in their ways. I think this is inevitable because they have so many kids to deal with -- they can't be making exceptions for everyone. But, for instance, my DDs are still napping at age 5.5 because That Is Just How They Do It.

I wish the teachers were a bit better educated themselves. They are lovely people and I know you can't expect childcare workers to have a graduate education (although many of them do have graduate work in child development), but sometimes they tell my kids things about science and history that are just not quite accurate. Oh well.

I wish they went outside more often even if the weather isn't ideal. Again, I know it's hard when they have so many kids. But a lot of times I will send them with rain gear or waterproof mittens or whatever, only to find that they didn't go out because the kids were reluctant or they didn't have time or whatever. I think going outside should be a high priority. Different teachers have different opinions on this -- one of their teachers always wants to get them outside, which is great. Some of the others seem to think it's too much of a hassle.

On the whole we are very, very happy with our school (and the thought of leaving it in August brings me nearly to tears).

 

My two go to a preschool that is through the city's recreation program. At 3, it's two days a week for 2.5 hours. The price is very reasonable for two children.
Likes-
1. The price
2. The staff-very compassionate and kind...not only do I feel that way but so do the kids
3. I feel the kids learn a lot. They learn a letter, how to write it. Learning to write their names, follow directions, pledge of allegiance, different songs, cutting, pasting, coloring within the lines
4. The class size is small, about 14 kids, so enough for them to get attention from the staff but also to socialize with the other kids
5. Different trips for a reasonable price.

Dislike:
1. I think they'd benefit from a longer day there. It's a lot to cram into for 2.5 hours.

 

This is similar to the school my kiddos attend (and I work at).

It is great play-based fun- lots of good stuff. BUT it is held to the statewide curriculum due to state funding (it is free Universal PreK). The teachers hands are pretty tied with working with kids that are past or working past the 'set' guidelines. They do not do journaling/writing like I would like to see ( kids going in to K are capable of ). My two knew letters/sounds/etc going in. Even the year end evals only determine if kids are where they need to be going into K, not where they really are (it is set up to flag kids that are not meeting state goals).

4 yr olds should NOT be doing worksheets or skill/drill, but there are lots of ways to build budding writing/reading skills that boost creativity and are fun/hands on. They simply dont have 'time' to expand on what the state dictates they teach.

I love that they do a lot of exploratory play , heavy on the science, and literacy- based art (paint things that match the stories, etc)!!


I would look for:

Hands-on curriculum that will prepare for Kindergarten (letters, sounds, shapes, books, prewriting, story discussions)

Friendly staff & (mostly) happy looking kids

Not a totally spic & span place. Really , our preschool is clean, tidy but if you visit during the day, you know that kids have been there. There are books put back slightly crooked, scraps in the art center, kid art on the walls, etc It looks an feels cozy instead of artifically clean & organized or the toys looking like they dont get used. ( I visited a preschool that looked military in its tidiness, kids were oddly silent, and it was kinda creepy!)

No TV and lots of outdoor/gross motor play

positive discipline (no spanking, shaming, and encourages using conflict resolution and words to solve problems)

good vibe when visiting

 

My twins recently turned 3 but we started them in a 2.5 yr program last Sept. Unfortunately we were disappointed with the school from Day 1 so I can only share with you some things to watch out for. Number one thing is I wish I had paid more attention to the attitude of the Director while visiting the school. She's a very stern type of woman and runs a very tight ship - too tight a ship really, and I feel many of the schools policies are inappropriate for Preschoolers. Although my twins' (2) teachers are nice, they ultimately work for the Director and must abide by the school policies.

Here are some other things to check:

Drop off policy (they have my children walking past a line of cars to get to class)

Do they permit you/caregiver to visit the class on occasion

Separation policy

Condition of the play ground

Do they automatically separate twins in 3/4's programs

Bathrooms located in classrooms (our kids have to walk to the other end of the school to use open-stall toilets in another classroom)

TV ( I know you're probably thinking, 'of course not!'), but our *wonderful* Director permits TV watching occasionally. She only sprung this one us once we had paid and were at the first day of orientation, of course.

Communication with parents: newsletter, emails home etc.


Our twins are registered elsewhere for 2011/2012 school year and frankly I can't wait for this school year to end. I made a terrible mistake. My recommendation is simply to look for a clean, bright, up-to-date facility with varied programs and kind Director/teaching staff. They should offer some sort of handwriting in the 4's, and music & outdoor time for all levels. Another bonus is a school with an indoor play area in case of inclement weather.

It helps to see many different schools and be sure to ask lots of questions so you feel entirely comfortable. When I was looking the first time I didn't know what to look for. I didn't ask enough questions and was won-over by a glossy school presentation which I lived to regret. Ultimately trust your intuition on what type of school would best suit your twins' needs.

Good luck!

 

My girls started pre-school about a year ago. I would say that the Director of the school pretty much dictates how the school is run. Ours is great, loving and knows all the parents and children. She is always open to drop ins and walks around to each classroom throughout the day. She gives frequent updates via a yahoo group email and a private FaceBook page.
Security. We are buzzed into the grounds and there are a few good measures.
Ratio, ratio, ratio! Recently we toured other schools because enrollment for the new year is starting now and we wanted to check others out again just in case. I was very impressed with one school however it was a 12:1 ratio! Are you kidding me? I can barely handle 2 but 12! What if one is going to the bathroom (down the hall) and needs help? What if one decides to walk out the front door, how would you notice right away? what if….I guess I’m just spoiled with the 5:1 or 6:1.

 

Yes, do check your state ratio and how the preschools implement it.

State ratio is:

3 yr old 1:8
4 yr old 1:10


Our preschool has


3 yr old class 2:12 (1:6)

4/5 yr old 2:20 ( 1:10) but moving to 2:18 (1:9) next fall



I dont know if I would ever use a class with ONE teacher. I cant count the number of times we needed two teachers--- staff needs to use the bathroom, a child gets hurt, a child needs one on one attention for behavior, child needs assistance w/ food or clothing,another adult is needed so a teacher can talk to a parent for a moment , another adult is needed so a teacher can do assessments one on one, etc....

 

Not too much negative about mine. They were there wince they were 2 years old. They are academic, but they do not force it. They do have reading and writing and math and stuff, but it's part of the full curriculum with play. The kids are not required to learn to read by the time they graduate as most elementary schools here do not require any child to know how to read by the time they are in kindergarten. They do, however, expect them to know their letters and numbers. But, because reading is big here, it's not unusual for kids to know how to read before kindergarten. They also do a little math so basic math skills are also a part of their graduation (2 apples plus 2 apples equals a basket of 4 apples, for example). I like the academic part of things, but I really like that they do it through play. They do a lot of artwork and learning through activities such as nature walks and themed artwork. There's a lot of socializing and learning basic manners. They even help potty train! They use redirection and supervised time-outs for discipline (rarely has there been a time-out, never for my boys so far). I really have been happy with them.

Negative. I fully understand the school's desire to work with kids that cause trouble in the classrooms. The parents count on the school for help and they really work hard at giving it. So there isn't a limit to how many times a child can bite or be aggressive. It's more about whether the child is improving and using other methods of getting what they want other than aggressive behavior when the teachers work closely with them. My son, Cameron, unfortunately took the brunt of a biter in his last class. He was biting other kids, but Cameron was getting most of the bites. It's true some times Cameron was grabbing for toys, but often the bites were unprovoked and he'd get bit anyhow. Eventually the child was kicked out of school. Cameron is not dealing with a pusher. He gets pushed to the ground often and does not like this kid. He no longer grabs for toys and shares most of the time. The incidents that he was pushed, he did not provoke. It's sad and unfortunate, but he does overall still love going to school. He talks fondly of it and tells me what he enjoys. He does have friends there, but I know it's hard when he has a bad day. Kiefer is aggressive at home. It's likely he learned some of his behavior from a child in school. Though, it could just be him and his age. He doesn't get in to fights at school so it's rare he's come home with a bite. He's got a nasty one right now on his belly. The teacher felt awful cause she was right there when it happened and she was unable to stop it from happening. Kiefer sort of provoked it cause he wanted to play with a toy that another child was trying to pick up to put away as asked by his teacher.

These are the things that do happen sometimes at school, but it's an age thing. They aren't 3 yet. For me, sending them to school was the best decision. They are learning so much and they feel so proud of themselves when they can show off what they've learned and the art they did in class. They play so nicely with other kids. Kiefer used to be shy....not any more! This school really got him out of his shell. He's still working on his speech, but the teachers are doing a great job getting him to talk more and speak out.