Looking For A Preschool? 2 Things You Should Ask Potential Teachers
If you are a busy working parent looking for a preschool, you might be tempted to enroll your child in the program closest to your home with a decent reputation. However, careful consideration of preschool programs might help you to create a healthy learning experience for your child. Here are two things you should ask potential teachers:
1: "What does the daily routine consist of?"
Sure, your kid might love to play with toys, but if he or she is used to being by your side 24/7, they might object to being left at preschool while you head off to work for the day. To make the transition a little easier, talk with your child's potential teachers about the daily routine.
For example, some facilities have the children participate in fun physical activities, such as ring-around-the-rosy, when school starts each day. These activities are meant to get your child excited about school for the day and distract them—so that you can slip out the door.
Also, understanding the daily routine will help you to talk with your child about what to expect. If you know that your child will have the opportunity to play with friends, draw pictures, and read books with their teacher every day, you might be able to explain the daily routine to your kid so that they know what to expect.
2: "Do you prepare the kids for the state curriculum?"
If the reason you enrolled your child in a preschool is to get them ready for kindergarten, you need to talk with your child's teachers about their curriculum. Believe it or not, kindergarten programs are bound to state curriculum, which is why you should care about what your preschool teaches.
For example, the common core standards state that kindergarten age children should be able to use numbers to represent quantities and be familiar with the sounds the letters make. If you enroll your child at a preschool that doesn't prepare your child for the state curriculum, your kid might not even know what numbers are—much less how to use them.
Ask your child's teachers what the educational goals for the year are and how you can help your kid at home. If teachers take the state curriculum seriously, your kid might be able to breeze through kindergarten.
By taking the time to chat with your child's potential preschool teachers, you might be able to improve your child's transition and get them ready for school. Consider contacting local schools, such as Montessori School Of Salt Lake Inc., to discuss your concerns and determine which is best for you and your child.