3 Important Questions You Must Ask A Preschool Before And After Enrollment

Finding the right preschool in Singapore that matches your child’s needs can be overwhelming, but it’s just as exciting.

As a parent, you want your child to have a high-quality early childhood education for them to have a solid foundation. 

Preschool is where children learn how to socialize with their peers, build independence and self-confidence, enhance their language skills, and do other things they won’t know at home.

The meaningful experiences they will encounter will hugely influence their cognitive, behavioral, and social development.

That might sound like a lot of pressure, especially for new parents.

You might be asking yourself:

• How do we know if we’re making the right choice?
• How do we know that the playgroup our child is in is nurturing our child’s development?
• What can I do to help me choose a suitable playgroup? We’re here to help you out.
  
  

What To Ask A Teacher or A School Principal When You Are A Parent Looking for A Playgroup

When you are in the process of selecting a preschool/playgroup, it’s good to have a list of questions ready to make sure you don’t miss anything.

If you feel unsure about what to ask, here are three fundamental questions to get you started.

 

1. What is their educational philosophy?

When looking for a preschool, always ask the principal about the school’s learning design and delivery.

A preschool’s educational philosophy is the foundation of what and how your child will learn.

It will help you determine if their program is a good fit for your child. For an added tip, try to look for discovery-based programs.

It is a good idea to know the preschool curriculum.

• Are they a play-based preschool?
• Does the program have opportunities for your child to make choices?
• Does the program include sports, math, science, or phonics lessons?
  
  

2. What happens on a typical day?

You need to get an insight into how a typical day goes.

• Do the children have nap time?
• How would the teacher respond to toddler dilemmas?
• How is discipline handled?
  
  

You can get a lot of information by asking this question, and you can use this to jump off to more specific questions about what your child will experience.

Plus, it is an excellent way of getting to know your child’s teacher.

This way, you can gauge how caring and dedicated they are in your child’s development.

3. Are there opportunities for active play?

Since your child is still growing, you need to ask the teacher about active play.

Active play influences a child’s physical development.

Your child will need opportunities to develop their fine and gross motor skills.

Indoor or outdoor activities that use their motor skills will help them develop the physical abilities necessary for kindergarten.

What to ask your child’s playgroup teacher right now

Once you and your child have settled in a playgroup, you will want to know how your child is doing.

As a parent, you want to get a picture of your child’s performance and how you can work together with their teacher to support your child’s development.

Make the most out of your conversation with these questions.

 

1. What are my child’s strengths? Weaknesses?

If there is anyone who will know the answer to this best, it will be your child’s teacher.

While you will have a good grasp of your child’s capabilities, there are still things that you won’t necessarily observe at home.

This way, you will find out where your child is excelling and which areas they need more support in.

You can work with the teacher to better give your child support for their weak areas.

2. How is my child doing socially?

Developing social skills are part of a quality preschool curriculum.

• Ask how your child behaves and interacts with their classmates and teachers.
• Do they get along with other kids?
• How do they interact with adults?
  
  

Their social interactions and behaviors can give you information about your child’s personality.

 

3. How can we help?

First and foremost, the home is where your child will learn most things for the first time.

There are things you can do at home that will help your child’s learning!

Find out how you can help.

It can be as simple as playing educational games, reading stories, and the like.

Conclusion

All in all, parents and teachers are a team that supports a child’s development.

Asking the right questions will give you the information you need before making a decision.

At the end of the day, It is up to you to decide which playgroup best suits your child.

If you found this article helpful, share this with other parents to help them out too!

They might be looking for this information as well.