Choosing a Quality Preschool Part 3

Part 3 of 5

In previous parts of this series, we discussed the benefits of a quality preschool program and have begun discussing the specific factors associated with quality preschool programs.

Staff

A quality preschool will have true teachers, not just glorified babysitters. Look for teacher requirements that include four-year degrees (or, better yet, Master’s degrees) and effective continuing education programs. The best teachers want to be at the best schools, and they want the best benefits. Make sure your child’s school offers solid compensation packages, insurance and other benefits, and support with continuing education.  Also, be aware that preschool is very different than High School, and even quite different than Elementary School. You’ll want teachers that know the preschool age and how to teach to it. An Early Childhood Education degree is the best indicator that an educator knows what they’re doing. Being forced to sit quietly at a desk is not at all developmentally appropriate for preschool, and a good teacher will know that.

Just as importantly, look for teachers that love children and love their jobs – the importance of a warm and nurturing environment cannot be understated. A child learns best when they are comfortable and happy, and the teacher’s attitude is a big factor in both.

Lastly, but still a high priority, are staff ratio and class size. Having a low teacher to student ratio is important, but overall class size is vital. A classroom with a 1:4 ratio sounds great, but make sure that the overall group size doesn’t exceed two teachers, as management becomes increasingly difficult when classrooms get up to 3 or more times the base ratio in total students. A group of 8 students and 2 teachers is exponentially easier to manage than 16 students and 4 teachers, for example.