When thinking about preschool, think about what your expectations are. Do you want your child to be in a school environment, or do you want them to have some stimulating playtime with their peers?
When making a decision to put a child into preschool, we often worry about if our child is adequately prepared for “real school”. Many children want their kids to go to a preschool so that they will know how to read by the time they are in Kindergarten, or so that they can meet some sort of undefined goal of where they “need” to be by the time they start school.
However, a recent article discusses whether or not preschool should really be like school at all. Will you be disappointed if your child finishes preschool and still doesn’t read? Will you take that child out of school if he is not learning fast enough?
For me, I wanted my child to have some social interaction. I wanted her to be around her peers, and have a little bit of structure to her day. She was wandering around the house at home complaining of boredom last year, and I knew she needed to be in preschool so that her mind was being more stimulated, but not so that she could necessarily learn a ton of stuff before Kindergarten, although she has.
We chose an at home preschool and over the course of the past year, I have fallen in love with this little school. The teacher gives the children playtime everyday, teaches them about life lessons, and incorporates writing and reading in there as well. Since it is only 2.5 hours, I know my child isn’t being bombarded with heavy learning. She loves school, and views it as a fun experience.
One thing that her teacher does is talk a lot about character traits. Like, perseverance, determination, loyalty, etc. She even has them memorize quotes that teach about that character trait.
When you are looking for a preschool, the first thing you need to ask yourself is, “What are my expectations?” That will help you move forward and determine what school is right for your child, and what teacher is also the one your child needs.
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