How to Choose a Preschool

Many parents begin thinking about where to send their child to preschool long before the child turns three. Unlike kindergarten, where most families choose between the public school, parochial school and a handful of private schools, there is often a plethora of preschool choices.

Make a List

The first thing to do is to make a list of potential preschools. Start by asking your friends, acquaintances and colleagues for recommendations. Then, conduct an internet search to make sure that you have all of the preschool possibilities written down on your list. Then you can begin to narrow down your list by seeing which schools match the basic criteria that you are looking for in a program. For example, you want to make sure that the schools hours, price and location all fit into your expectations.

Research the Schools Philosophy and Curriculum

Different nursery schools have different philosophies and different pre-k curriculums. You should expect that by the time a child is three or four years old that, regardless of his abilities or disabilities, he is going to need a preschool that prepares him for kindergarten rather than a childcare center or day care facility.

John Dewey

Some preschool philosophies are based on the teachings of John Dewey who advocated for learning by doing. These schools offer play based approaches to learning and believe that young children learn best by playing.

Montessori

Other preschools are based on the Montessori philosophy of learning. The Montessori philosophy stresses gaining independence and self esteem by having each child learn at his or her own pace. Montessori schools view teachers as guides and foster cooperative learning environments where older children help younger children and gifted and disabled students can learn side by side.

Waldorf

Preschools that adhere to the Waldorf education theory seek to stimulate childrens minds by creating a homelike environment. Students are encouraged to use all five senses in exploring and learning new things. Waldorf schools believe in having all natural play things. You will not find any computers in the classroom, no movies will be shown and there will be no plastic toys. If the school continues beyond preschool then your child might have the same teacher for every year of his education at the Waldorf school.

Reggio Emilia

Reggio Emilia schools are often cited as the preschools that produce the best thinkers. Students in these programs are taught to develop strong thinking skills. Units of study are based on things that interest the students themselves. The students then engage in projects to learn about the unit of study. The teachers act as advisors while the young students problem solve and go about their research. The Reggio Emilia approach is appropriate for all of the different learning styles since new concepts are taught in as many different ways as possible to help children retain the information.

Religious Preschools

Religious preschools may adhere to different philosophies of learning but they all incorporate age appropriate religious instruction into the preschool curriculum. The quality of education and kindergarten readiness skills acquired by the students vary significantly among these programs. It is useful to inquire about the schools teaching philosophy in addition to its religious affiliation.

Cooperative Preschools

Cooperative preschools are parent run programs. The parents usually get together and hire one teacher. The parents then take turns assisting that teacher in the classroom, managing the finances of the school and even cleaning the school. The parents, as a group, decide on the preschool curriculum. Cooperative preschools require a big commitment of both time and energy from parents. Therefore, it is important to make sure that your own philosophy is a good fit with the preschool before enrolling your child.

No matter which philosophy a preschool claims to adhere to, each school develops its own way of teaching. Therefore, it is useful to have a teacher or administrator explain what Montessori or play based curriculum means to that particular school.

Visit the PreSchool With Your Child

Once you have found a school that seems to have everything that you want in a preschool, it is time to go visit. It is important to bring your child with you on this visit so that you can see how he or she interacts with the teacher and other kids. This visit is essential and perhaps the most important thing that you can do in your search for a preschool. Trust your gut instinct and closely observe your child for signs that he or she is comfortable or uncomfortable.

As with any childcare arrangement, it is very important that you check the schools references and accreditation status with other parents, with your state Department of Education and with the accrediting agency before enrolling your child in preschool.