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Look around your neighborhood or the streets where you work and chances are you’ll find several preschools with inviting gated playgrounds and cheery classrooms. But how do you know which one is the best for your child? There is no simple answer. Rather, each family needs to find the school that is the best fit for their child. Whether you’re looking at a private campus, an in-home facility or a program through your local school district, here are 10 tips to help you in the preschool hunt. 1. Know what type of care you want There are four distinct types of child-care facilities in California, says Trisha Louie, project consultant for the Orange County Child Care and Development Planning Council. Operators of both licensed childcare centers and licensed family child care are certified through the California Department of Social Services. Providers in these two categories go through an orientation process and background checks. There is also licensed exempt care, which means the provider has registered with TrustLine, a database of nannies and babysitters who have passed background checks. Finally, there is non-regulated care, which means the provider has not undergone a background check or any type of state licensing. 2. Consider several options Comparing preschools can help you determine the most important factors for your family. Lupe Martinez, director of child development programs for Capistrano Unified School District, recommends visiting several preschools near you. Make sure to ask each preschool about its philosophy for early child education and what goals it has for students. 3. Child-to-adult ratio The number of adults in a facility not only impacts safety, it also impacts the quality and number of development opportunities your child will have in any given day. 4. Pay attention to teachers Your child’s teachers should have formal education in early childhood development and take advantage of professional growth opportunities. They should also talk to the child often and openly not just to discipline them or point out a “no-no.” Look for teachers who engage children in conversation by asking them open-ended and challenging questions, such as “What is this?” Or, “What is this used for?” “You want them to know what the best activities are for your children and the best ways to communicate with your children to help them grow socially, emotionally and educationally,” Louie says. “Parents should be looking at a combination of degrees, training and professional growth classes. We have found the more educated the teachers are, the better they are equipped to handle what the children are going to come into the classroom with.” 5. Open door, open communication You should be able to drop by anytime you want to observe your child’s care. And you should be kept informed of your child’s progress and needs. That could mean a weekly written progress report or a daily chat when you pick up your child. Some teachers keep portfolios of the child’s work so you can see what they’ve been doing and discuss the activities. The goal is to know the teacher is interacting with your child and tracking his or her progress. 6. All work, no play Many parents eagerly ask when their child is going to start learning the basics reading, writing and math. But, “the basics” in preschool should include a mix of play, arts and craft and some academic instruction. If children are receiving dittos or multiplication flashcards, you may want to consider another option that’s more age-appropriate. While activities should be preparing students for school, they shouldn’t necessarily be covering material that a second-grade teacher will handle. “The fact is, children at this age learn through play,” says Kelly Hogrefe, school readiness coordinator for the Orange County Department of Education. “Stringing beads and playing with clay are school readiness types of activities. When they go to hold a pen or pencil, they may not have as good a grip if they didn’t have the opportunity to move their fingers and play with those types of things. We’ve really seen so much being pushed down from first grade to kindergarten and into preschool. If you think about the word ‘preschool,’ it’s really what they should be doing before they go to school.” The key is making sure the instructor has a clear intention to “play” activities. For instance, if you ask why your child is stringing beads, the teacher should explain that it helps your child learn patterns; similarly gluing and pasting develops eye-hand coordination. “There are a whole lot of pieces a child needs to have when they begin to move into numbers, letters, etcetera,” Hogrefe says. 7. Consider diversity Are teachers respectful of a child’s culture and heritage? Ask them to talk about ways they stress diversity in the classroom. It’s also important that the school consider students’ special needs. 8. Observe the children What children are doing and how they react when parents pick them up at the end of the day are good indicators of the quality of care. Children should be playing with other children, reading or engaged in a project around pick-up time, advises Ellen Galinsky, president and co-founder of the Families and Work Institute, on the institute’s website www.familiesandwork.org. If a child rushes to a parent and clings to them, she may have been bored or starved for attention and in need of a new environment. 9. Teacher turnover Teachers may have great training, but you should also consider how long they are staying in their position. Constant turnover can be disruptive for children, according to Galinsky’s tips on www.familiesandwork.org. She recommends screening in-home care providers for job stability; they should be able to stay for one year or more. If you’re evaluating child-care centers, ask how they retain their instructors. You should expect a turnover rate of less than 25%. 10. Serious business Approach selecting a preschool like you’re selecting a college. Visit the campus more than once and make sure you bring your child with you at least once. Remember to ask a lot of questions. And consider creating a checklist before you go so you’re asking the same questions at each facility. “Raising your child is the most important job you as parents will ever have,” Louie says. “So selecting preschooling for them is also one of the most important jobs you’ll have. The school has your child for a whole portion of the day when you’re not there and you want to make sure they are doing everything they possibly can to enhance your child’s learning and their personality and bring them into this world successfully.” Jennifer Leuer of Yorba Linda is an education reporter. For Letters: ocfamily.com |
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