Any FDA WOW Discovery Preschool Program parents here?

[Anonymous]

I posted before about my child being scared of the former Discovery Preschool teacher. I also explained that I didn't know why DC was scared of the teacher. I never found her to be unkind, mean, or rough with the kids. She was just not a kid-person, if that makes sense. Didn't smile, was rather stern in how she spoke with the kids, etc. I certainly don't think that such an attitude is a fireable offense! Perhaps she'd do better with older kids. Some people are just not cut out for caring for certain age groups.

My child is doing much, much better with the new teaching team. DC is happier, is having fun at school, and is more relaxed when I drop them off, as am I.

I investigated the NAEYC accreditation requirements when my child was at their previous daycare. Their website doesn't really have that information, so if interested, I'd suggest calling NAEYC yourselves. From what I recall, not all teachers have to have a degree in early childhood education in order to acquire the accreditation. At least 70% of the teachers have to have at least a Bachelor's in early childhood education, a CDA, or should be working towards some such certification (if I recall correctly). If these requirements are not met, NAEYC can take into account experience in childcare and some other factors. This is from memory, from info I acquired over a year ago, so I would definitely call NAEYC if interested.

My main concern at the time was if all teachers needed to have a degree for accreditation, and the answer is no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I posted before about my child being scared of the former Discovery Preschool teacher. I also explained that I didn't know why DC was scared of the teacher. I never found her to be unkind, mean, or rough with the kids. She was just not a kid-person, if that makes sense. Didn't smile, was rather stern in how she spoke with the kids, etc. I certainly don't think that such an attitude is a fireable offense! Perhaps she'd do better with older kids. Some people are just not cut out for caring for certain age groups.

My child is doing much, much better with the new teaching team. DC is happier, is having fun at school, and is more relaxed when I drop them off, as am I.

I investigated the NAEYC accreditation requirements when my child was at their previous daycare. Their website doesn't really have that information, so if interested, I'd suggest calling NAEYC yourselves. From what I recall, not all teachers have to have a degree in early childhood education in order to acquire the accreditation. At least 70% of the teachers have to have at least a Bachelor's in early childhood education, a CDA, or should be working towards some such certification (if I recall correctly). If these requirements are not met, NAEYC can take into account experience in childcare and some other factors. This is from memory, from info I acquired over a year ago, so I would definitely call NAEYC if interested.

My main concern at the time was if all teachers needed to have a degree for accreditation, and the answer is no.

can you clarify if you are the same parent who wrote this earlier in the week:

Claire is the one who I could not stand and who my DC was scared of. DC just did not like her, and when I mentioned on the way to school that we were going to see her, DC would say, "No, no, no - no Miss Claire." Hardly reassuring. I have several anecdotes about her that made me nervous about her even before the center opened, but I'll save you all the angst. I am just glad that she has moved on from that class.


The post from earlier this week led me to think, based on the bolded statements above, that it was more than just a case of the teacher being someone who is not kid-friendly. Perhaps it's two different parents commenting on the same teacher.

[Anonymous]

To the PP, yes, I'm the same parent. I suppose you want to know the anecdotes? Well, they had nothing to do with child safety and everything to do with her attitude towards the job, so I won't go into it. I just think that she's better suited for older children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the PP, yes, I'm the same parent. I suppose you want to know the anecdotes? Well, they had nothing to do with child safety and everything to do with her attitude towards the job, so I won't go into it. I just think that she's better suited for older children.

That helps-thanks. It does sound like she went to a younger classroom and with another child on the way, that is something I need to keep in mind.

[Anonymous]

What problems merit replacing a staff member is a good topic for discussion. While I hate the idea of firing someone, I think that maintaining staff with attitude issues will result in a subpar center. Short of outright safety concerns, aren't the attitudes of the staff what make a center what it is?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What problems merit replacing a staff member is a good topic for discussion. While I hate the idea of firing someone, I think that maintaining staff with attitude issues will result in a subpar center. Short of outright safety concerns, aren't the attitudes of the staff what make a center what it is?

Agree 100%

[Anonymous]

Wow, judging someone's attitude is so subjective. Thread lightly on this subject, please. I would think that as a employer, CCLC should know not to fire someone on attitude alone.

Having the ability to communicate well to parents and center staff, is essential to this job--NOT attitude.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, judging someone's attitude is so subjective. Thread lightly on this subject, please. I would think that as a employer, CCLC should know not to fire someone on attitude alone.

Having the ability to communicate well to parents and center staff, is essential to this job--NOT attitude.

I would add "relating well to children in the classroom" to this list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, judging someone's attitude is so subjective. Thread lightly on this subject, please. I would think that as a employer, CCLC should know not to fire someone on attitude alone.

Having the ability to communicate well to parents and center staff, is essential to this job--NOT attitude.

There is a fine line, however, having someone in the childcare setting who is not kid-friendly does not make sense to me and I think a bad attitude in such a setting is not good for anyone-not the children, not parents and not the administration at the center, as I think it will lead to negative reviews.

[Anonymous]

I am the parent who left. When I directed all of my concerns with the administration I was informed by the Director, Alice, that "Miss Claire" had been with CCLC for a long time previous to joining at WOW and wouldn't be leaving. Now as for us- we did not have any specific problems with her (that have come up as of yet)- it was a matter of conversation about teachers within the preschool classrooms. But I did think to myself that if this teacher had been with CCLC for so long, then why were there so many issues within this classroom in particular.

[Anonymous]

Anyone can post a negative anonymous review on this forum. Even though this is an anonymous forum, I am sure we don't want to turn this forum, nor any other, into a "witch hunt." There are some things that I have read that on this thread that I would take with more than a grain of salt.

Since this is a new center, I expect that they will have to move people around a bit. I am just hoping that CCLC did not let the executive director go because of their failure to offer the support IN THE BEGINNING to get this center off of the ground. Knee-jerk reactions by management speaks to poor corporate policy and management. DC is a tough market as far as child care in concerned, they should have known this. Maybe each classroom needed an employee that was experienced with the curriculum to partner with the new employees, for the first few months. I know the ED came from another center but myabe the lead teachers in each classroom should have come from other experienced centers too--for the first few months away. I just hate to scapegoat people that have no say so in corporate policy.

The employees that I have encountered are loving and do care for the kids. My kid is there and I AM willing to work with WOW to make sure that it EXACTLY what was stated on their website and when I toured the center.

[Anonymous]

PP, I do agree with you on one point. I think that support for the ED and CD was lacking from the start. Not sure why, since this is a brand new center. The place is full of CCLC people right now, which is great. That said, I do think that a closer look at the situation in the classrooms could have been taken by the ED, and she would have found out that things were not going well in at least one of the classes. CCLC has a reputation, so I don't think they are willing to play around with this stuff. Hence, the ED's departure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone can post a negative anonymous review on this forum. Even though this is an anonymous forum, I am sure we don't want to turn this forum, nor any other, into a "witch hunt." There are some things that I have read that on this thread that I would take with more than a grain of salt.

Since this is a new center, I expect that they will have to move people around a bit. I am just hoping that CCLC did not let the executive director go because of their failure to offer the support IN THE BEGINNING to get this center off of the ground. Knee-jerk reactions by management speaks to poor corporate policy and management. DC is a tough market as far as child care in concerned, they should have known this. Maybe each classroom needed an employee that was experienced with the curriculum to partner with the new employees, for the first few months. I know the ED came from another center but myabe the lead teachers in each classroom should have come from other experienced centers too--for the first few months away. I just hate to scapegoat people that have no say so in corporate policy.

The employees that I have encountered are loving and do care for the kids. My kid is there and I AM willing to work with WOW to make sure that it EXACTLY what was stated on their website and when I toured the center.

Thank you, PP. It is no small feat to get a new center up and running well, and I think the current parents deserve a lot of credit. I know the staff are working very hard as well.

[Anonymous]

That's why the thread was about one particular age range and not the whole center.

[Anonymous]

My child is in the Muhlberry classroom and has had the teacher who was negatively mentioned in earlier posts. I have to say that in my experience she's been great. My child has difficulty adjusting to new environments from time to time and from what I am aware of, this teacher has done a tremendous amount to help her adjust. How do I know this? Other teachers have mentioned to me that my child visited their classroom led by her teacher (walking around and seeing other kids helps my daughter adjust to new environments and helps her change her focus from us leaving). Dropping off and picking up my child, I also observe how all the other kids are adjusting in this classroom when their parents are not around. Every time I come, the kids are playing, walking around, holding books, etc. No one is crying in a corner or appears to be distraught. I think that this is how kids generally are. They cry when their parents leave them and are excited when we pick them up but are fine during the times in between. This was confirmed when I had to come back to the center after forgetting something in the car. I was surprised to find my daughter laughing and being led around the classroom by her teacher when less than 5 minutes before, she was crying hysterically because I had to leave her. I hope this post gives other parents some peace of mind and a more balanced view of the center and of the teacher mentioned previously. It seems like in general, we mostly hear about issues and complaints but not enough about the positive experiences or from people who are quite satisfied. I have been very satisfied with my experience so far and I know of several other parents who feel the same.