This article is complete guide to help you choose the right preschool.
If you are a parent who has searched “best preschool near me” or “Montessori school near me” and isn’t sure which preschool to choose for your child, then this article is for you.
Preschools are the first step in a very long journey to become educated. Children may not remember their first day of preschool but as a parent you will always remember the day your child went to his first day of school. The very first time you both were truly away from each other.
Choosing the right preschool as the first step in your child’s education journey is very crucial. These are the years the child is learning the foundation or basics of everything; language, movement, math, music, art etc.
So how do you choose a preschool that provides a strong first step or a strong foundation to your child’s educational journey?
What is a preschool?
A preschool is a term used to describe an educational establishment that offers basic or foundational education that is necessary for the child’s development. This education is also a preparation for further academic learning that happens from primary school. Usually a child joins a preschool at the age of 2 years and continues until the age of 6 years.
Why is preschool important?
From the time children are born and until the age of 6 years, children are learning about the world which is completely new to them. The people, how they behave, how they interact and communicate, how to move, the languages and all the numerous aspects of the world like nature, places, objects etc.
During this phase when children are learning all the basics of the world and forming their own personality, it is very important to provide the right basics in the best possible way so that whatever children learn is learnt and understood properly and for a long time.
This is why early years or preschool education is important. To provide the right foundation for life.
How to choose the best preschool?
First step is to shortlist a few preschools by doing a google search for “preschools near me”. Next, call and set appointments with each of the preschools and consider the following things when you are visiting them.
1. Management:
Quite often schools are started by people with little or no experience in education in the hopes of starting a business. The management must have a good reason or some background in Early Childhood or in the education sector.
Look for the background of the founders/management on the school’s website or ask them when you meet.
PS:
If the management is banking on their qualifications from Stanford, IIM or IIT etc., it is not a guarantee of a good preschool. In most cases these qualifications are done in the field of Business and Management, not in education or early years education.
2. School Environment:
Environment is important in the development of any living being. Make sure that special care is taken to prepare the environment. Observe for the following things:
- The school is spacious to accommodate children
- There are only a limited number of children per environment per batch. 25 to 30 is common
- The indoors are well lit
- The classrooms are clean, simple and in order
- The furniture and materials are child sized
- The school environment should give you a positive feeling or vibe
3. Curriculum or the way children are taught:
Ensure the following:
- Presentations are shown individually to each child and not the entire class
- Presentations are shown based on the progress and developmental timeline of the child, not based on a predefined plan of activities for every child
- The curriculum must include activities for Movement, Sensorial Refinement, Language, Mathematics and Culture (Art, Craft, Music etc.)
4. Developmental Activities:
Ensure the preschool near you has the following:
- Activities that help in the development and learning are called developmental activities.
- Make sure the school has materials and activities that actually aid in the learning process.
- These materials or activities should not be toys, puzzles or games that you can find in online stores or in toy stores easily.
- Ask questions about the materials, how language is taught, how math is taught to children.
- Children need real Objects which they can see, hold, feel, smell, hear (3D) first before they move to learning from books (2D).
- Ensure that there is complete conceptual, hands-on-learning. Again, not using toys that even you can find.
- Pretend play should be avoided. Children and all humans first need reality (real objects, real experiences) from which they can move to imagination. Not the other way around.
- If a preschool is play based then ensure that it’s not all play as children are going to play and learn at home anyways. Why choose a preschool instead of playschool if a preschool is only doing play?
5. Faculty:
All of the above points require teachers who are trained and certified. Ensure that:
- Teachers are certified
- Teachers are warm, calm, knowledgeable, loving and courteous
- They are fluent in spoken language. The language could be English or regional language
6. Reviews:
Read all the reviews about the preschool. Positive reviews are a great sign of good preschool. However, if there are negative reviews then always ask the school about these reviews. When you ask the preschool about these reviews you understand the other side of the story and also understand various policies of the preschool. Talking about the reviews will tell you how the school dealt with a particular issue.
7. Preschool is registered:
Ensure that school is registered with the appropriate department in the state you reside. Some states do not have a mandatory registration requirement for preschools yet. However, preschools in Karnataka have to compulsorily register with the Department of Public Instruction which is the administrative body for Pre-primary schools, primary schools, secondary and higher education schools. Selecting a registered preschool helps in admission process when your child has completed his preschool journey and is going to start Grade 1.
8. Aligned with National Curriculum Framework
A preschool which is aligned with the National Curriculum Framework is a good sign. This framework was released as part of the National Education Policy by the Ministry of Education. The NCF provides a comprehensive framework for preschools regarding classroom environment, curriculum, activities, teachers and their trainings, assessment of children and more. For example, the NCF says that
- There should not be any division of classes based on age anymore
- The assessment of children should not be done using the grading system anymore. The NCF also talks about how this assessment is to be done
- The teachers should be aptly trained. In this regards, the Government has changed the structure and curriculum of B.Ed courses
9. The parent community
One very overlooked aspect to check the viability of a preschool for your child is the type of parent crowd that is coming to the school. If a preschool has parents dropping off their children in Audi’s, BMW’s etc., (not that we are saying it is wrong), then the question you might want to ask yourself is: is this the community I want myself and my child to be a part of? Because one way or the another, your child is going to pick up things from his/her peers. Having a crowd that aligns with your ideas, occupation etc. provides you and your child a platform to socialize and become a community without worrying about confidence, comparison and self-doubt, which are not good for a child who is just starting to learn to socialize, make friends and form his own mental and emotional personality.
The above points should help you simplify your search. When you visit the school, ask these points one by one patiently to the in charge. You will notice that there is a great deal of information and knowledge you weren’t aware of. If all the questions are not answered in one meeting, then we suggest you book a second appointment. The preschool should be okay with giving you a second appointment. The best preschool near you will have almost all of the above qualities. This article should help you find the right preschool near you which would be the perfect first step for your child and also provide value for your money.
Tip: Try searching for both “preschool near me” and “best preschool near me” as some schools do paid advertising for the keywords “best preschool near me”. Searching for “preschool near me” or “Montessori near me” instead of “Best preschool near me” will give you better and more results.
Tip: During your first visit we suggest you visit without the child, as you will get more time to talk and understand everything. However, you can always ask the preschool what would they prefer when taking an appointment.
Disclaimer: Although we have provided a comprehensive guide to narrow down a preschool, the final decision lies with the parents.
Did this article help you find the right preschool near me? If the answer to this question is a yes, then do share it with someone who is in the same boat as you.
If you have any queries, write to us on admin@oliviamontessori.com
