As you explore the options for preschool, it is important to understand your child; their personality, learning style, and their interests. This can help guide you as you seek out the best academic fit for your preschooler. As you investigate the programs near you, here is a list of helpful questions to help focus your search and find the best fit.
General Questions To Ask When Exploring Types Of Preschool Programs
Parents have a wide variety of preschool programs to choose from: traditional, academic, faith-based, play-centred, nature-focused, Waldorf, Montessori… the list goes on. Here are some general questions to ask to narrow down the type of program that will best suit your child:
What is the philosophy of education? What are the beliefs the program holds about how children learn and what tools and techniques do they use to teach?
What curriculum is followed? Does this program follow a standard provincial educational curriculum or does it have a specialized curriculum?
What are the qualifications of your educators? Some preschool program instructors hold a one-year certification, whereas some specialized preschool program educators will hold more advanced certifications.
What is your student profile? You may choose a program with a similarly focused student group, or you may prefer a diverse learning environment based on your goals for your child’s preschool experience.
What are your class sizes and your teacher-student ratio? Some preschoolers will require more personalized attention and some preschoolers will thrive in larger groups with more autonomy.
Is Montessori Best For Your Preschooler?
If you have determined that your child will thrive in an child-led, immersive curriculum with a focus on independence, responsibility, and exploration, Montessori may be the right choice. Some of the key principles of the Montessori Method are:
- Preparing the environment to suit individual children’s needs.
- Providing materials and presentations appropriate to a child’s sensitive periods.
- Using hands-on learning materials.
- Incorporating movement in all activities.
- Individualized learning which allows children to work at their own pace.
- Encouraging children to correct their mistakes independently.
- Diligently observing children to determine when they are fully ready to learn a new skill.
If you have chosen Montessori as the best program preschooler, here are some questions to ask as you choose a school:
What ages do you accept? Most Montessori classrooms will have multi-age classrooms so younger children can learn from older, and the older children can develop leadership skills. Ask the school what their classroom demographics are.
What is your school calendar and your daily schedule? Some programs will follow a typical city school board calendar and some will offer year-round programming. Some Montessori daily schedules will have morning and afternoon programming options and may offer sessions 2-5 days per week.
How can parents be involved? Does this Montessori program have opportunities for parents to participate in the classroom, on field trips, or with enhanced learning opportunities?
How do you assess and report the progress of the students? Does your program update parents with reports? Offer opportunities to view a student’s work? Are there parent- teacher interviews?
A Great Preschool Experience at Grey Matter Montessori
Arming yourself with the right questions as you begin to explore the educational options for your child can help you gather all the information you need to make the most informed and best choice for a preschool program.
If the progresive learning style of Montessori preschool is the best choice to ignite your child’s passion for learning, Grey Matter Montessori offers IPC (International Preschool Curriculum) programming to ensure that your child can thrive in the Montessori environment and be totally prepared to continue their education prepared with 6 key areas of learning:
- Language Arts
- Numeracy
- Creative Arts
- Socio-Emotional Skills
- Sciences
- Motor Skills
The skilled and experienced educators at Grey Matter Montessori are committed to providing an elevated preschool environment in NW Calgary by focusing on individualized and comprehensive learning at our Evanston Campus off of Symons Valley Parkway. To enroll for the 2021-2022 school year or to learn more about the Montessori Method, call us at 587-707-4739 or contact us online.
FAQs
Q: When do you accept registration?
A: Grey Matter Montessori has ongoing registration and even offers advanced registrations (up to two years). Contact our office for more information on the upcoming school year and register as early as possible to ensure availability for your desired days and times.
Q: What times and days of the week does the program run?
A: We find that at this young age, 3 hours is the perfect amount of time for our students to maximize learning. Your child can attend either a morning class (8:30am-11:30am) or the afternoon class (12:30pm-3:30 pm). We also recommend the 5 days per week program as our students benefit the most from the routine of coming to school every day. However, if this option doesn’t work for your schedule, we offer 2 days or 3 days per week as well.
Q: Where are you located?
A: Grey Matter Montessori is located in NW Calgary, Alberta in the community of Evanston. Close to many amenities, we are easily accessed via Symons Valley Parkway NW.
