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Pre-School and Daycare
doctorwhofan82
member
Pre-school Options
doctorwhofan82
member
DS will be three next week. Our daycare center, which he has attended since he was nine months old, has gone through recent changes (i.e., they've lost their best teachers and replaced with mediocrity). I understand fully that daycare centers tend to have a lot of turnover, but with this latest round, the twos and threes rooms lost good teachers and the new ones are just lost. Structure went straight out the window and they seem to lack some common sense. DS has stopped discussing what he learned that day, which was a big change that happened really quick, and instead focuses on who hit whom and things of that nature.
DH and I were already discussing what we want to do for DS vis-a-vis preschool/daycare options. He's a bright boy, and very, very good with language. He gets bored in his daycare classrooms quite quickly with each level he moves, and he therefore acts out. He needs some discipline, structure, and boundaries, but he needs to be able to stay challenged through the year. DH and I debated looking into another daycare center, or switching gears and checking out a Montessori school. We did a tour of the latter today and were impressed, but I was wondering if anyone has any personal anecdotes they could share about either Montessori experiences or daycare structure in threes rooms.
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Re: Pre-school Options
My DS goes to a regular center, not Montessori, but I have worked in some Montessori places before.
Fred did a nice job summing up the benefits of the program. It really depends on your kid. They need to be more independent and self driven type of kid. But the program itself is wonderful and has a lot of benefits.
If you didn't want to do Montessori, you could always check into your local community schools. Most public schools have an early childhood center with preschool starting at 3 and many offer half day and full day options.
Good luck on your search!
A kiss he will never forget- Disney World 2014
What did the daycare provide as far as a schedule goes for your LO?
Was there structured schedules, like 900-930 Circle Time, 930-1000 Arts & Crafts, etc.?
If your child acts out when bored where does it come from? Is it due to lack of movement and/or sitting for long periods of time? Or is he one to thrive where there are rules & boundaries?
DS needs boundaries & structure, therefore Montessori wasn't the best fit for him...as Montessori is, there is less structure for the children, and more independent learning.
Through research, I've also seen a traditional preschool which has a playground,etc. however the schedule of activities was 4 hours of paperwork - no room for free play/social skills, just pen and paper.
You have to really consider your childs needs & behavior. DS still needs a low ratio classroom setting where there is free play, but structure at the same time. We will be signing him up this week for a low ratio preschool structured school, which is only 3 hours a day 2 days a week.
Montessori schools vary WIDELY. DD is at one for a few more months that is crazy with structure, to the point that my generally well-behaved (though strong-willed) kid is a problem child there because she doesn't do well with their very rigid structure. (Like - all kids MUST dance during the dancing part of the afternoon - there is no standing at the edge and observing.) The learning part of the morning is more free-form for the kids to pursue what interests them, but the other 5 hours of the day are very strict. I only wish the school was more Montessori with their whole approach. I don't think this particular school is representative of most, but wanted to throw it out to say that what you read online might not necessarily be run the same as the school you're looking at in particular.
Montessori is generally good for allowing kids to progress in the areas they excel, keeping them engaged and progressing to new skills. Plus, the mixed-age classroom set-up doesn't involve actually moving classrooms to do something new. In those ways, it sounds like the approach might work very well for your son.