Preschool Question

[mom2many]

I do preschool with the dcks and my dcks are very advanced! And yet I still have a couple kids who the parents pull out to take to a standard preschool. I think no matter how much work you put into them and a curriculum, you are still going to have those parents that need that brick building that says preschool on it...

Yes this very true!

[MarinaVanessa]

I do already have a huge program, and we have weekly themes that include critical thinking, letter/number/color/shape recognition, motor skills, art, etc... and I am positive that all my kids are benefiting from my program vs. just "playing" all day like the daycare I attended as a child.

I guess what I'm asking is...what if it's not enough for the parents? And should I try to convince them that preschool is unnecessary, or just let them figure it out? They are both GREAT moms and only want their kids to have a huge head start in their educational life, which is totally my goal as well! If they are not convinced that my program is just as good as any preschool, would the addition of a certified preschool package help?

I think the disconnect here is that they probably don't know what exactly "kindergarten readiness" is (what the milestone and skill requirements are) or where exactly their child is developmentally. If you can find something about the state's standards are for kindergarten readiness (a kinder teacher can probably help you with this) to give parent's even if you just find the info and have to type something up for them it should help. But include a link or reference to where they can find this info.

Keeping a record of observation assessments (informal so that the child doesn't know they're being tested) and samples of their progress to show parents will show them that what you are already doing is helping them meet those standards.

[TwinKristi]

I have toyed with the idea of offering a preschool curriculum for the kids that are ready when my DS is 4. I have another DCB who's a couple mos older and had one a couple mos younger who left for Jr Preschool but I would have totally liked to do that. I have a DCG who's almost 18mos and by the time my DS & DCB are 4 she's be 3+ so it could work well for everyone plus advertise that for a certain age group.

I personally would print out the readiness list and highlight the ones they've already mastered and explain that you could purchase a curriculum for each for an additional $100/mo or something... If they're willing to pay $300/mo and send them elsewhere why not keep them there for less and get the same thing? It does require monitoring and progress checks and more responsibility so I do think you should add a fee for it and not just include it for free.

[spinnymarie]

My only thought would be the very basic differences that can *sometimes* occur - in preschool you learn more about the school-style care than you might at a daycare. Things like raising hands, walking a long way by yourself to the bathroom, or standing in a line. That, along with the large group of same-age peers are probably the only differences, but ones that some parents find important. And you may even do some of them already.

[kendallina]

I agree!! We have lots of free play time, and I see so much learning going on while they're having fun and interacting with each other!!

Every good parent wants their child to be a star in school, and I totally admire that. I guess I'm normally so confident in my program (and I have many graduates that are doing so well in school!) and I put so much effort and thought and planning into my curriculum that it rattles me a little to hear that a parent thinks it's NOT ENOUGH. KWIM?

I wonder if parents know how much you are doing with the kids to prepare them for kinder? I find as a preschool teacher, probably 40% of my job is educating the parents on how I am educating the children. I run a play-based preschool and prekinder program (all from my home), that is all hands on learning--no worksheets, no product art, etc and I find that I have to spend a lot of time informing the parents of what we're doing and how that is helping prepare us for kinder so that they understand that all of this playing is actually LEARNING. So, I wonder if they just don't realize all that you do with the kids?

I also think there are some parents who send their kids to preschool as a status thing and because everyone around them is doing it. Also, some parents really want that 'school' experience for their preschooler-whether it be because it's in an educational building or because they have field trips or because they do whatever... there are some parents that no matter what, will send their child to a 'preschool building'.