How much feedback/info do you get?

kpips20

The only way I ever get updates on DS from his pre-school is if I ask the teacher at pick-up. They send out a monthly sheet outlining what they'll cover each day so I have a vague idea about topics but that's it. I don't care about what songs they sing or anything but I'd like to know what they had for snack and maybe if he had any issues during the day. Most of the parents just pick up and go, and I feel like a pest when I ask the teacher how his day went. But I feel like I wouldn't get any info otherwise.

Some friends say they get weekly update sheets and have 2x a year meeting with their teachers and other say they only hear from the teacher if there's an issue. Just trying to see if this is typical.

virginiamorse

We get a monthly newletter.  Parent teacher conferences are in November.  That's really it.  I don't even see her teacher everyday b/c drop off and pick up are at the car.  My DD is very talkative and tells me everything that goes on.  My DS was at the same preschool the last 2 years and it was pulling teeth to get any info from him.

Court0026

Nothing unless I ask!  The hardest part of the transition for me!  DS tells me stuff, but as he thinks of it.  I, too, do not want to be that PITA pesky parent.  Especially because they know I am a teacher and taught pre-k.  The only "in" I have is that I check in about snack and stuff because of his food allergies.  Otherwise, in and out.  I am trying so hard to remember what I was like when I was on the other side of the situation. 

sapphirebride06

Generally nothing unless I ask - but his teacher this year is awesome and we love her (we liked his others in previous years but this one is phenomenal).  I know a lot of parents just pick up and go but I like to ask about his day, how he did, etc.  And DS occassionally has constipation issues and his teacher knows so she will update me on that if necessary and just give a general outline of his day in a chatty way - not officially, just as I gather his things, check his cubby, etc. 

We do parent/teacher meetings once per year in May - usually right before they transition to the next class.  If there are any issues, they will schedule personal meetings as necessary but the May meeting generally covers topics and any areas in which your child could use additional help but generally they are able to work with them enough that it is something they can overcome easily. 

They have a weekly calendar posted for what events, etc. they are doing - songs, books, what topics they cover in Spanish, etc. and they have a monthly snack posting for the morning and afternoon snack so that's always visible although parents don't get an individual copy. 

jlw2505

For my younger DD who is at a daycare preschool, we get a daily sheet but it honestly doesn't tell me what - what was served for meals and a general "She ate well" or "was not hungry".  It lists when she napped and that is about it.  They list some generic infor on the day and anything we need to know for the next day.  I always make it a point to ask her teachers how her day went.  With my older DD who is in PreK, we do not get a daily sheet or anything but I also make it a point to ask her teacher at pick up how her day went.  I don't need a long, full blown detail - I am just looking for "she had a great day" or "she had a rough day" with a bit of detail.  At both places, they have a white board near the door where they list the highlights of the day which really helps in getting my kids to talk about the day as I have something solid I can mention to get them talking.

kmhunt11

Court0026:

Nothing unless I ask!  The hardest part of the transition for me!  DS tells me stuff, but as he thinks of it.  I, too, do not want to be that PITA pesky parent.  Especially because they know I am a teacher and taught pre-k.  The only "in" I have is that I check in about snack and stuff because of his food allergies.  Otherwise, in and out.  I am trying so hard to remember what I was like when I was on the other side of the situation. 

 

Yes!  Exactly!  I'm surprised at these responses- I thought I was the only one in the dark!  I want so badly to know what she did, how she got along, whether she ate snack and lunch, etc, but I guess she's getting older and I won't always know those things.  And it's ok.  I really am struggling with this though.  

Her teacher is the first grown-up to not rave about how wonderful my kid is, and I'm a little put out.  I know I shouldn't be, but I'm having trouble letting go of the perfect baby and embracing my little human being who has very specific (and lately glaring) flaws.  Will this get easier soon? 

n&bcarlson

Well, I just got a weekly update sheet today, which is a photocopied sheet with what they've been working on, any special events, etc.  It is not child specific.  Daily, if there's an issue they would call or send a note home in her folder.  We will be getting a phone call around the third week to let us know specifically how our child is doing, and written progress reports home every 8 weeks or so after that.  By age 3, I know my daughter is talkative enough that I just ask her what they did and what she had for snack and she tells me, and art work and other classwork gets sent home daily so I can ask her to tell me about that, too.  Otherwise I figure I need to get used to not knowing every little detail.

kada626

We get a weekly letter that tells us important dates and what they are generally doing in the classroom that week. The teacher also posts a sheet up every week outside her classroom of what exactly they will be doing each day. It tells us which books she will be reading, what snacks they will eat, what crafts they will be doing, what will be introduced & discuss, songs, etc.

When we pick her up the main teacher comes out and talks to all the parents about how class went. She'll even tell us some of the cute things the kids say which is nice. Personally, they have told me how my dd is doing & adjusting without me asking too.    

 

 

 

taparham

I get a daily sheet that tell what they are studying this month and tells what they ate and how long they slept at nap time.  It also tells what they worked on that day and what DD enjoyed. 

C.squared

We get a weekly calendar with the "lesson plans" for the following week.  Each day, they post a "What happened today" sheet by the kids cubbies.  That includes the skills they worked on, what theme (if any) they were focused on, if they went outside, if they had any special classes (music, soccer, etc.), and what was served for lunch.  If I want to know anything specific about my kid, I do usually have to ask (or she's not shy about telling me!) 

rsd12

We have been to two different preschools.  The first one I sent my oldest to is privately run by a church & I love it. We get nothing written, but if there are any issues they let us know after class, plus you can talk to them at any time.  I will be sending my youngest there next year & hoping my middle son will be going there too...

My middle son is going to our public school preschool for speech issues & he is sent home daily a info sheet on what they did that day. Plus the teachers circle a different face expressions for good, okay, & a bad day.   He has never gotten anything but a smiley face (which basically means that he is well behaved). But when I have gone to pick him up the teachers will talk to me too.  Plus I almost forgot they write in his book - such as he had a great talking day today about their pizza activity.  This is huge for my very shy non talker ; )

Spin313

DS's preschool has a curriculm night and two parent teacher conferences during the school year, but no weekly/monthly notes. The kids bring home drawings/crafts and it's a Spanish Immersion school so they have pictures and weekly "vocabulary" words outside the classroom.

lite-bright

In our fourth week now, things are really picking up as far as communication.

We got our first classroom newsletter last week. They also started posting the weekly line-up of what the kids are doing on the parent board in the room. We're going to start receiving play plans soon -- the kids fill those out with the teachers' help and review them each day, so we won't get this week's until tomorrow or the first day of class next week. At that point, I'll have a written record of what DD1 does each day.  

Other than that, I just ask her teachers. It's worth it to take a few minutes at the end of class and ask, and I do it about every other day. 

 We don't have our first PT conference until October, and I wouldn't know day-to-day classroom details if I wasn't asking for them. DD1 has an IEP and is working with in-class therapists (it is not a special needs classroom) -- so on top of the three teachers, I also try to check in with the speech therapist and occupational therapist to see how things are going.

I just got my first note from her OT on what exercises they're doing together, but I already knew since I'd talked to her about it.