Preschool selection process

[duskymonkey]

hey ladies, sorry I felt the last time I posted many many moons ago, It seemed like I posted and ran. 😳 Anyhow... Just wanted to seek out some thoughts here about what I should look for in looking for a preschool for DS. I think he's ready and I've contacted a few schools in the area and will be visiting 1 tomorrow after work. I had initially looked into Montessori schools but it's expensive and if it's for real that we're expecting #2 then we definitely cannot afford that because I like to keep him in the same place until kindergarten. So what sort of questions should I be asking and what should I be looking for when interviewing them. DS doesn't go to daycare so I have no experience in having a list of criterias. 

[emmagk]

We haven't done any selection since our daycare does preschool but I'd want to know
- are they expected to complete homework (I would not want that)
- do they need to be fully potty trained
- if full day then what's the nap setup
- age range for classes
- structure for class, is it more play or desk type learning
- sick policy

[scout251]

As a former preschool teacher I think a play based program is important. They should have a good portion of the day to play inside and outside. If it's a full day program, what is the food situation like? Do you send all food? Is food provided? What are class sizes like?

[athn64]

We're planning on sending DD1 to the local public program. It's very program dependent. But around here, yes they need to be PT.

[britab]

Yes, they need to understand child development. I would look for lots of outdoor time, free play, read alouds, healthy foods and how they teach social skills. Low tech is important to us too.

We're sending DD to a home daycare/preschool that's nature based. Only about 5 kids, sensory table, circle time, field trips, lots of playtime. I prefer this over our school district's preschool with 15 kids.

[Deleted]

J is usually 3 months behind all the other kids here, and with his speech therapy I knew I wanted a place that let kids learn at their own pace. So look for places that will suit how your LO learns and grows. I also really like real time learning, meaning that they learn about how the household works and how the world around them works. J's school we chose let's teaches them how to cook (nothing gourmet obv.) clean, computers, recycling, science experiments, things like that. They have a veggie garden and an awesome playground area. They are big on learning from mistakes and to not make a kid feel bad when they make that mistake. It's also walking distance and kids don't have to be potty trained. Again, because J is late in learning, the not having to be PT helps.

There is a Holistic preschool near us as well, and while it was nice and all I just didn't like it. It was a little too hippie crunchy and not a lot of substance. They garden a lot and that's it.

Also, think of security. Teaching credentials/license. Learning programs. It all really depends on your LO.

[sstwinklinglites]

Feb 20, 2017 20:27:52 GMT -5 athn64 said:

We're planning on sending DD1 to the local public program. It's very program dependent. But around here, yes they need to be PT.

This is us. We just got notified that DS was accepted to the public preschool program in our district. He'll be going four days a week which is the max they allow at his age, and they only offer half days (they do offer before and after school care). He's doing the afternoon half, and is currently accepted as a regular student. He's in the EI program for speech, which he ages out of at age three. So we've had a couple evaluations at the preschool so they can determine if they will be taking over his therapy, or if he no longer needs it. If he's accepted for the therapy, his schedule remains the same, but he will be assigned a therapist, and cost of tuition is waived.

ETA - It's mostly a play based program. They spend a lot of time in the indoor playroom, on the playground, and the remainder in different areas of the classroom. They also have a full size gym at the preschool, so I suppose when weather doesn't allow outside play, they go there.

[athn64]

And yes, the program is playbased. I know about all the standards because my mom is a teacher for the same program in a different district.

[meggypoo1]

Clara's daycare has a preschool so we will keep her there. I do wonder if we should switch her to a different one. These are good questions to think about.

[duskymonkey]

Thanks so much ladies.... My brain has been in a fog lately between being sick and caring for a sick household. I am usually prepared but haven't had much time to think so this helps a ton. A bunch of schools I called have very different curriculums and I do like a play based program for DS - he has a lifetime to learn in an academia type institutions which is why I am hesitant to put him in our town's school even though it would be super convenient. 5 minutes down the road!
@whimsy, your school sounds just like something I would love DS to be surrounded in. I haven't found anything of that sort here other than the traditional montessori learning style.
britab, the place I'll be stopping by tomorrow is very much a small group in a home setting which I think I would prefer and likely more suitable for DS since he's been cared for in a home environment and isn't surrounded with a lot of people and would be more quiet and likely find it comfortable.

[becole]

The daycare my child is at has a Montessori preschool. Play based, life based learning. Very little electronic use- no toys that light up or make sound. It's all about imagination, doing their "jobs", and getting kindergarten ready at their own pace.
This morning at drop off they were counting in Spanish. They have a music teacher and dance teacher that come in each week and a library truck. They also try to go outside for free play 4 times/ day. It's amazing what he's learned through play there. He told me yesterday that his peanut m&m is an oval. I didn't know they talked about shapes.
I like the Montessori principles for early preschool but he will be going to a public school.

[microworm]

We are at a in home licensed DC and are going to switch to a center when DS1 is about 3 because I want him to have preschool experience. Sooo that means we should start looking now. Although there is a 95% chance that it will be the center by my work. It's convenient and comes recommended by coworkers.

Since I don't want to do 2 drop offs we will likely wait until DS2 is 1 to enroll him at the same time.

[activebaby]

I love my sons' daycare/pre-school. But, I think my oldest learns a lot from Dora the Explorer too!!

[Deleted]

duskymonkey, The preschool we're using is a Reggio Emilia approach. You may want to look for that term when searching for schools, if that's what you like.

[duskymonkey]

@whimsy, Thanks for the info. Unfortunately the area where we are, have limited options such as RE or Waldorf which have very similar principles and we're ok with either one.
However, total Mom fail here. I think I am going to have a lot of trouble finding DS a spot anywhere decent Too late in looking into this for DS. Meh!
The place I went to look at today looked promising however they only have 1 spot for 1 day/wk available and I'd at least like 3 days to start with and from the sounds of it they very likely will not have anyone drop out but instead they have a wait list for more days so I can write that out and not waste an application.
Anyone know anything much about Goddard school program? I have an appt. with them this Friday. They're a bit closer to home and will be on my way to and from work so that is a plus.

[scout251]

The Goddard School is a chain of daycares/schools. A friend of mine sent her kids to one near us and really liked it. I don't know much about the curriculum but since they're all independently owned and operated the quality really depends on the owners and staff.

[lrmrtn]

DS's daycare does preschool so we'll keep him there. I honestly don't know what approach they use but we really don't have a choice. Preschools here aren't full day so we wouldn't have the coverage we need and they are more expensive than DC. If I had a choice, I'd probably look into Montessori.

[britab]

Really what's important is reading to kids, healthy foods, physically activity, mental stimulation.

I never went to preschool but my parents read to me and I learned basic things at daycare. I can read!

The number one predictor of how a kid does in school is poverty. Toxic stress, poor access to books and healthcare hurts kids, not Montessori, play-based, nature-based, small group, large group, religious, etc.

I understand some need EI and it's great they are getting that but preschool is often over hyped/priced.

[duskymonkey]

mary97, That's a great idea! never occurred to me and never even thought that daycares and preschools are in the same center although it makes much sense....makes me feel so inadequate and ignorant right about now.

[duskymonkey]

britab, you're a teacher right? Point well taken. I am certainly not just looking at a particular type of curriculum however would prefer one over the other just for the methodology which is why I am also looking into different centers and visiting and talking to the teachers/directors to get an understanding of how their day will be spent and what type of environment they would be in. Preschools never existed when I grew up, my mom had a close knit of friends and we got shuffled from one place to another and they all helped each other out looking after us kids. My mom was a teacher and gave us a great start at home. I also had really terrible teachers in secondary school ( high school ) although had great primary (elementary) teacher which probably set the foundation. I didnt have teachers for some of my classes, I had a teacher that actually slept in class! Another one I remember had some of us give her back rubs while the rest of the class "read". We would also spend an entire class period "stealing" back our chairs and desk- we had a shortage of them. The year we were sitting for our O Levels we didnt have an English teacher and a Mathematics teacher so my class mates basically all taught each other calculus and algebra. It was totally crazy.

[scout251]

Feb 23, 2017 0:30:06 GMT -5 duskymonkey said:

britab, you're a teacher right? Point well taken. I am certainly not just looking at a particular type of curriculum however would prefer one over the other just for the methodology which is why I am also looking into different centers and visiting and talking to the teachers/directors to get an understanding of how their day will be spent and what type of environment they would be in. Preschools never existed when I grew up, my mom had a close knit of friends and we got shuffled from one place to another and they all helped each other out looking after us kids. My mom was a teacher and gave us a great start at home. I also had really terrible teachers in secondary school ( high school ) although had great primary (elementary) teacher which probably set the foundation. I didnt have teachers for some of my classes, I had a teacher that actually slept in class! Another one I remember had some of us give her back rubs while the rest of the class "read". We would also spend an entire class period "stealing" back our chairs and desk- we had a shortage of them. The year we were sitting for our O Levels we didnt have an English teacher and a Mathematics teacher so my class mates basically all taught each other calculus and algebra. It was totally crazy.

Grrrr this is the kind of shit that gives teachers a bad name and it drives me nuts. But it just proves that one of the main things about a school is the staff. If they love kids, are respectful of kids and know how to interact with them appropriately, that's going to mean more than any curriculum.

[bliz1712]

I completely missed this thread. We will be sending both girls to the preschool that we sent SD to. I LOVE the teacher there and she's great with the kids. It's in the Lutheran church here in town and will cost the same amount as we would be paying for her to be in DC during that same time. They do have Jesus time and such, and that's not an issue for us. But the other options were more play based and for DD1 I especially wanted her to learn or touch up on letters, numbers, colors, shapes, etc. It's 3 days a week 815 to 1115. My job is flexible and I can be late to work, they let you drop off as early as 755, and I can take my lunch hour early to pick her up. But it sucks having to do all that driving.

If we had the option for preschool based DC I would look into that here. But DC centers just aren't common in my small city. It's in homes.

[duskymonkey]

scout251, I didn't go to school here. I am sure that kind of shit would be all over the news. Also this was like 30 yrs ago in a 3rd world developing country, I was lucky we had a school to go to eventhough the roofs leaked and school rooms sometimes got flooded or occupied by 14 foot long pythons lol!

[scout251]

Feb 24, 2017 0:33:33 GMT -5 duskymonkey said:

scout251, I didn't go to school here. I am sure that kind of shit would be all over the news. Also this was like 30 yrs ago in a 3rd world developing country, I was lucky we had a school to go to eventhough the roofs leaked and school rooms sometimes got flooded or occupied by 14 foot long pythons lol!

No! The pythons thing didn't really happen, right??

[duskymonkey]

Oh you bet it did! it was chilling out in the back of my classroom behind the cupboard...probably ate all the rats back there hahaha! although uncommon however happens often enough.

[microworm]

I have a stupid related question. What year will our May 14 kids start kindergarten? When they are 5 (2019)?

[emmagk]

Feb 24, 2017 7:18:35 GMT -5 microworm said:

I have a stupid related question. What year will our May 14 kids start kindergarten? When they are 5 (2019)?

For us it will be Sept 2019. There is an option in BC to defer a year but i'm 99.9% sure we will not do that

[haykay13]

We've recently enrolled DS in preschool. Mainly because I was majorly falling behind in my WFH and needed it to get done before taxes are due.
We just decided this week to enroll him for their 3 year old program for the Fall. I originally planned to just do preschool at home until he was 4, but my DS is so social and is really enjoying going so far and it is nice to have the break to get stuff done!

It's technically a mom's day out program offered by a big church here, but the teachers all have degrees in teaching or related things, they follow a curriculum, next year he will start learning to write using Handwriting Without Tears, they go to PE, music class, Spanish class and do a lot of free play. I shadowed his class for a while before enrolling him and was very impressed. So if you aren't against your kid learning about Jesus and stuff I would look into churches in your area to see if they offer anything similar, because the one here is super cheap and affordable compared to the secular preschools or part time daycares I looked into.

[becole]

Feb 24, 2017 7:18:35 GMT -5 microworm said:

I have a stupid related question. What year will our May 14 kids start kindergarten? When they are 5 (2019)?

2019 if you meet the cut off in your state- which all the May babes should. They keep moving the cut off.

[haykay13]

Feb 24, 2017 8:42:34 GMT -5 becole said:

Feb 24, 2017 7:18:35 GMT -5 microworm said:

I have a stupid related question. What year will our May 14 kids start kindergarten? When they are 5 (2019)?

2019 if you meet the cut off in your state- which all the May babes should. They keep moving the cut off.

2019 seems too close! 😭