Anyone Teach Part Time Preschool Classes?

[KatieNK]

Hello! This is my first post but I have been reading all morning as soon as I found this great forum! Currently I am a stay at home mom and I am a former teacher. I have been thinking about teaching part-time preschool classes in my home. I already have a lot of interest from moms (not much to do around here!). The classes would be 5 weeks of theme-based sessions that are about 40 minutes each, where the mom stays and participates too. Or something along those lines (still researching/thinking). I would probably do two sessions so I can have two age groups.

There is one lady in the area who does this almost exact thing. When I found out about her I was so bummed because it is exactly what I always wanted to do! Oh well, she doesn't own the market! She used to do it in her basement but now she has a storefront (actually the basement of an office building, which is such a pain for me to bring my 3 kids down into!) and I don't know how she makes any money, but I digress....

Anyway, does anyone do anything like this? I realize most of you have full time daycares but I don't know if I can commit to that right now. Teaching the preschool classes sounds perfect to me. I also thought about doing a Mommy's Morning Out (nothing like that here) but since the parents would NOT be staying for that, I would have to become fully licensed...

Thank you in advance!

[nannyde]

Are you a certified teacher with a Bachellors Degree? Do you have a current certification?

I can't see there being much money in this but I can see how much it would stink to have preschoolers with their parents under my roof for 40 minutes a day.

It may fly BUT you would be the first thing to go if money got tight.

You would have to find out if your three kids counted in your numbers cuz here if they are under five I could only have three other kids in the house. (that's with a Catagory A registration here)

[Country Kids]

I did preschool only for 2 years and just loved it! I followed my childrens school calendar so everyday they had off I did too. The I would take the whole summer off also. Those were the days!

My parents didn't come with the children though. It was a drop off program 8:30-12:00 and then pick up time. I was so stressed free doing that and so was my family. Every one here for the same amount of time every single day. Always made it to all my childrens functions during and after school. I was already registered so I still received the food program with that also.

I'm not going to say I made a ton of money at it but that wasn't my goal. My goal was still to be able to stay home and have a ton of fun with my job! We have several in home preschools in the area and they are always full and always full of great parents and parents that always pay on time. Rarely will you hear a provider say they have any troubles with the parents that come just for preschool.

We may have as many preschoolers as we want without an assistant as long as we do not go over 3 1/2 or 4 hours. So if you want 10 or 15 or however many it is strictly legal. You don't have to be liscensed or registered even. All you have to do is let the state know what you are doing and they send a certificate stating you are an in home-preschool.

Like I said it was alot of fun and very enjoyable.

[kendallina]

I run a preschool out of my home. I run a MW and a TTH program for 3-5 year olds. I also run a Friday program for anyone that wants 3 days or anyone that wants just one day. I run from 9am-noon and charge $15/day per child.

I usually have 4 children plus my own daughter, so for 3 hours a day I make $60. Of course, there is a LOT of planning, cleaning, organizing, shopping to do. We follow a (flexible) routine everyday that includes free play, small-group, outside, circle, storytime, snack, etc.

I absolutely LOVE it! I am my own boss, get to do the curriculum how I believe is best and the best part is that everyone is gone by noon and my daughter and I have the rest of the day to ourselves!

I don't include parents as a part of the day, although they know they are welcome to come and join in whenever they would like or sometimes when we have a parent with a special talent, they share that with us. We also do family outings (like field trips, but parents have to come) and have a Winter sing along for the families.

[KatieNK]

I can't see there being much money in this but I can see how much it would stink to have preschoolers with their parents under my roof for 40 minutes a day.

I'm not sure what that means.... But to answer your other question, yes I have a Masters of Education and am certified. I don't have a daycare license because that is not what I was looking to do. I just want to do something part-time that will bring in some "fun money" so I can afford to do some fun things with the kids and also for their socialization!

But after reading Kendalinna and Country Kids responses, I am starting to reconsider! Both of your preschools sound so fun! Was it hard to find parents who were just interested in part-time preschool programs and not full time daycare? I actually wanted to do just that before but I chickened out because I was worried I wouldn't find any business. I guess starting out the way I want to would be a good way to get my name out there...

[kendallina]

But after reading Kendalinna and Country Kids responses, I am starting to reconsider! Both of your preschools sound so fun! Was it hard to find parents who were just interested in part-time preschool programs and not full time daycare? I actually wanted to do just that before but I chickened out because I was worried I wouldn't find any business. I guess starting out the way I want to would be a good way to get my name out there...

Having your Masters in Education is a huge advantage. I advertise on my flyers and website that I have a Masters degree and that's a big selling point. Have you worked as a preschool teacher before?

I started my preschool because I was in a playgroup with mostly stay at home moms and wanted to start doing childcare (needed the money). Some of the moms were talking about maybe wanting child care for a few hours per week, so I got to thinking...

Thusfar I haven't had to advertise (I have flyers, but haven't had to post them anywhere yet). Many of my current parents are from the playgroup that I was in and everyone else has heard about me through word of mouth. Almost all of my clients are stay-at-home moms or dads. Some of them have a baby now too, which is a good selling point for them that they get to spend a few hours a week with their babies while their older one is with me and their friends.

When I got started I checked out the preschools in my area and it definitely helps me that there are only 2 options in my community and neither option has a great reputation with parents. I charge slightly more than the competition, but as I see it, I offer a lot more. There is another place that is opening up this year that will probably be a pretty high quality, but I'm full for the fall, so I'm okay so far.

Hope that helps...good luck!! Let me know if you have any other questions.

[sharlan]

A few of my kids went to a preschool that was ran out of a home. She was a licensed provider, but actually did the preschool program. She had a M-W-F for 4 yos and a T-Th program for 3 yos. She had 2 classes a day 8:30 - 11:30 and 12 - 3. I didn't care for her personally, but the kids really did learn and she was always full.

She made enough to start buying fixer up houses and turn them around for a profit. She managed to liquidate before the housing crash and bought several more that she was able to turn around quickly.

Last I heard, she retired and moved.

[rjskids]

I have a friend nearby who does this. She loves it! She has a basement that you can walk right in from outside that is her preschool classroom. She does an 8:30-11:30 class then a 12:30-3:30 class. You can choose two different programs, either the MWF program or T/Th program. I know her morning class is almost always full (8 kids), not sure if her afternoon class is. If I remember right we paid $70 a month for the T/TH class (or it was $100 for the 3-day week). If you do the math and are fortunate to have both morning and afternoon classes full that's pretty good money for this area. Then in the summer she does all day school agers.

[KatieNK]

Wow, thank you so much for all of your replies! It has been so helpful to read this!!! To respond to a few things, I would love to have a walk-out basement!! But I don't have a basement at all. I was thinking of turning my dining room into a preschool area but I am not sure. I also have a living room which is right now just a playroom for the kids but it is so big I was afraid the kids wouldn't be as focused as if I had them in a more closed off area, what do you think? Also, it is the first room you see when you walk in. If my preschool got big enough, I am sure I would have to "expand" into the bigger living room. I am not sure.

No I have never taught preschool but I taught K and pre-k. And I have probably an entire year's worth of curriculum for preschool that I have gathered and created for my own kids when they are old enough (its kind of like a hobby, I just can't wait to start teaching them!!!)

All of the different kinds of programs have been so interesting to read about. Makes me really wonder what I will do. I really don't know what I CAN do right now anyway since I have my own littles (3u2). My youngest, 8 months now, is sooooo easy, sometimes I forget I even have her! But my twins, now 22 months old, are alllllll over the place. However, they may fall into the routine.

[nannyde]

I'm not sure what that means.... But to answer your other question, yes I have a Masters of Education and am certified. I don't have a daycare license because that is not what I was looking to do. I just want to do something part-time that will bring in some "fun money" so I can afford to do some fun things with the kids and also for their socialization!

But after reading Kendalinna and Country Kids responses, I am starting to reconsider! Both of your preschools sound so fun! Was it hard to find parents who were just interested in part-time preschool programs and not full time daycare? I actually wanted to do just that before but I chickened out because I was worried I wouldn't find any business. I guess starting out the way I want to would be a good way to get my name out there...

If you have the parents onsite you are going to have to deal with the behavior the kids have with their parents. You will also have to deal with the parents behavior with each other. That could get tricky the older the kid gets.

I think you need to decide if it would be more like a Mommy and Me class or a preschool. If it's preschool you would need to do more than forty minutes.

The first thing you would need to find out is if you need to be licensed or registered as a child care provider and follow the regulations on capacity based on that. You would also have to figure out if your chlldren would count in the numbers if you will have them onsite when you do this.

Having a Masters should really set you apart from the rest. Your children and their young ages will most likely be your biggest hurdle if you are going to have more than two kids.

If you already have the materials and you can meet the regulations with little expense then it would be worth a shot. I say go for it.

[boysx5]

my oldest son went to a women's home who taught preschool and I loved it she had a good business going

[CityGarden]

bumping this old thread....

Does anyone offer part-time preschool only? If so how many hours is your preschool program?