Early Education

Choosing a preschool can affect your child’s introduction to learning, their development and their interaction with kids their own age. Because the technical definition of preschool in the United States is a nursery school that is at least partially state funded, you can also look at nursery schools for a similar education for your child or children, without the state funding. Because not every school offers the same curriculum, teaching style or activities, it is important that you choose the right one for your child. The following information can help you with researching and choosing the best preschool in your area.

Early Education St. Louis

Location is an important consideration but not a deal breaker if you can get a better school that is slightly further away. An online search or a local city or neighborhood map can tell you all of the schools in your immediate location. Your best option is to mark down each school you are considering, and then research them. Checking local St. Louis school districts and policies on whether or not you can attend schools outside of your district is also important. Things to consider include travel time, potential morning traffic, whether you can easily make time to drive to and from the school on a daily basis, and the neighborhood.

What does the term Montessori school mean? If you have children, you may have heard the term “Montessori” when it comes to education. The term comes from the name Maria Montessori who created an educational approach based on her extensive research of children who had special needs. Although Montessori’s work began at the turn of the 20th century, it is embraced today by many educational institutions.

St. Louis Preschools

Rating and Reviews: Checking ratings and reviews on the web can help you with choosing a preschool that offers the best care and quality facilities. Because you can easily see what other people think about the preschool with a quick search, you don’t have to worry about not knowing what the school is like. A quick search can usually bring up the STL schools website and possibly social media as well, where you can read about policies, school information and potentially reviews and comments. Because all of this information can help you with creating an informed decision, it is definitely worth your time to look up.

Recommendations: If you know other parents with children who are the same age or older than yours, asking for recommendations is an easy way to get a good idea of which schools are worth considering. Most parents have a good idea of why they chose the school their children are attending as well, which means you can get advice, as well as opinions on the school from the parent.

Kindergarten Programs

Activities: A list of daily activities and options is important if you want to see what your child is spending days doing. While some preschools offer this information on their website, you can usually drop by to request a brochure or a tour without any hassle. This allows you to get a first hand look at what kids are doing, as well as a list of daily activities, lessons and offerings. If you want a tour, you should call in advance to arrange it, which allows you to see the facilities, children at play and how teachers and assistants interact with the students.

Teaching Methods: If you want your children to learn something specific or in a specific way, then choosing the right preschool is important. Options range from standard State based curriculum to Montessori or free choice education rooms, where kids can choose their own activities and lessons. One consideration is that different learning methods allow different types of freedom and person development, while others focus on teaching skills such as memorization and basic curriculum, which is immediately useful in kindergarten. Most preschools concentrate on allowing children to develop individualism and life skills such as interacting with others and verbally talking out arguments. Because social interaction is an important part of development for preschool children, a school that allows plenty of time for free play or learning in a social environment is a good idea.

Affiliations: Affiliations matter if you want your child to attend a specific type of Preschool. For example, you can find a St. Louis Catholic preschool or a Jewish one if you want an option with specific religion based curriculum or activities. At the preschool level, Christian schools involve some bible reading, and bible based toys, coloring books and information.  You can also look for a preschool that is completely unaffiliated if you want.

Choosing the right preschool is important because it affects a great deal of your child’s social and learning development. Because there are multiple options available in most areas, you can do your research to choose a preschool that best fits you and your child. Because learning methods vary, you can also choose the school based on their curriculum and what school you intend to send them to next.