Choosing the right preschool for your child is a very important decision as this lays the foundation of their future. When it is your child’s first school and perhaps you are making a school choice for the first time it can seem a little daunting. So it requires considerable thought and effort put into it.
Here are some points that you must consider
before finalizing a preschool for your child:
1.
Type of Preschool: Based on your
child’s age and your work arrangements, you can decide which type of preschool
might work well for you and your child.
a) Child Care Centers provide
full-day and half-day care program to children below the age of 7.
b) Kindergartens provide a
structured 3 to 4 year preschool education program for children aged 3 to 6,
covering Nursery 1 & 2.
c) Playgroups offer toddlers their first experience of formal learning through
structured play-based program.
2. Identify your priorities: First, decide what you
want. Are you looking for a preschool near your workplace, or would one closer
to home be more convenient?
Do you want the curriculum
to include activities such as dancing and storytelling?
3. Do your research: Ask around to find the most reputable preschools (view here). Friends and family can give you
the names of schools they like, and we all know that personal references are
the best kind.
4. You should also ask
about the teacher-to-student ratio (the fewer children a teacher has to be
responsible for, the better for your child since she'll receive more attention).
A teacher, no matter how good she is, can't really effectively run a classroom
and give the children the attention they deserve if she has to care for more
than 10.
5. Visit and interview: You can ask a few preliminary
questions over the phone (eg: about fees or enrollment), but you won't get a
sense of what a preschool is really like until you go there and meet the staff.
Ask the director about everything from hours, fees, and vacation schedules to
philosophies on child rearing topics such as discipline and nutrition.
6.
What is the look and feel
of the school? Is it clean and organized? What kind of work is up on the walls? Do you
see original art, or posters and worksheets? Are the facilities old or new?
7. How is information
communicated to parents? How do teachers and the administration keep parents informed? Do you get
e-mail updates? Can you e-mail the teachers with questions? How often do you
meet with your child’s teacher?
8. Last but not least is to trust your
instincts and make a choice you are comfortable with. Every parent has their
own likes, dislikes and personal circumstances to factor into the decision.
Approaches to selecting the right preschool will also vary.