Preschool Center Question

Ask the teacher next time you see her. She may have two very good reasons for what was going on there. If not, time to look for somewhere else. A ratio of 15:1 is ablve the legal limit, I think. Now, did someone step out to use the bathroom? If so, you need to be forgiving. But lollypops at 8:30 is odd. But perhaps a parent handed them out and left before you got there for some odd reason? So chat with the teacher and then the director. Good luck!

Well that would have never happened at my kids' preschools.
And, there were always at least 2 Teachers... in a classroom, anytime there were over 10 kids.

My son's preschool has a 2:13 ratio, which is pretty standard for preschools. They also have a healthy snack in the morning and another in the afternoon- no sweets except for birthdays!

Sounds like you need to look at their policies and guidelines, maybe these weren't made clear to you when you signed your son up.
I know I wouldn't be happy with candy in the morning and a ratio of 1 to 15 :(

was it someones birthday? if so and a parent brought a sucker for a treat I don't think its a big honken deal. If it is an everyday thing and that's how she makes the kids be good that is a whole different thing. As far as the sugar goes unless a kid is diabetic a sweet treat once in a while is ok as long as its not everyday.

My kids have been in daycare centers, at home daycare, after school care etc in the past 29 years. I am not sure when it became a total taboo for a teacher to give a treat to a child. Why do people make it seem like giving a child a sucker or a pc of candy is the same as trying to poison them? I just don't get it when parents fly off the handle without having all the facts. Do all the parents on here never give their child a treat? Never giving a child a treat and explaining to them that it is a treat and only given once in a while is a recipe for disaster. Those are the kids that in middle school will be scarfing down goodies left and right while mom and dad scream about not enough PE time. Sorry not trying to offend anyone and what you feed your kids is totally your own business but I think that all the facts need to be in place before coming unglued about a treat being given.

I don't think it's normal or safe. 15 kids running around with suckers in their mouths?? That's crazy. Whether the sugar content is the same as a donut or not isn't really relevant. Would you have felt differently if the kids had been running round with donuts? Am I assuming the kids weren't sitting? If they were sitting down that's only slightly better in my opinion.

The time when I serve treats or the basic rules is the preschools that I know of, is that treats are served after snack or lunch. Usually it's someone's birthday or a special occasion, and never at 8:30am.

Also in terms of the ratio, 1 to 15 doesn't sound right at all... You can check your areas licensing regs and find out what the ratio should be. If it was a case of a few minutes ( staff running late etc...) I'd forgive it one time, but even then the director should be there to cover for the absence until the staff person arrives.

I'd look for another preschool. Four visits is a lot of uncertainty. Sounds like you should have followed your gut.

Good Luck!!

I believe the ratio is supposed to be something like 1 adult per 10 kids. Maybe there is a helper or another teacher who was in the bathroom, not there yet, making copies?

As far as the suckers, I would have asked the teacher. It may have been something like 'each kid that brings back X worksheet gets a sucker' but it is kind of early in the morning for that!! If it's just 'because', I would think about a different preschool!

My first question would be why are they eating suckers? Was it a child's birthday or something of that nature? IF not, ask the teacher how often they let the kids have these types of surgery snacks so early. Did you ask where the assistant teacher was? Often they need to go get stuff, take a child to the bathroom, or cover anther teachers break.

It would not be acceptable to me.

Suckers at 8:30 am? That does seem weird. However, I'd ask the teacher or administration what that was all about and let it be known that concerns you.

One teacher to 15 kids seems to me to be out of compliance, although I don't know the regulations. I believe it needs to be closer to 1:10 or 1:12 at that age.

Not good signs ...

Ex-k-1 teacher here. Also parent of 2 kids who went to preschool. These are the questions you need to ask or do.

!. Go back and visit again and again. If you still feel uncomfortable--change preschools.

2. How old is your child--a four year old in a 1 teacher to 15 kids is not too bad. A 2 or 3 year old to 1 teacher is not good at all. Maybe it was just a one time incident......find out.

3. Maybe they were sugar-less suckers...not so bad. Maybe they were rewards....not so bad....Maybe they were time killers until the other teacher came back...not good...is this a regular occurrence... not good...

But trust your gut....if it doesn't feel good.....talk to other parents or your partner....have them come visit.

That doesn't seem normal to me at all! My daughter just started kindergarten yesterday and went to preschool in 2 different programs from a very early age. So, we've had plenty of experience with preschool and none of our programs ever gave them candy unless it was a special occasion (Halloween, Valentine's, etc.) and it was given to them at the end of the day to take home so the parents could decide when it was appropriate for them to have it. Also, the ratio of 15 kids to 1 teaches seems too high. My daughter's class fluctuated between 10 and 20 kids and they always had at least 3 teachers working overlapping shifts and one volunteer. It is an all day program, so when I would drop off there would be 2 teachers there with a volunteer. When my husband would pick up in the afternoon, he would see a different combination of teachers, but still a minimum of 2 teachers to about 15 kids.

Nope, not acceptable at all!

I don't think I would be ok with that. Is it acceptable - I don't know. But If I saw that, I would seriously be questioning it.

No. No.

Is this normal there -- or just today?

What is their food & snack policy?

I have never seen suckers given out at any of my children's preschool.I personally wouldn't want my kids at any preschool that gave out suckers, period. Terrible for teeth, full of artificial coloring, nothing there but bad news and sugar. I feel that if a preschool is going to give sweets/treats they should be something with some kind of nutritional value. And at 8:30 am? That would be a huge red flag for me that the school had too much of a mismatch with my way of thinking/parenting!

I had the same problem when I enrolled my DD for 1st time at a daycare, there were things I didn't like since the beginning, but I also thought I was maybe too overprotective or expecting too much. When I decided to change preschools I realized I had made a mistake, there were lots of daycares available, with lower teacher student ratios, better menus, better teachers. I am sure you can find a better place.
You need a place where you feel happy after dropping him, knowing he is giving proper care. have been told in several preschools that Oregon mandates a ratio of 1 teacher per 10 students, I don't know what is legal in WA.
Suckers for breaksfast! I do allow my DD to eat sweets, I mean, kids are kids, but can you imagine how much sugar is in there?, it's like poisoning their little pancreas, no, that is not acceptable!.

Preschool or day care? Either way, no, this is not normal...and not legal...

No its not ok, nor is giving a donut at a center (home fine, center no). But the main thing is your instinct..follow it!

Hi Carrie,
ask yourself if you would want to spend your day in a place like this? Trust your gut.
Jilly

The suckers are not ok!! I never gave my class them, didn't even care for doughnuts though. But yes they are different cause it's harder tonchoke on a doughnut...as far as the number of kids it depends on how old the class is. At my center if they were 4 they could have up to 20 with one teacher

Not normal, not acceptable. Sweets are for special occasions, not for breakfast. I'd be very unhappy.

I would contact your state health department to find out the ratio for the preschools. Normally its around 2-15. I personally would not of left my child. Can you imagine yourself being able to keep an eye on all 15 kids! I would not approve candy for breakfast either. I would look into a safer preschool.

No!!!
I'd start looking for another preschool. I cant imagine my preschool letting kids have suckers at 8:30 in the morning. They have sweets every once in a while for special occasions but they dont just hang around and have it for an after breakfast (or instead of breakfast) treat.

Also, in Texas, there is a law that the ration of students to teachers needs to be 4:1 for babies, and then maybe 6:1 (?) for the toddlers.

There should not be a situation where its just one teacher - even if someone was sick, there should still be a back up plan.

Suckers at 8:30, in my opinion, are not the best idea. I have a home daycare and would never give my kids candy so early in the morning! One teacher for 15 kids is not legal! Kids age 5 - 11 ...there can only be up to 10 kids for one teacher!!! That one teacher needs at least one year experience also. If that teacher has 15 kids she is practicing illegal childcare!!!!! Especially if she has kids under 5 yrs old!! I would seriously call the Department of Early Learning and report her! Following your gut is always the best answer to your feelings! Our gut is normally right!!!! This law I stated above is for WA state. I wish you luck!

Horrified. Just as I was with a teacher who of course was just an assistant with hardly any education, and a young man who was learning from her, giving out M&M's as a project the kids could eat at 11 AM.
After that we changed schools.

This would not be normal in my daycare center. At 8:30 AM, the kids might be eating bagels or pancakes, but not suckers.

Also, a quick look at Washington State requirements shows that the maximum child/teacher ratio for preschool is 1:10, so there should not have been 15 kids with 1 teacher, it's illegal (http://daycare.com/washington/)

.

Carrie,
Don't second guess your gut instinct. If it took you 4 times of visiting to convince you this is the place to send your child then regardless of the sucker incident and the teacher ratio, send your kid else where. I checked out 5 preschools (online reviews, word of mouth from neighbors and unexpected visits) before I decided. The last one I looked at was SOOOOO different from the other 4. It was like night and day. I'm not saying the other preschools were terrible, in fact I know other moms personally who send there kids there and they like it but something about them didn't work for me. For instance, one was in the basement of a church, the atmosphere seemed stifling to me, the kids had to walk up 3 flights of stairs to go outside, there were no windows and I felt trapped and cramped. I couldn't imagine myself spending 5 hours a day 3 days a week in that environment so I kept looking. Sure the teachers were probably lovely but it wasn't for me.
The last place we went was able to show me one students progress from the time she enrolled to the day and I was amazed at her ability at 4 to read and write. I won't expect that my son be reading and writing after preschool but it was clear that they are teaching the kids and not just babysitting and wiping noses. When I dropped in they had several tables set up where the kids could choose to color, cut, glue and/or play in the morning. They had a playground outside and the kids went out daily and on field trips once a month and the parents were encouraged to attend the field trips. They also told us when we went to orientation that if we had a child who was anxious we could stick around all day the first day and stay longer for the first week if it helped make our child more comfortable.

At any rate my point is if you have something inside that tells you that the preschool isn't right then find another one and keep searching until you are at peace with the place you choose. It will happen, it just takes time.