What makes a great preschool?

As I am thinking about preschool for Beanie, I am reflecting on what goes into a well-run preschool program. I find myself first just looking for something close and affordable, but the elements of the program are very important. Preschools come in many "flavors", such as developmental, academic, Montessori, Waldorf, bilingual, and on and on. Some use a combination approach of more than one of these. I don't want an academic preschool in which the children spend much of their time seated at tables doing worksheets, or being drilled on letters, colors or numbers. I know that young children don't do their best learning in that way. I want any learning to occur through play, because play is the work of young children. In fact, even kindergarten has become disturbingly academic in some schools, but that's another issue. I think an ideal preschool day should address all different learning styles, and should include some inside time, some outside time, art projects, music, movement, active play, pretend play, stories, experimenting with different materials, group activities and individual activities.

For a class, I had to create a fictional welcome letter for my ideal preschool, so here's what I came up with (now, if only I could find this school!):

Dear Preschool Families—

Welcome to Totally Perfect Preschool. I am excited about all that we will be learning together this year. Our school believes that education is a partnership between the school and the family. We welcome your participation and input! We want you to be involved, at whatever level you prefer. Attached you will find a calendar for the year, highlighting school holidays, field trips and special events. There is also a sample weekly schedule, giving an overview of what a typical week will include—this schedule is subject to changes, but will give you an idea of what your child’s day will be like. Also, please get in the habit of checking the bulletin board outside the classroom door for up-to-date weekly schedules, information, and sign-up sheets for various activities. Also, check your child’s “mailbox” (labeled slots above the cubbies) for flyers, newsletters, and other information, as well as finished artwork to go home.

We want your talents! Volunteer opportunities are available in many areas. Please fill out the attached volunteer sheet if you are willing to help out. There are many positions available, such as room parent, classroom volunteers, playground volunteers, field trip driver/chaperones, fundraising volunteers, party helpers, and class photographer. If you are not available to volunteer during the day, we need parents to prepare materials at home (cutting out paper shapes for an art project, for instance), and there are monthly Saturday morning work parties to spruce up the building and grounds. If you have a special skill or talent you would like to share, please include that on the form!

We have a new program this year to help us get to know each other better. Every other week, we will have “family snack and share” time. If possible, we would like each family to sign up for one of these dates (a sign-up sheet with available dates will be posted outside the classroom by the beginning of next week). This is a chance for you to share your family’s or ancestors’ origins with the students. We invite you to share your cultural heritage through telling or reading a story, showing pictures, teaching a traditional song or dance, leading an art activity, or anything else you would like to do. We ask that you bring a snack to share. This may be a food traditional to your country of origin, or not. (Please bring the recipe or a list of ingredients to avoid any food allergy problems.)

In addition, we have a parent meeting next week for new AND returning families (see schedule). This is a chance for new families to meet the staff and get information, for returning families to hear what’s new this year, and for all of our families to get acquainted with each other. There will be child care provided in the classrooms during the meeting, and an ice cream social for all immediately afterwards. We look forward to seeing you there!

Several times during the school year, we will be presenting parent forum evenings. These will be discussions of various issues having to do with parenting, and will be led by experts in the field. These are always optional, but we encourage you to attend. These evenings will feature a presentation by the speaker, followed by a question-and-answer and discussion period. Childcare will be provided.

Please don’t hesitate to call or email me about anything that concerns you. I will be happy to schedule a meeting with you at any time during the school year, and will attempt to respond to all emails and calls within 24 hours. If you have any special concerns about your child, or if something is going on in your child’s life that may affect how s/he functions in school, please let me know, so that we can work together to create a positive educational experience for your child. Pick-up and drop-off times are very busy, so if you have a concern and wish to discuss it with me, please make an appointment, so that I can give you my full attention. I look forward to getting to know you and your child, as we learn and grow together!

Very truly yours,
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Totally Perfect Preschool, Room 2 (“Jellybean” class)

An early childhood educator's response to stress.

In my forum here today, I take a break from telling the stories of my own life, and address in a more general way various issues that have to do with early childhood. This is something I wrote for a class I took on building self-esteem in young children. It is written from the perspective of an early childhood educator, and is a discussion of the warning signs of stress in children and what teachers or caregivers can do to respond to a child's stress.

Many things cause stress in life. As adults, work, relationships, money, and the time crunches we all experience can cause stress. In my own life, some of the things that help relieve stress are getting out in nature, walking or biking, playing with my kids (unless they are the ones causing my stress!), getting involved in a hobby (mine’s scrapbooking), reading a good book, or calling a friend.

Many kinds of things, large and small, can cause stress in a child’s life. Stress can be caused by death or serious illness in the family, divorce or custody changes, moving (across town or around the world), getting a new sibling, family money troubles, parents arguing a lot, being bullied, learning a new language, having a learning disability or developmental delay, being abused (mentally, physically, sexually), witnessing abuse of another, not having the “right” clothes, being excluded, feeling shy, not knowing new routines, a parent leaving for a business trip, toilet training, a friend moving away, or many other reasons. A child experiencing stress may become withdrawn, act aggressive, seem depressed, have toilet accidents (when previously able to stay dry), regress to babyish behavior, be unusually clingy or whiny, cry more easily than usual, act overly silly, be quick to anger or take offense, be unable to sit still, or want to hide. It seems to me that any uncharacteristic behavior may be a sign of stress (a quiet child who suddenly gets loud, or a loud child who suddenly acts very quiet, for example).

Appropriate ways of helping a child experiencing stress would depend on the nature and severity of the stress, and on the personality of the child. Showing caring and empathy would be a beginning. Listening to the child and really letting the child feel heard and cared about is important. Books can help introduce uncomfortable subjects, and let a child know that s/he is not the only one to experience a particular situation. Dramatic play can be a “safe” way to explore feelings—playing a character, or having a puppet speak, may allow children to say things they are uncomfortable expressing as themselves. In some cases, a child may be experiencing a level of stress that warrants professional help, and in those cases, the family may need to be referred to the appropriate agency or professional (using the utmost confidentiality and tact, of course). In some cases art may help express difficult feelings, and other children may need active outdoor play to “blow off steam” when they are feeling stress. Some children may need extra hugs and nurturing, or to be given a classroom job to feel important and needed. Structure and routine may be very comforting to a child experiencing upheaval in their home life. In short, the response must be tailored to the child. We may not always even know what is causing the stress, but we can provide a safe haven in the classroom where they can experience a brief respite.