One day you'll know it's the right time to enroll your young one in a preschool. You have a truly stressfull choice to make. How does one know which preschool is best for your toddler?
1. Select whether you want your youngster to go to a preschool or a day care? What's the difference? Preschool is frequently (but not always) a 1/2 day long. Preschools are typically (but not always) a longer program.
2. Educate yourself on the school's guidelines. Will they try to rote teach the alphabet with the classroom teacher perched at the front of the room drilling the kids on the alphabet or such (yes, I've happened across preschools where this often takes place) or does the staff let the youngsters learn through their playtime?
Will the school emphasize process over product? Do all of the youngstersdo art work that all looks just the same that the class leader more than likely did most of it or do they emphasize mre free-form art projects.
3. Educate yourself on their school's behavior and correction. This is very important. Will your child remain in a corner for 60 minutes if he punches another young child or will the instructor help him and the other child to figure out their problems (after attending to the injured young one's ouches, of course). Are children taught ways to talk out their problems without violence? Are they instructed in how to "talk it out with the ones with who they may disagree?
4. Watch the teachers during classtime. Definitely credentials and degrees are key to some degree, but I've worked with some very gifted class leaders with no degrees and some class leaders who have graduated from accredited universities with early childhood degrees who have been just horrible with toddlers. Do the teachers treat the young ones with love and respect? Do they seem to enjoy what they are doing?
5. Observe the children in the classroom. Do they seem to be happy? Are they participating in things that seem age appropriate? Are there lots of activities that they are able to do or are all the young ones sitting at the same work space working on the same thing at the same time?
6. What kinds of policies does the center have? What are the steps taken if a toddler is injured or doesn't feel well? Do they get hold of the parent no matter what in some way? If it is a minor cut and there probably is not necessary to reach you right away, do they inform when you pick the youngster up? Is anything recorded? At a large number of facilities, ALL issues no matter how minor were kept track of and the parents got a copy. If all injuries are kept track of, ask if they have anything that you can look over. Are there a large number of injuries? Are they major or minor?
7. What are the kinds of meals/snacks will be served? Or, do you need to provide your own meals or snacks for your toddler? If the they are given by the center, how nutritious are they? And, what happens if the young child is allergic or just doesn't like the food?
8. Educate yourself on many other particulars. Find out their hours, the price, etc. How about when you arrive late to pick up your young one? Discover how do they release toddlers at the end of the day? Do they all just let your young child go with anyone or do new pick up persons have to be approved prior to by parents and must they show ID, etc?
9. Can you and your child try out the preschool before actually signing up? If possible, how does your child like the school? Go with your and your young one's intuition on this issue. If your youngster can speak well, ask her why they like or don't like a certain aspect. Observe your young one additionally and watch to see if the answers seem to agree with the time they had.
10. Do they have an "open door" policy that encourages parents to pop in whenever they choose during sessions? If they talk around that, take them off your list permanently!! Find a different facility, and right away!! To me, this is proof that they are trying to hide some issues.
So if you're looking for pre schools in Greater Dallas, use these 10 tips to use when looking into a potential preschool for your toddler.
Picking a facility is a big job most families face eventually. Your youngster is precious and you don't want just anybody taking care of them.