What Do I Look for in a Strong Preschool Program?

The one thing I did not do with my last school (where my boys attend now) is ask for the vacation/holiday schedule. I found out the hard way - this school is closed for a total of 7 weeks per year. It is very challenging, especially with a large family. I just assumed the school would be like my last school and only closed major holidays. Since my boys are so happy, I find ways to work around this huge hassle, but many parents at this school struggle with this.

Good luck!

I am going to respond first as an Instructional Designer in Education, then as a mom.
Start with what you want life to look like for him in a classroom, say, when he is in 6th grade. Now, lets look at a lot, though not all, boys in 6th grade. Bored, feeling like poor learners, burnt out..not enthused..a sprinkling of pleasers and a few self directed true thinkers...the quickest route to putting your son into the majority is forcing academia on hi too soon..a rigid routine...and robbing him of his natural, biological need for the following
MOVEMENT for the BRAIN and motor system
GROSS motor, large motor, leaving fine motor for later (no pencils !!) big fat strokes, drawing, then small art projects...do not let anyone force the abcs on a boy too soon..it is all ego ego ego, who can teach it, who can learn it and who can stick it on their bumper sticker..it has nothing to do with real skills
Make sure he has outside, problem solving..social, music, science (water tables, with tools to measure...building, bulding...moving...

Yes, to bedtimes, routines, nutrition, rituals..but creating more robots, forcing all of that that is developmentally for 6-7 year olds by all experts...is a crime in education. I see more k boys stresses...crying...mothers having to be in the classroom because the k teacher needs to move on...and then retention..or special education..because they were put into programs before they were ready. The greatest gift you can give a boy and even a girl, is play during their scientifically agreed upon play based years.

You will then have ample time to give them strong academia but with a baseline for problem solving because play is problem solving. Look at the stats. Many teens, Kids cannot solve problems any more..they can only fill in the blank..scantrons. We need scientists (to look at problems and think, writers to convey passionate opinions not correct answers on the SAT, Drs (who can work with patients and truly solve medical mysteries not just pass out pills, ) teachers who can meet the learning styles of many learners, bankers who can say enough when they see an economic avalanche, ....thinkers

Ok, as a mom to a boy and a girl...I encourage you to truly enjoy the next couple of years..you will be in school with them before you know it..and as you know, the system will be there waiting...rules, homework, assessing.. do not let any fear of not being ready take this away from your precious little ones tiny years.

I say good sleep, really good food, outside play..singing, an instrument, cooking, gardening, at home...limited tv :)..

A preschool that is developmental..not a daycare unless you need that..
stable teaching staff
animals at school (ducks, hamsters, bunnies, etc)
garden
a lot of free open ended art
Dress up
Group time for practice but not too long or boring (there are some boring teachers sadly)
time to work with other kids
time to work alone
variety
ask when they prep...definitely not during the school day but before hand..so that they are ready when kids walk in..
ok, of course, clean potty etc
be careful of overly academic schools..
look for a school where parents seem connected..
best of luck

Hi S. ... I hope I can help! I believe a good educational program specially at this age should include a lot of work with creativity, critical thinking and development of "thinking". I.e. for creativity the school should present a big a variety of exercises. Kids should be able to express themselves through arts at least once a day, always using different means. (play dough, clay, drawing, painting etc.) One thing that is a red flag to me is when I look at the work done at the school and find them strikingly alike. It is a clear sign that kids are being too guided. I also particularly find a sin when you see them coloring pre made drawings. There are other ways to develop fine motor skills...when drawing I think they should be able to do whatever they want..they are exploring their capacities and imagination. As for critical thinking, I look at the interaction between students and teacher, are the teachers asking questions? Giving them time to think and reach conclusion? or simply laying out rules and making sure students comply with them? Also Is there an intercurricular component? For example, students are making a project about water....are they simply describing what they know, or are the teachers helping them understand the different aspects that involve the matter? (There is the biological aspect - the life present, fish etc- there is the physical aspect - it is cold, liquid etc - there is the social aspect - what is water used for etc, etc, etc.) The curriculum for preschools will be pretty much the same the difference is in how it is thought. That will make a huge difference in your childs development of thinking. I Hope I could help.

Hi, S.,
Choosing a preschool is where you really express what you value more than what other parents may. Some schools are rigidly structured and parents who think it's critical that their kids have that structure love them, but for those who are more about offering multiple opportunities and letting the kids choose which activity they want to do (and maybe finish, and maybe not), those schools would not work at all. A "developmental" program will offer an enriched environment which the child moves through at their own pace and agenda, with adults in each area. A Montessori school is a more-structured version of this. Other schools are about "now it is coloring time" and everyone colors--perhaps they will even show the kids an example of what to make with their collage materials. (Stay away from those--it's not the kids' own art, it's them copying the adult's! They will have plenty of "copy" experience with letters and numbers later, they first need to get the hang of using the writing materials.)
Yes, look at how they promote positive social behaviors. But also remember that a four-year-old is not ready for kindergarten and doesn't need (and probably isn't able) to be as "in control" of themselves as a five or six is. It's kind of like the teachers who give tons of homework in 3rd grade, and some parents love them because "they are preparing them for sixth grade"...well, they are not in 6th grade yet, and have three more years to get there, don't they? You want your child exposed to group situations with some guidance, and some liberty, so they will learn how to share, how to empathize, and how to include others. And how to control their own behavior in a pro-social way.
The cool thing about preschool is that, based on your choice of school, you will find a group of like-minded parents and those may end up being your life-long friends--because you share the values with which you are bringing up your kids.
Does it sound like I am one of them? Most definitely--my kids are now in college and post-college, and my closest friends include those I met from the cooperative preschool we all sent your kids to. We kept each other sane and grounded through all the years of public schools where there were so many parents who DIDN'T share our values! (That's not a dis to public schools, which by definition, serve EVERYONE, meaning a variety of values--and that's a good thing to my mind, as that's the world my kids live in.)Good luck, and enjoy the search!

Look for a program that is child-directed instead of teacher directed. This is where the teacher observes & listens to the children's interests and teaches to their interests. Also, teachers who do not give answers to questions or problems, but assist & give the tools to children so they can discover the answers themselves is great! The teacher should really act as an assistant to the kids. The most important thing you can look for is the art on the walls - do all the pumpkin faces have two eyes, a nose, & a mouth & are they all in the right place? Steer clear of this kind of program!! That "art" was NOT created by the children. It is certainly ok to discuss eyes, nose, mouth, & placement on our faces, but when you get to the art or craft table it rarely happens & you want a program that will encourage children's ideas such as the dog with "ten eyes, it's an alien dog", (and the story goes on & on as you with 4 y.o.'s I am sure know all too well!) instead of a program that tells children their ideas are wrong & they have to do it a certain way.

If you call the 4c's resource and referral agency, or even look on thier website, they will have a list of things to look for, or to ask about. Look for movement, arts, and music... different learning styles require different approaches, and it is usually a quality program\gifted teacher who knows this. Good Luck, and I hope your son has a quality experience!

When we were looking for pre-schools, I looked at the children enrolled. I watched how they reacted and responded to what was going on.

I know this is nuts, but I sniffed. If I didn't like the way the place smelled, I was out of there.

How much communication do you want? Do you want a daily sheet about the happenings, once a week is enough, a chat at the door, etc.? Ask about that standard communications with parents. I wanted to know what my child did all day, so we could talk about her day.

Do you want academics? Hard core, all student-driven play based, or somewhere in between? Ask about it.

Is the day scheduled or free flowing? Do you want your child to participate in specific types of activities or just let him do his thing?

Do they serve hot lunch? Does this matter to you?
Do they serve breakfast? Does this matter to you?
These mattered to us. We wanted her to have a warm breakfast and a freshly prepared lunch. In southern Cal, we had that. In SF, we didn't.

How much security do you want? We wanted a lot. We wanted no one to get in who didn't belong. We had that in so. Cal. Not in SF, so we pulled her out of after 2 wks...I walked in too many times with no one at the front desk and once no one knew where my child was. I found her curled up in a bookshelf. She was playing a game because the art project was done, but they had to wait 15 more minutes to leave the space and she did not want to play with the dolls with no heads. That was her last day.

Do teachers and parents walk on the area in street shoes where children work and play? I hope not. That was important to us. No outside shoes in the work area.

Think about what is important to you and look for that.
Stephanie

A strong preschool program is one where the kids can play, inside and outside, and are encouraged to develop age appropriate skills naturally, instead of getting academics crammed down their throats. Preschool is the place to learn how to get along with other children, and how to do things together, in a group, and how to share and take turns. It's the place to practice their colors and shapes, and music and dancing, and if you are lucky, maybe you can find a preschool where they are introduced to cooking, and gardening, and being gentle with animals. Make sure you find a preschool where the little girls are allowed to play with trucks and trains, and the little boys are allowed to play dress-up and house, and everyone is encouraged to color outside the lines! A preschool should help build the beginning concepts of time, of season, of routine, of "big" and "little", "long" and "short", and "school" and "home", NOT "ABC" and "123." There will be plenty of "ABC" and "123" later on. Good luck!

Hi S. - I would say openness to Parent participation and evidence of happy well adjusted children who enjoy going to school every day. Cultivation of a love for learning. I would also scope out the children and parent satisfaction in the older grades. I learned the hard way and we enrolled our son in the Challenger program (not parent friendly nor kid friendly actually) and then we moved our son to a more balanced program where the family is in essence joining a community.....which I like as at the end of the day we are all trying to help are children grow up to be part of a community. We are now at St. Frances Cabrini and LOVE it....the difference 10 months has made is amazing....another program I have heard a lot of great things about is Action Day. I personally love St. Frances as it is academically rigorous, but is only half a day (3 hours) and they provide extended care (supervised / facilitated play) for the rest of the day for working moms. My son learned more in the half day than he did in the academic only program. He has plenty of time to play hard and I was so thrilled to see him being a kid.....The 2 pre-K teachers there are phenomenal. I would recommend it even to those who are not Catholic. We don't go to the Church but still feel welcomed as part of the community. We live in a great school district and were planning to move him to public school but have decided to keep him at SFC as it has been such a great impact on him and we don't want to mess with success. We have a younger child with some developmental delays. The daycare staff and teachers have taken an interest in our youngest and have provided us some coaching in this area as well. I just cannot say enough positive things about our experience.

Take your son with you when you check out the preschools. Do the other children welcome him? Talk to him? Play with him? Children are naturally curious about newcomers and should be excited enough about their school to show a new child around. Does your son seem interested enough to follow their lead? Does he want to explore because he is welcomed or does he get pushed aside when he approaches a project. Not all kids are social butterflies, so if your son is clingy until he gets used to a situation, try to stay long enough to get a good picture.

Hi S.,

I know you posted this days ago, but I just went through a horrible experience with my little boy, who I put in a pre-school and pulled him out 4 days later. I am now undergoing a second pre-school search and will do things MUCH differently this time.

1) Spend some time with the teacher(s) who will actually be teaching your little boy. Don't assume that the person who gives you the tour of the school is representative of the rest of the staff. Do they seem to genuinely enjoy what they do? How interested are they in what you have to say about your son? Do they genuinely want to get to know each child or are they all just pupils?

2) Do the children in the classroom seem relaxed and like they are enjoying themselves? How are they being disciplined?

3) What are the standards of hygiene like? Do they wash their hands before and after snack/lunch? Does someone make sure they wash up after they go to the bathroom?

4) If your child is having a tough day how do they handle it? Do they try to figure out what is wrong (ie maybe they didn't have much breakfast and need a snack, maybe they're tired and need a rest) and deal with the issue? Do they just make the child soldier on throughout the day regardless? Do they call the parent?

5)Will they take special circumstances into account? (ie. if a child has a new sibling or has lost a loved one and needs some extra attention or patience or maybe needs to talk about it). If you are having a hard time and may need to drop off/ pick up early or late for a day or two how flexible are they about that? Do they realise things happen or do they have 'unbreakable' rules about charging extra, etc.

6) Also, I know others have said this, but it would be good to decide how structured you want the environment. My little boy is very schedule oriented. He likes to know what is coming next. A solid routine makes him feel more secure, but a lot of parents prefer a more laissez faire environment where the children take the lead in their own learning. You need to decide what will work for you AND your son. My preference would be a less structured environment, but I know that my son will benefit more from structure, so who knows what we'll do in the end.

Just thought I would share my experience.

Good luck in your search and I hope he has a lovely time at pre-school. D..x

We are also looking for preschools so I'm curious what others have to say as well!!

Academics mixed with crafts and playtime is the best solution for a pre-schooler. I recommend Clement School located on Branham Ave. in between Pearl and Alamden. They have a great program and staff. My kids kindergarten teacher said the kids that come out of Clement are above any other kids coming from preschools. Some preschools like Challenger are academic based, drill sargeants. Clement has songs, recesses, academics and crafts. All my kids went there and are better for it. Give them a call ###-###-#### or visit www.clementschool.com
My daughter's picture is third from the left on the bottom!

Our 4 year old daughter just completed her 1st year of preschool and overall we were very pleased. The factors I looked at were that there was a low teacher/student ratio, that the school was licensed and I called to check on it's status and for complaints too, I wanted a child driven curicullum (ours was highscope - not teacher directed projects), clean and not a lot of teacher turn over. One concession i made was that I wanted a program that was only preschool but ended up with one that also had before and after care too. Finally, each child is different therefore I recommend you visit lots of different kinds of programs and try to visit with your child and without. Good luck.

Hi Cheryl,
I have opened a new Child development center off of 85 and Camden and would recommend a tour.
Teachers and classroom environment being developmentally appropriate is a big part of quaility program. Feel free to check our website creativemindscdc.org

Good luck. Take your time and visit as many schools as possible and let your intution lead you.

Hi S.,

You've gotten some great advice to consider.This question is right up my alley, and something I'd like to share for you to consider in addition to what everyone else has said is this: Visit the center, with and without your child, and really pay attention to how the teachers interact with the children.

Do the children seem comfortable approaching their teachers? Are the interactions between children and teachers warm, and relaxed? Do the teachers talk to and with the children frequently, and with respect? Do the teachers seem to be paying attention, and interested in the children and what they are doing and saying? Are the teachers patient and kind? Do the teachers seem to enjoy being with the children, and seem to enjoy their work? Do the teachers encourage and allow the children to be independent, and explore, while remaining available, and supportive,should a need arise?What kind of communication systems are in place between home and school- i.e.- daily notes, newsletters, opportunities for parents to talk with and meet with teachers formally or informally, opportunities for parents to visit or volunteer, or for families to come together for potlucks, etc.?

Also note if the children seem happy and comfortable in the setting.Are they busy, talking, laughing, interacting with their environment, teachers and peers freely, and exploring happily ?

Paying attention to these two aspects of a program can tell you everything you need to know about the quality of that program.

One more note- the little girl I have been a nanny for since she has been 11 months old recently started attending a pre-school program for a few hours each morning.

The program she attends is Kinder Cottage in Capitola, and the owner/director is Terri.I mention this because I am a former childcare teacher and director, and I have very high standards and expectations when it comes to programs for young children.I wish all children were lucky enough to be able to attend a pre-school program as wonderful as this one, with teachers as wonderful and skilled as the teachers at Kinder Cottage are.

If you have the opportunity to visit, it might be worthwhile- just so you can see what I'm talking about!

Most important of all when trying to choose a program is to consider your family needs and desires, and to really pay attention to your gut feelings, and your child's reactions as you visit and explore options.

Wishing you luck in your search, L. S.

S.,
I would also look for a structured environment, and wether or not the teachers love what they are doing. Drop in for a few visits first. Find out what kind of activities they do, and how they handle out of control children. My sister in laws preschool has one, and they won't even put the child in time out!!! I have seen the kid in action, and it drives me nuts, and sets a bad example for the other kids. Also are their hours going to work with your work/drive time schedules? We had a daycare once that closed at 5pm. That is when we get off of work!!! What are the overtime charges if you are late?
A lot of churches have programs now also. They keep the programs non-denominational. Most prechool teacher do not have any type of degree, or background for teaching,
legally they don't have to. I called the Montesorri schools once, and they were not educated either, but did felt that because of the name Montesorri, they had the right to charge more. WOW, was that a shocker. Ask a lot of questions, you don't want to find things out the hard way.
W. M.