Visiting preschools

I'm visiting two preschools this week. I'm leaning towards one more than the other (because they have openings now), but I'm not too sure what questions I should ask or what I should look for... in both cases it's pretty much 2.5 hours classes.

Any advice from people who have been there?

 

I teach preschool (3 yr olds) and really a few things to consider:

What do you want out of a preschool? (academic, social, all day/half day, home based or group, religious or not, etc) That will help you determine what you are looking for.....

Some preschools are academic-y and others are play based (I prefer play based since I personally think it is more developmentally appropriate- but academic ones are popular with parents), some have religion involved - most are not...so narrow down what you want for your family and your children. Then go in and look for/ask about :

1. staff interacting with kids
2. a kid friendly environment (reachable sinks, low tables, lots of hand-on stuff)
3. kid art displayed (helps build a sense of community and pride for the kids)
4. the discipline style (does it match yours? or if it doesnt are you ok with it?)
5. the class size
6. teachers experience (is there a high turn-over or are the teachers been there awhile? some turnover is going to happen, but if almost all the staff is new- that is not a good sign)
7. sick policies (they will vary widely--does it match what you would like? do you have to pay if you do/do not attend? Can you be dismissed if you miss too many days?)
8. pay policiies (some centers require you to make a commitment for a certain time period for adjustment reasons, some want a month notice (or two weeks, etc) if you decide not to continue...it could be expensive if you do not like a preschool and decide not to attend after all
9. activities (do they sing? dance? do gross motor and fine motor activities?
10. ask for references (and call them) to get a feel for a parents point of view
11. observe a group of kids for a while
12. How do they handle potty training? snacks? biting? etc
13. What are the year end goals for your age group?
14. Are they state certified/regulated? Ask to view the forms and it will let you know how they scored (often you can look it up online)
15. ask about a trial visit for your kids and see how it goes

Some of it is gut-instinct really. You will get a feel for the preschools from visiting and know if they feel 'right' or not from talking to staff, looking around, and observing, but I would also make sure you ask about policies and procedures!

I was amazed at the vast differences in the 3 yr old preschools I visited! Some I knew right away that they would not work for us and others I got more information. We lived in another state when my girls went to preschool (at 3) and I loved their twice a week 2 hour program. It was perfect for what we were looking for (faith based, play based, heavy on the arts/crafts/exploration, 8 kids in the class total).

Any questions ask away!

 

I don't think I need to add anyting, that is a great list. I wouldn't be afraid to ask tons of questions, that is why you are there.

 

Thank you so much!

 

What great questions!!! Thank you!