How to find the right fit
for your family
When it comes to choosing a preschool, there are so many things to consider, it can be overwhelming.
Which curriculum is best suited for your child? What can you afford? How many hours a day do you need? How many kids should be in a class? Is it clean?
Does your child even need to go to preschool yet?
Those are some of the many questions parents face when they embark upon this search. And the answers will be different for every family.
What ever your needs, Boca Raton has a full range of options - from private schools that will educate your kids from age 4 all the way through high school graduation; to small, nurturing classes at neighborhood churches and temples; to play-based alternatives like Waldorf; and montessori schools.
The ABCs of Curriculum
Many early childhood education experts believe a play-based approach is best for raising lifelong learners. (Read about how some Harvard administrators complain that students are missing social skills).
B'Nai Torah Congregation Mommy & Me Director Karen Deerwester says, "The deepest, most powerful brain development happens when children are playing. Flash cards and 'quick learn' programs offer only short-term results with early advantages disappearing by 8 years of age."
Some educators also believe the pressure for children to learn to read in preschool is unwarranted. Any early gains may even out by third grade, when kids who started reading later have generally caught up.
At Sea Star Initiative, which is Waldorf-based, kids learn by doing - planting a garden, knitting, playing instruments.
The YMCA's new preschool uses the Reggio Emilia curriculum, a self-guided approach that emphasizes respect, responsibility, and community.
You can offer all this hands-on learning at home, too.
"A good early childhood program cherishes childhood and each child living it," Deerwester says. "And so do active parents, thoughtful grandparents and vital neighborhoods. A child will not necessarily miss something irreplaceable if they do not get into the right school as early as possible."
Consider your needs
The decision of how early to enroll a child in preschool (before age 2? 3?) is often more about the family's needs - maybe mom needs to get back to
work. Maybe there is no extended family in South Florida to help.
Do you need full-time child care? Or a half-day program? Many schools have a menu of options.
Cost
How much you can afford to pay will help you narrow your choices.
Prices range widely. To start at one of the private prep schools, expect to pay about $18,000 for a year of prekindergarten. Some part-time faith-based programs charge only a few hundred dollars a month.
Head Start
The nonprofit Florence Fuller Child Development Centers offer the only Head Start and Early Head Start programs in Boca, with east and west locations. Visit their website or call 561-391-7274, ext. 111, to schedule a tour.
The right school
When you find it, you'll know.
"The best preschool experience is an extension of your home and your neighborhood," says Deerwester, a regular contributor to 3-Minute Guru. "Good preschools are places where children can be children with people who eagerly welcome each child's unique gifts. They are places where children are safe - physically, emotionally, and socially.
"They are places where children learn to consider the needs of others and think of others as friends and partners."
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Save money with VPK
If you have a child who is already attending preschool or one that is
scheduled to start later this year, the free Voluntary Prekindergarten
Education Program could save you thousands of dollars.
The
state-sponsored program aims to prepare 4-year-olds for kindergarten by
helping them develop vital learning and social skills.
If your child was born between Sept. 2, 2006, and Sept. 1, 2008, you
can enroll this year at one of a wide selection of public and private
programs in the area. Registration started Feb. 1 for the summer and
fall sessions.
There are two programs offered annually, and your child can only
attend one. The school-year program begins in August and includes 540
hours of instructional time. The summer program offers 300 instructional
hours and can start as early as May 1.
Get the details on how to register and find a list of providers in the BocaParent blog.
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Early education philosophies
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Many
local preschools work some of these concepts into their more
traditional curriculum; others focus on implementing the full
philosophy. Here are some terms you may come across in your search:
Waldorf: A 100-year-old approach to learning by doing, emphasizing the importance of play and a connection to nature.
Montessori: The idea that children learn best when moving at their own pace and given their choice of activities.
Reggio Emilia: A self-guided approach that emphasizes respect, responsibility, and community through exploration and discovery.
The Karen Slattery Educational Research Center at Florida Atlantic University has some good curriculum information online.
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SPONSORS
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Boca Raton Area Preschools
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Grandview Preparatory School
Redefining 'Preparatory' with innovative learning experiences and focus on character. Now enrolling toddlers - 12th grade.
561-416-9737
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Miss Fran's Early Learning Center
Preschool & VPK program for 3-, 4- & 5-year-olds, dedicated to developing highly skilled, confident
children, prepared for success in kindergarten.
561-338-7649
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Remember play? We do.
Seedlings is a parent co-operative program for children ages 2.5 to 6 which focuses on the development of the whole child. SunflowerCreativeArts.org
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