The Preschool Search on Mother Popper

You are reading an archived post.
To visit the home page click here.

The Preschool Search

Feb
9

I tried very, very hard to not get caught up in the preschool mayhem that happens this time of year. And I'm happy to say that I succeeded. Okay, okay. I came close to panicking one time.

Living in a metropolitan area is great, in my opinion, because of the diversity. But sometimes that also means there are just too many choices. Preschool is a great example. We've got Montessori, Waldorf, and Reggio Emilia schools. Our rec centers all have preschools, as do most churches. And then there are the daycare/preschools that have curricula with registered trademarks!

Jason and I thought seriously about our educational theories and decided that we prefer less structure and more exploration. Elliot will learn her ABCs and 123s, I have no doubt. What I want to nurture is her imagination, her love for learning and her ability to interact with other kids.

In other words, we went the hippie route.

We chose a cooperative preschool, which means the parents are closely involved in the program. One of us will assist the one full-time teacher in class about once every six weeks. We also have jobs such as writing the newsletter, providing snacks, doing laundry, etc., etc. Having parents closely involved has many benefits, including keeping the monthly tuition costs quite low. But it also creates a close-knit community that nurtures the small group of preschoolers as they have their first educational experiences.

I honestly didn't do a lot of looking.* The preschool we chose was obviously a perfect fit for Elliot when we visited the class last month. She dove right into the art project that the kids were doing and inserted herself in the play area, too. Plus, it comes highly recommended by a respected friend/colleague.

*This is why I nearly panicked earlier this week when I realized 1) I had put all my eggs in one basket and 2) I didn't like anything else that I saw. Then, we got word that they're holding a spot for us this Fall. Crisis averted.

Give this Post a Thumbs Up!