Advice from a Pre-School Teacher: 10 questions to ask before you enroll
Depending on your particular situation day care is a savior, a necessity and/or something dreadful.
It can be a scary thing, leaving the most precious thing in your whole life with a complete stranger.
Well one of our very own Peg and Lion Moms is a pre-school teacher! And she can help!
Kris Rosales, or Mrs. Kris as here student call her, has been a pre-school teacher for 5 years and has experience with kids of all ages from newborn up to toddlers up to 5 years of age.
We asked her for her help. She has great gems of advice on this very subject!
But we use a my Mom (or another relative)
What’s great is Mrs. Kris tips and advice can be adapted if you leave your kids with family.
For example, she one of the questions she recommends asking a prospective school is “What’s your policy about going outside?”
Obviously, you wouldn’t ask your Mom about her policy about anything. But maybe you can lay some “suggestions/ recommendations” about going outside. Maybe you can bring sunscreen or remind them they don’t have a jacket so probably best to stay inside.
For relatives tone and how you ask is so important because they are doing you the favor.
But here’s what Mrs. Kris has to say….
In her own words, Mrs. Kris’s thoughts on enrolling your kids
Over the years I’ve noticed many parents dreading the idea of leaving their child in a childcare facility.
It’s a subject matter that one is never ready for.
Well, my name is Mrs. Kris and I’ve been a preschool teacher for years now. And I’m here to tell you not to worry because I have created just the list for you!
In my article I hope to give you, and your child, some guidance to a smooth transition to preschool.
10 questions to ask your preschool before you enroll
1. What is your “teacher turnover” rate?
2. What are your ratios?
3. What’s your policy about going outside?
4. Do yall take pictures of the children? what do you do with those photos?
5. Policies about picking up late
6. Policies on having someone else pick up
7. How much trainings do you mandate your teachers to take?
8. Schedule for that specific class
9. Disciple policy
10. Menu policy
1. What is your “teacher turnover” rate?
This is a very important question to ask centers as it could tell you how well they treat their
staff into wanting to remain there for years. If a childcare center has a HIGH turnover rate
then that could potentially show the staff are NOT happy there. Whereas if the turnover
rate is LOW then that shows teachers are HAPPY working there.
2. What are your ratios?
The term “ratio” is used to describe how many students can be left per 1 teacher. This Law
comes from Texas Child Care Licensing. It is best to have 2-3 teachers per room. If a school
only has 1 teacher per room then that can be seen as a red flag.
3. What’s your policy about going outside?
Living in Texas, our temperatures can be as high as 103 degrees as it was recently this past
summer. You want to know what the policies are when it’s that hot. Are the children
allowed to be taken outside? How long? Does the teacher make sure they bring their water
bottle outside?
4. Do yall take pictures of the children? what do you do with those photos?
Some centers have iPads and these iPads are often used to send home daily sheets or
photos via email. Its best to find out that centers policy on photos. I once worked for a
center where it was encouraged to take pictures of the children playing together and smiling
and send it to each parent of each child in that photo. Whereas another center I worked for
only allowed us to take pictures of the children individually and it only be sent to that one
family.
5. Policies about picking up late
Sometimes parents can hit traffic after work that can cause a late pickup, its best to find out
what that centers policy is. I’ve worked for a center that charged 1$ per minute you were
late; only did so after three times of being late.
6. Policies on having someone else pick up
Its always embarrassing to have a grandparent pickup and having to ID them because parent
didn’t add them to the pickup list nor warn the child’s center of the pickup change. Most
centers have to call the parent first before anyone new picks up for the day (if they don’t,
that can be a red flag) I highly recommend you ask about this policy beforehand.
7. How much training do you mandate your teachers take?
In the state of Texas, it is mandatory that each childcare provider must have at least 24
hours of childcare related trainings every year along with CPR and first aid certifications.
8. Schedule for that specific class
Once you find out which classroom your child will be placed into, I recommend asking that
specific teacher for a copy of their classroom schedule. Sometimes the daily schedule varies
from the basic schedule they advertise. Each classroom is different and you will be glad you
know this schedule for when you’re planning to pick your child up early but don’t want to
interrupt a nap. The only classroom that cannot properly provide this is an infant classroom,
as each infant is on a different schedule.
9. Disciple policy
Children can be very testy which can get them into trouble. You want to find out how that
center handles troubled children. In the state of Texas, the children may only be sat out for
the same number of minutes as their age in years. (i.e. 3-year-old: 3 minutes, 2-year-old: 2
minutes, etc.)
10. Menu policy
Last but certainly not least if your child has a known allergy, you want to get a copy of the
school’s menu and work with the center on making sure your child’s food allergy is
accounted for. Some centers allow you to bring in substitutes whereas others require a
doctor’s note. You want to find this out by day 1 so you come prepared and your child is fed
properly.
Thank you so much Mrs. Kris for your tips. These are great! We have kids in day care and we think these are definitely something to think about!
There’ll be more pre-school/ day care tips from Mrs. Kris coming up!
But if you have any questions or comments on them please let us know.