Yesterday, I described some of the types of preschool curricula that parents may encounter when they are going through the process of choosing a preschool for their toddler. Curriculum is important because it gives you an idea of what your child will be doing all day and whether there is a comfortable balance between free, creative play and structured activity. Of course, choosing a preschool is about more than just the curriculum. Today I will discuss the other factors that are a part of the preschool choosing process.
Basic items like cost, location, transportation, and pick up/drop off times as well as the length of the school day will likely factor into your decision about what preschool is the best fit for your toddler and your family. It is also important to look at things that go on inside the classroom to ensure that you make the best possible choice. One thing that you can do is check the student to teacher ratio. An appropriate student to teacher ratio at a preschool ensures that your child will be adequately supervised and that she will get the attention that she needs. The National Educational Association specifies a maximum of six students per teacher for two year olds, and ten students per teacher for three to five year olds.
Discipline is another area that you will want to pay close attention to. You have worked hard to find a method of disciplining your toddler that is effective and feels right to you. Look at the ways in which each potential preschool pick handles discipline so that you can choose a school whose methods complement what you do at home.
The teacher turnover rate at a preschool is also important. Going to preschool is a big transition for your toddler, and having to adjust to a new teacher in the middle of the school year can be tough. Studies have shown that kids in classrooms where teachers change frequently can have a more difficult time adjusting to being in preschool than those who have a consistent teacher for the entire year . Choosing a school with a low turnover rate reduces the risk that your toddler will have multiple teachers throughout the course of the school year.
Above all, in your quest for finding a preschool where your toddler will thrive, trust your judgment as well as that of your toddler. This is where visiting each preschool on your short list can make the most difference. Pay close attention to how you feel when you interact with school staff and what the atmosphere inside the school feels like to you. Observe your toddler closely too, to see whether he seems interested in and comfortable with being there. On the ride home or at home after the visit, ask a few simple questions like what his favorite thing was that he saw at the school or whether he had fun visiting there with you.
Photo by phaewilk on morguefile.com.