11 Top Criteria for Selecting The Best Pre-School for Your Child

Your child is about to turn three, potty trained, and is ready and eager to explore the outside world. You decide to look for a preschool for your precious one, but don’t know where to start.  Below are eleven tips to start your research.

  1. Know Your Child Personality-Before you check out a school for your child, assess your child’s strength and weaknesses.  Not all school will fit your child personality.  If your child is active or very advanced, steer away from a traditional school.  This type of school will not tailor your child’s strengths and personality.  They may label your child as ADD or troubling child. If your child is creative, look for a Waldorf school.  If your child is explorative, check out Montessori.  
  2. Nurturing-this must be a top criteria since your child must be nurtured and encouraged during the early year.  Mindset is more important.  Many studies have been done by psychologists such as Grits by Angela Duckworth and Mindset by Carol Dweck proven that mindset is one of the essential factors for future success.  Teachers must be encouraging and understand your child’s personality and is able to grow, guide, and nurture your child’s strengths and interests.
  3. Classroom Size-Another important factor is the classroom size because your child needs personalized attention at a small age.  
  4. Environment-All educational things must be accessed at a child level.  A classroom layout must be bright, and opened. Montessori school masters its environment.  It allows a child to explore. All items are designed for little people from tables, chairs, and even a toilet.  It empowers a child.   Is there quiet time? Is there musical time? Are there enough outside time.
  5. Beyond education- Does the school teach collaboration and emotional intelligence? Does the school teach to solve problems? To succeed in life, we must be able to possess our parts-mind, body, emotion and soul.  That is to be able to articulate, empathetic, think non-linearly, and collaborate well.
  6. Flexible curriculum-Does the school accommodate your child gift if he or she is a math wiz or an intellect?  Most public preschools tend to fail short in this arena.  Your child shouldn’t be boxed. 
  7. Qualification-I may bother some people by making this statement.  While I understand that most preschools are monitored by your state, it is important to look beyond the so-called “ECE” teachers.  These teachers may be qualified by a state standard; they may not be good at understanding and nurturing your child.  I would look for those who are older and have had raised their own children. 
  8. Second Language-This is an important feature since children observe at an early age due to their brainwave. 
  9. Test Drive-Before you enroll your child, take a tour.  Bring your child to a classroom and let him or her immerse in that environment.  See how your child fit in the environment.
  10. Parenting Network – Does the school offer parenting support such as afterschool hangout?  Does the school offer parenting class?
  11. Tuition – Not all schools are created equal. Does the school meet your budget?  Do all those teachers have the right qualifications to command the tuition? Remember, an expensive school doesn’t necessarily mean a quality school.

Be sure to schedule at least three to five schools before making a decision.  Finally, make sure your child’s choice of school matches your values; maximize your child’s strengths and nurturing him beyond his intellectual’s capabilities.

For Montessori, visit this link:

https://amshq.org/Families/Find-A-School

For Waldorf, visit this link:

https://www.freunde-waldorf.de/en/waldorf-worldwide/waldorf-education/waldorf-world-list/