Not all preschools are created equal. It is important to learn a few essential things about a preschool before you trust it with your child’s first years of schooling. Every preschool should be clean and safe, and should provide a positive learning environment. However, there is much more to a school than nice facilities and happy teachers. When choosing a preschool for your child, ask the following questions at each of the preschools you visit. You might be surprised by what you find out.

Curriculum (What are students taught?)

• Your child’s preschool years are the most important in his/her life for brain development. Does the school have a curriculum that includes specific training that provides fundamental perceptions and concepts?
• What is the curriculum for each program and each student age group?
• What is the schedule of daily activities? How much time is spent on each subject (singing, dancing, reading preparation, playing, number concepts, etc.)?

Teaching Method (How are students taught?)

• What view of education does the school take—that the child should be free to wander about the classroom and discover (children choose all activities and “go at their own pace”), or that teachers should guide students through a structured curriculum with a daily learning plan?
• Does the school adhere to the National Association for the Education of the Young Child (NAEYC)? If so, ask how that impacts the school’s educational methods. Some educators believe that it is wrong to teach children academic subjects (reading, numbers, science) until they are at least seven years of age. Does the school’s teaching philosophy fit into your philosophy and desires for your child?
• How is art taught? Is there a particular time for art, or does it simply happen whenever a student wants to play at the art table?

Thinking Skills

• What does the school do specifically to teach thinking skills (sequencing, patterning, categorizing, prioritizing, etc.)?

Self-Reliance

• How does the school intend to teach the children to be self-reliant? A good way to determine this is to ask about how they teach art—is the child guided, but allowed to do his own work, or does the teacher make sure each child has a well-done picture to take home?

Student Progress

• What are the daily, monthly, and annual goals for educating students? Ask to see how the school manages the accomplishment of these goals.
• How does the school track each student’s progress? What programs are in place if a student seems to need extra help?
• How do parents know how their children are doing compared to a standard?