Another great way to help you choose the perfect preschool for your toddler
is to talk to the director about the school’s philosophy and learning methods.
Most preschools emphasize learning by doing, a concept based on the writings of
John Dewey, and other preschools practice Montessori teachings, where a child’s
individuality is encouraged. You should schedule a time to talk with the
preschool’s director about which learning methods are used often in the
preschool, and decide which of these learning styles will work best with your
child’s personality. Ask about how much your child will be learning ‘on his
own’ during the course of the day, how much time is allotted for play with
other children, and whether or not your toddler’s social and emotional
development will be just as much of a priority as his academic learning.
You may not be able to get a feel for all this over the phone, so schedule a
meeting with a few schools, to see first hand how a typical day in the preschool
is spent. You may even get a few reactions from parents who are picking their
children up or dropping them off; this is an accurate way to determine whether
or not your child will be happy there, since parents really don’t have anything
to lose by being honest with you. Your visit will also allow you to see how
clean the preschool is, how new or safe the toys or playground equipment are,
and how meals are served during the day. After you schedule a time to speak
with the administrator or your child’s potential teacher, ask if you can
actually observe a class for about twenty minutes or so, so that you can see
exactly how the class is run, how attentive the children are, and which
teaching styles the instructor uses.