Advocate for "Real" Preschool

[jojosmommy]

How many of you encourage kids to attend a "real" preschool once they reach a certain age?

In our area you can either attend preschool 2-3 hours per day a few days a week OR attend a daycare center, in a preschool age classroom up to 12 hours a day.

I personally think all kids benefit from classroom experience, even if their daycare provider does curriculum. I don't think a traditional mixed age daycare home can provide the same environment as a preschool with 15 kids. This can be good or bad I guess depending on the child and their needs.

I am sending my own son to preschool (2 days for 2.5 hours) next year. I also have a difficult 4 yr old dcb whos mom is entertaining the idea of sending him to preschool next year but doesn't like that she will have to pay for daycare and preschool. Here in this area that is pretty much the norm. This child needs more structure, stimulation, and real traditional classroom experience than I can offer with only a few dcks here however because he gets so overstimulated a 10 hour day at a center would not be good either.

Do any of you advocate for a child to attend preschool? How do you stress the importance of getting this classroom experience?

[MyAngels]

I do, because I don't offer a "preschool" program, and I agree with you that even if I did, it wouldn't be the same with the mixed age group. I sent my own kids (back in the day) to a preschool away from home.

I think it helps the kids get ready for the structure of the kinder classroom, and gives them a nice break from the "babies" here at daycare.

I tell prospective families that I encourage it right from the very first interview. It's not a hard sell here, since 3 day a week, half day preschool, generally costs about $110 or so per month.

All but a couple of families over the years have chosen the half-day preschool option over moving their kids entirely to a center for a full-day program.

[Bookworm]

I do it because of how the school system is setup in my state. Children with birthdays on or after Sep 1 have to wait an extra year before going to kindergarten. Every year I always have at least 3-4 children who will repeat my class. I usually end up having 2 curriculums because the children who move to my class for the first time are nowhere near the level of the 3 or 4 who have to repeat. They tend to bore easily with certain activities and field trips and I feel so bad for them. Every year at the end of the school year I talk to the repeat parents to ask if they have considered a preschool that will be more challenging. I always explain that my curriculum won't change and they might get bored with the same old same old. I only do this in the child's best interest. Several have taken my advice and it usually works out for the best.

[AnneCordelia]

I don't encourage preschool at all. Kindy starts the year a child turns four in Ontario so preschool is for age 2.5-3.5 here. That is my favourite age for dck! I don't believe classroom time to be beneficial above what I offer in my small home daycare and so I don't recommend it. I prefer to start a child as a baby and keep them until they age out into a kindy program.

[EchoMom]

I just had this conversation recently with a parent of a 4 year old. I am a former K classroom teacher myself and could really tell the difference between the children who'd attended a preschool class vs. those who were just with sitters and home daycares. I think at age 4 they really benefit from the structure and peer relationsips in PreK that isn't the same with all the infants and toddlers at my house.

[jokalima]

IDK, I think it depends on what Home Day Care is it.

I don't consider myself a baby sitter. One of my girls learned to write her name @ age 3-1/2, knows her #'s in English and Spanish, knows her shapes and now she is 4 and she and the other 3 year old are learning about more advanced shapes, my toddlers see me practicing this shapes with the girls so they are learning them to. The 2 of them, the 4 and 3 year old know the shape of the stop sign (octagon), know the letters STOP means stop, know the alphabet, know to take turns, to consider the feelings of other friends, they are not Hispanic and they understand and speak Spanish. They are independent, when Mom brought them, the older one had just turned 3 and she was not potty trained, did not know how to put shoes on, pants etc.. Before summer was done she did this things by herself, her sister learn all of this before turning 3 , still working on poopie in toilet .

The younger one learned how to spell her name@ 2 1/2, when exposed to situations where they interact with other kids they handle it very well, my point? I am not a baby sitter, I worked in and infant room, toddler room and preschool and I provide my kids with a day full of routines and activities.

The only difference between here and a preschool in the # of kids and IDK if that necessarily makes a difference, see, I am old school and I think kids should be with mothers @ least until they start school, meaning Kinder. I made the decision to quit DC center for several reasons but one of them , the most important; is to be with my child for the first 5 years of his life. Parents miss on so many things, I know it by experience, I've seen parents crying because they missed their baby's first step, I just don't want to be in that group.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I AM an in-home Preschool ... so, yes I encourage it.

[daycare]

How many of you encourage kids to attend a "real" preschool once they reach a certain age?

In our area you can either attend preschool 2-3 hours per day a few days a week OR attend a daycare center, in a preschool age classroom up to 12 hours a day.

I personally think all kids benefit from classroom experience, even if their daycare provider does curriculum. I don't think a traditional mixed age daycare home can provide the same environment as a preschool with 15 kids. This can be good or bad I guess depending on the child and their needs.

I am sending my own son to preschool (2 days for 2.5 hours) next year. I also have a difficult 4 yr old dcb whos mom is entertaining the idea of sending him to preschool next year but doesn't like that she will have to pay for daycare and preschool. Here in this area that is pretty much the norm. This child needs more structure, stimulation, and real traditional classroom experience than I can offer with only a few dcks here however because he gets so overstimulated a 10 hour day at a center would not be good either.

Do any of you advocate for a child to attend preschool? How do you stress the importance of getting this classroom experience?

I do teach preschool and most of mine stay with me until they leave for kinder. HOWEVER, there are and have been kids in the past that I know NEED to go to a preschool outside of my home so that they can get used to the class size. Currently I have a child that I feel I am holding back. She is extremely smart. I have taught her all that I can, including to read, write and basic math. I asked her parents to move her to a head start where they might be able to challenge her more. I feel that she has out grown my program.

[itlw8]

nope
my kids are ready for school and are eager learners. They have learned from those older than them and practiced those skills teaching those younger than them. They are not bored because we build on the skills we learned when we did a unit before.

Ok they have not been in room with 20 children and one adult. but heck the school has a 4 week free summer school program that covers that before they start in the fall. They teachers love to get one of my kids.

around here Head start is for at risk children because of income and behind in their skills

[AmyLeigh]

Personally, I wouldn't say that just because Johnny is 4 he needs to go to preschool. The preschools here are either in a center, head start, or an outrageously expensive two hour/two day a week program (seriously, about $100/month less than average full time daycare rates).
Of course, I have very definite educational philosophies, so that may be part of it. But if a parent felt that Johnny would benefit from going to preschool, I certainly would not try to talk him/her out of it. I may ask if there is something I could do to assist if there is an issue of K readiness, though.
Children who are ready to learn will learn. Age is just a number.

[CheekyChick]

We offer a structured preschool program. We have several children who are three and four and are reading simple words and doing simple math. I can't imagine a traditional preschool that would teach them what we do.

[littlemissmuffet]

I don't encourage preschool at all. Kindergarten IS preschool. Are we going to start PRE-preschool next??? It's ridiculous. 12 years of schooling is MORE THAN ENOUGH. Let kids be kids.

[Sunchimes]

I don't encourage preschool at all. Kindergarten IS preschool. Are we going to start PRE-preschool next??? It's ridiculous. 12 years of schooling is MORE THAN ENOUGH. Let kids be kids.

In our town, if a child turns 4 before Sept 1, they can go to full day, free, public school pre-k!! I have 2 dcks that are a month apart. One turns 4 two weeks before the deadline, one turns 4 one week after, so one is eligible for pre-K and one will go a year later.

This isn't for another 2 years, but already one mom is counting months (yes, seriously) until she can put this baby in pre-k and save babysitting costs. I am a teacher and while I don't plan to have a formal program, just having two kids the same age, plus the younger sibling, I can do amazing things with these kids before they go off to kindergarten. I fully believe that based on what we do and what I have planned, this child will already have the pre-k skills and is going to be bored out of her gourd.

I've tried talking to mom about it, in a casual way, but she is too excited about saving the money.

[Countrygal]

Well, let's put it this way - I homeschooled all three of my children and am homeschooling my gs.

I also run a K-4 program five afternoons a week for the two 4yos in my daycare. I agree that school is overrated, obviously....

[Ariana]

I don't encourage preschool at all. Kindergarten IS preschool. Are we going to start PRE-preschool next??? It's ridiculous. 12 years of schooling is MORE THAN ENOUGH. Let kids be kids.

Totally agree!!

Studies have proven that the LESS time children spend in school settings the better off they are. Many advocates suggest kids shouldn't start school until age 7. I think Kindergarten is plenty young enough to be starting any sort of formal schooling.