DIY Life

My son will be starting preschool in September. We're both very excited about this. Me, because I feel confident I have chosen the perfect preschool for Owen to continue to grow into an amazing young man. He's jumping out of his skin because he had so much fun when we went to visit a few weeks ago. Can you believe he's still talking about the songs we sang, and the different rocks in the science center?

There are many ways to go about choosing a preschool for your child. You could focus on accreditation, academics, atmosphere, and philosophy, all of which are important to some extent. As a former teacher and a conscientious mom, I'm going to tell you how I did it.



First, I asked around town, and within my moms' group, to get a sense of what the buzz was on local preschools. I wasn't looking to hear that the kids were learning about the "letter of the week," nor did the word "academics" used in the context of preschool impress me. I was trying to get an idea of what schools might fit my constructivist philosophy:

• Three and four-year-old children learn best through play.
• Kids remember and eventually own what is meaningful to them.
• A literate environment -- one filled with books and print, opportunities for reading and writing, and shared reading and writing -- is the best way to lay the groundwork for becoming a lifelong reader.
• Centers, independence, group time, and outside play time need to be a part of every day.
• Learning is about the process, not the product (although a really cool Mother's Day gift wouldn't hurt!).
• Sneaking every opportunity for learning into each activity in a creative way is key.

Next, I went to visit the preschools that I thought might be in line with what I think kids need. It wasn't a long list, because I am very picky! Aside from discussing philosophy with the director, looking for signs of it in action was tops on my list. At the school that I chose for Owen, I noticed students:

• Creating books at a writing center
• Working independently -- and cooperatively -- on puzzles
• Planting seeds at the science center and spraying their planted seed ten times with water -- they sneaked in counting in a meaningful way
• Painting with feathers
• Making letters with Play-Doh
• Building with blocks
• Reading independently and in pairs
  
• Singing together during circle time with a felt board scene to match that helped with the counting song
• Snack as a center -- kids learning manners, how to pour, take turns, and portion control
• Moving independently and quietly amongst the activities

Other features that were important to me were:

• The sand YARD -- yes, yard!
  
• An outdoor play structure
• The sense of underlying structure that allowed the children to be independent in an effective way and to flow through the activities
  
• The lack of chaos, and the purposeful behavior of the children
  
• The very high ratio of teachers to students (about 1 to 5)
• The gentleness with which the children were talked to and directed
• Shared special activities like family brunches, Thanksgiving dinner, and the like

So essentially, when I found my constructivist philosophy in a gentle atmosphere that seemed a loving extension of home, my search was ended. Parent Center has some other signs of a good preschool that may help you in your search. What things have you found to be important when choosing a preschool for your child?