A Guide to Selecting the Best Preschool

Choosing the right preschool for a child is one of the most important decisions parents can make regarding the educational future of their son or daughter. The skills acquired at an early age will follow the child throughout his school years. The experiences the child has during these formative years can also set the tone and shape his attitude about school, in general. The wrong preschool can result in your child’s hating school, while the right preschool can help your child become an eager lifetime learner.

What do you want from a preschool?

Before selecting a preschool, decide what you want to accomplish. Are you simply looking for a place to take care of your child while you’re at work, or do you want something more? In this day and age, most parents want preschool to be the first formal learning environment for their child. If this is the case with you, which areas would you like to be addressed and stimulated?

Some preschools are very specific in what they offer. You can find preschools that place an emphasis on math skills, reading and communication skills, foreign language, art, or music. Others are more holistic in their approach to learning and provide a wide range of learning opportunities.

Once you’ve decided what you feel is the most important for your child, discover the curricula used at preschools in your area.

The director

The director of a preschool is the most important person at the school. He or she decides how the school is run, and it’s often his or her instructional philosophy that guides the instructional strategies. Schedule a meeting with the director, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Before your meeting, make a list of questions you’d like to be addressed.

The wrong director can lead to a poorly run school with parents, teachers, and students all suffering at the whims of the leadership challenged.

The teachers

Once you’ve narrowed your search of preschools according to their curriculums, research the teachers at the schools in which you’re interested. Find out what type of training they’ve received and what type of degrees or certifications they hold. Schedule a meeting with the preschool teachers to get a feel for their personalities, their views on learning, and their expectations of student achievement.

While degrees are important, they are not a substitution for love and concern. If I had kids I would much rather know they are being loved and cared for than educated. However, I would also look for the best of both worlds.

The atmosphere

Most preschools provide potential students’ parents with a tour. This is your chance to observe the learning environment. Does it seem kid-friendly? Are there a variety of different learning centers? Does it seem like your child will be actively engaged?

Another important aspect of any school is the student-teacher ratio. Find out how many students will be assigned to one teacher. This is especially important with young children who require more individual attention than older kids need.

The parents

 

One of the best ways to get an honest assessment of a preschool is to meet with parents of current students. Find out what they think of the school before enrolling your child. Do parents have a say in how the school operates? Are parents encouraged to be active participants in the learning process? Are their children happy at the school?

By doing a little work and research, you can find the very best preschool for your child’s individual needs. While I dont have kids, my sister's kids attend one of the best pre-K schools in Wake Forest, or so they say.