How Do I Choose a Preschool for My Child in Danville, CA?

There are several factors to consider before you are able to choose a preschool for your little one. In Danville, CA, there are plenty of preschools to choose from so you can decide what is most important to you. Letting your child go off to school for the first time can be difficult , but if you are confident that the school is the right fit for your child and it also checks all of your boxes, you can feel good about where your child will spend their school days.

Decide what is valuable to you

Preschools can vary greatly in California because there are state funded or public preschools that follow a more traditional approach to education, while other preschools are private. Private preschools can take a totally different approach to education and can offer unique experiences for your child. The first step in searching for a preschool is to decide what aspects do you value most. A few things to consider are:

• Teaching method: Will your child appreciate more structure and designated blocks of time per subject or would you child benefit from hands-own learning through exploration
• Location: Do you need to have your child’s school close to your home or work
• Cost: If you have a tight budget, the cost of a preschool will certainly come into play with where your child will attend
• Days of operation: If there is a preschool you like, but they are not open on a day or afternoon when you need your child to be looked after, then this could be a deciding factor
• After school care: Similarly to when your child can attend, some preschools offer after school care for students who have parents that may work later on some days. For working parents, this can be a very beneficial option
• Class size: If you know your child will benefit from a smaller classroom setting, this may be an excellent question for a preschool administrator
• Parent involvement: If you want your child to attend a preschool where you can regularly volunteer and help with events, be sure to ask each preschool you are considering how you can be involved 

Observe a classroom

After narrowing your list of Danville preschools, call each school to ask if you can observe a class. Some teaching methods or activities may sound nice on paper, but you can better picture how your child will fit into the environment if you can observe the interactions between the teachers and students.

If you are unfamiliar with different teaching methods, like the Montessori philosophy, you can answer your own questions by seeing the method in action. Montessori teachers do not stand at the front of the class while guiding students through scheduled lessons like a traditional preschool may do. Instead, Montessori teachers allow students to choose activities to participate in and are there to make sure students keep a tidy work space and to provide encouragement and support.

If you are in Danville, CA and are wanting to consider a Montessori preschool for your child, give Fountainhead Montessori School a call today.