The most daunting question for every parent is, “So, have you decided your child’s preschool?”
Already!! But he is so young for this.
“I don’t think she is ready yet”.
“I can teach him myself”.
“I don’t want to pressurize my child this early”.
This sounds familiar? Preparing for the first step of your child’s academic journey is often the most overwhelming decision for every parent. Separating little ones from the comfort of their home for the very first time, it’s the toughest decision for all the parents. Separation anxiety is real for both of them. But the importance of right preschool environment in shaping the future of a child; this decision becomes even more significant.
Because gone are the days when a preschool was a waiting room for children not yet age-eligible for regular school admissions. Extensive researches in the field of early education have shown how crucial first 6 years of life are.
But again the biggest question is, HOW TO CHOOSE A RIGHT PRESCHOOL?
Should I go for the “Famous” ones? Or Should I go for the one with big building & high-tech classrooms with smart boards? Should I go for the most affordable with lesser fee?
Parents often are more concerned about the comfort & care given by the caregivers/didis in the class than actual curriculum. Because as a parent, you always want the best for your child but what exactly is the best when it comes to preschool environment?
As an early education enthusiast, I will share few points along with facts from researches in the field of early education, which I feel all parents should look for in a preschool.
1.>DO NOT ENROLL YOUR CHILD BEFORE THE AGE OF 3 IN A NURSURY CLASS.
The right age for a nursery class is three years. There is class before nursery which is called play school/play group but if your child is being admitted in a preschool directly for the first time your child should be minimum three years. Don’t try to save 1 year of your child. Please remember older the child in a class the better the performance so the child should be 3 years in a nursery, 4 year in Jr KG, 5 year in Sr KG, and 6 years when your child comes to grade One. Any school which tells you otherwise is not worth it. There are schools which also have playgroup sections for children below the age of 3, choose that class if you want to enroll your child who is not 3 years old yet.
2.>Which board to choose?
Many parents ask which board we should choose when choosing the school for our child. Well, every board has its plus points and negative, so in preschool choosing a board is not important what’s important is choosing the school based on its approach/ methodology. How child centric is the curriculum, which pedagogy they follow, who is leading that school. Because in early years pedagogy/methodology play HUGE role in developing child’s learning abilities.
3.>FEE
Many parents talks about fee. Because of course money is important. I don’t think its fee you should look at. You should look, if the school has very high fee then what it is the school promising you for their high fee. Ask them & ensure that the school delivers on those promises. If the school has very low fee that’s also not very good because low fee means only 2 things either teachers’ salaries are low or the kind of equipment and materials your child will use, will not be up to the mark. So when it comes to fee, it’s not about high or low, it’s about whether you are getting your money’s worth or not.
4.>Environment
By environment I mean the ambiance of the school. Are classrooms equipped to instigate child’s curiosity? How well is student safety kept in consideration? Are play equipments children friendly? Apart from being visually attractive, basic hygiene or safety, and technologically enhanced amenities should also be looked for. A good preschool should offer the kids an environment to run, climb, jump and play; so that they can develop while they build, mould, break and observe.
5.>The parents & teachers
The most critical question is, are the preschool facilitators trained professionals equipped with necessary knowledge and experience to enhance a child’s overall development? As a parent you can consider how parent centric the school is? What is the total strength? Preschools with over 250 children can become crowded for your child. For bigger schools, even 1000 students in a premises work very well but little child who is just about to start his learning journey, lesser is always better.
These are few criteria; you can start your preschool search with. Hope this helps parents to take their decision. For your child, please remember that choosing the right preschool is giving your child the right start for life. Let’s remember what Maria Montessori said, she said, it’s not the age of university studies which is important, it is the age between the years of birth to 6 years, so when you are choosing your child’s preschool, you are actually choosing your child’s foundation for life.
