Underwhelmed by Early Childhood Education Programs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Centers aren't a bad concept. If the activity in each center is age-appropriate, child-centered, and thoughtful then who I'd rather my kid rotate through centers than sit at a round table completing worksheets.

And obviously urban schools are more limited space-wise; don't expect a Waldorf or farm-type experience out of DCPS.

Actually, Walker Jones has a farm. And honey bees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look a AppleTree, it's exactly what you describe and hands down the best early childhood education in the city (if not the country).

My friend's kid goes to apple tree and she's looking forward to leaving. they had a fire drill and left my friend's kid behind in the classroom. It was terrible

That is terrible, but in now way reflects our experience of two years at AppleTree. I have no idea how that could possibly happen, but I can tell you that their educational model is superb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Centers aren't a bad concept. If the activity in each center is age-appropriate, child-centered, and thoughtful then who I'd rather my kid rotate through centers than sit at a round table completing worksheets.

And obviously urban schools are more limited space-wise; don't expect a Waldorf or farm-type experience out of DCPS.

Actually, Walker Jones has a farm. And honey bees.

Seaton has a very nice little garden -- all grades get a chance to work in it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Centers aren't a bad concept. If the activity in each center is age-appropriate, child-centered, and thoughtful then who I'd rather my kid rotate through centers than sit at a round table completing worksheets.

And obviously urban schools are more limited space-wise; don't expect a Waldorf or farm-type experience out of DCPS.

Actually, Walker Jones has a farm. And honey bees.

Seaton has a very nice little garden -- all grades get a chance to work in it.

Creative Minds is going to have a garden at their new location.

[Anonymous]

I think Hearst has a garden. And the school formerly known as Janney has one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
OP here. These responses are super helpful. I think the difference is that when I was looking at schools last year, I was primarily looking at schools that were preschool only, or primarily preschool so they did a really good job explaining their early childhood programs. At the open houses I've been attending, school officials have been primarily selling their elementary programs.

Early childhood learning is so different because many kids do not have expansive language abilities and the socio-emotional aspects of learning are crucial. I'm not really looking for something super structured and academic, quite the opposite. I'm looking for a program that really caters to the whole child and uses different techniques: sensory, dramatic play, outside time to develop the building blocks of learning.

Really I guess what I want is our private preschool with a better commute, lower cost and more socio-economic diversity. Probably not going to happen.

Maybe school within a school?

OP, you really need to get over it. It sounds like you're spouting what your private preschool is telling you they offer. If it's so great, then suck it up and pay another year. If you can't afford it, then stop trying to compare other programs to what you think you have.

One thing you have not mentioned in your detailed criteria is the value of Inclusion programs that bring children with varying needs together with experts and additional resources that benefit all children. Private preschools are often fine for typically developing children. But that means the educators don't get a lot of experience in exploring how children learn beyond what's expected.

Try to keep an open mind and rest-assured that your child will likely turn out perfectly fine because of your involvement, regardless of where they are the next two years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think Hearst has a garden. And the school formerly known as Janney has one.

OSSE reports 90 DCPS/DCPCS schools have formal garden education programs.