Pre-School: The First Stop in a Long Learning Career
By Michele Blandino
When you choose your child’s pre-school, you are doing more than finding a place for them to go for a few hours each week, you are shaping they way they approach their education for the next twelve – or more – years.
While this statement might sound a little “over the top”, it holds a great deal of validity, especially when considered in light of the dramatic changes seen in early childhood education over the last twenty years. A generation ago, most children entering kindergarten had never before been in a classroom; today, the number of children who are not enrolled in some type of pre-school by the time they reach their third birthday are few and far between. By the time they reach kindergarten, most children can easily recognize the letters of the alphabet, the numbers 1-10, write their name and in some cases, even read. These skills are largely the result of the time spent in pre-school.
Given this, it is easy to see how a good pre-school experience can form the foundation for later learning. As a result, it is important to take the time to choose the right early learning environment for your youngster.
Begin Looking Early
Many parents are surprised to learn that in many parts of the country, the enrollment process for pre-schools begins nearly nine months before the child will even begin attending classes. Typically, in mid- to late-January, pre-schools will hold open house events to provide the parents of prospective students with the opportunity to visit the facilty, meet the teachers and perhaps even sit in on a class. In short, these open house events are designed to provide parents the assurance that the school they are considering is right for their child.
Because you should begin calling the schools you are considering shortly after the beginning of the New Year to learn about their respective enrollment processes, it is important to identify the schools you would like to consider during the months prior to that. While there may be a school or two that you already have under consideration, you should solicit the recommendations of friends and other acquaintances to see if there are other schools you weren’t aware of; sometimes the no-so-obvious choices turn out to be the best.
Be Thorough
Even if you are completely satisfied with the first school you visit, you should not conclude your search. Rather, you should visit several others. This will have one of two effects; either it will help to reinforce your original decision or it will open your eyes to other possibilities. In either case, you can be assured that you are conducting a thorough search.
Registration
While in reality, registrations are taken up until the day classes begin (provided there are available spots), most schools will ask that you register your child - and make a down- payment, usually in the form of a month’s tuition – during the spring. It is important that you are comfortable with your decision as most down-payments are nonrefundable.
For More Information:
To learn more about the pre-school selection process, you can visit the following websites:
