Any FDA WOW Discovery Preschool Program parents here?

[Anonymous]

I guess it's true that they are not teachers, but we came from somewhere where it was totally different. The teachers in oour previous school loved and cared for the children in ways I just don't see at WOW, at least not yet. They genuinely seemed committed to the well-being of all the children and I trusted them with my child implicity. I guess that's why my point of view is the way it is-because that is what we are used to and frankly, that is what I want for DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC seems happy there and likes the school-asked when it was time to go back. That makes us happy. DC's particular teachers seem okay, but I've observed other teachers who don't really seem to want to be there. It almost seems as if they are bothered by the kids and aren't really invested in them or their well-being at all-in the classroom attached to DC's room I see the teachers talking to each other but not really talking to the kids. I have not been there 24/7 though, so I cannot speak to what the teachers are like over the course of the day. I also observed other teachers from different rooms. It's hard to put into words, but they don't feel like teachers to me. I don't feel like they really care about the children, I don't see them as being part of a team of sorts-where if I was working on something with DC they would also work on it to reinforce it. I guess it seems like they are just there to do a job and have no real committment to the work they are doing. I'm also not sure how strong the curriculum really is after observing circle time in DC's classroom. Like I said, DC seems to be quite happy, but it's about 99.9% certain that DC will be going back to our previous school.

Also, on a few things the story has changed. At first we were told no outside food was allowed in unless a child has allergies and apparently now parents can provide food for children who don't have allergies. I found out that this was now possible from a colleague, but it has not been communicated from the administration to the parents, or, at least if it has, we have not recieved notification of this change in practice. Also, there was a black folder referred to here last week and we still have not received ours. So communication seems like it could be improved.

They aren't teachers, they are daycare providers. All you have to do is readjust your thinking and remember that most of the people working in daycare settings in DC do not have an education and have very interest in what they are doing. Treat the daycare for what it is, a place that should care for, feed, and keep your child safe for up to 10 hours a day. Nothing more nothing less.

Not a Discovery Preschool parent, but following this thread. My experience with daycare teachers is exactly this. Not to take this thread Off-topic but this is the difference between preschool and daycare and why I am doing a preschool with aftercare when my child is 2 rather than staying with daycare and its "preschool component". I tell myself that daycare is a place now that he is used to and likes, knows the routine and will be safe and fed. Really sad, actually. I am counting the months until we leave for preschool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Except that this is an NAEYC accredited preschool... The teachers have the education (bachelor's in early childhood , etc) and it was displayed as such. As was the curriculum. Parents are not paying just for "care" ie. make sure my kid is alive, but they are paying for the early childhood education element as well.
So yes, you should expect more.

Agree with all of this, especially the bolded part. This program was "sold" as so much more than it (so far) has turned out to be. Not all of the teachers have a bachelor's in early childhood education and I don't think the education element is really there. I also don't think it's unrealistic to expect that they would have hired people who actually WANT to be there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC seems happy there and likes the school-asked when it was time to go back. That makes us happy. DC's particular teachers seem okay, but I've observed other teachers who don't really seem to want to be there. It almost seems as if they are bothered by the kids and aren't really invested in them or their well-being at all-in the classroom attached to DC's room I see the teachers talking to each other but not really talking to the kids. I have not been there 24/7 though, so I cannot speak to what the teachers are like over the course of the day. I also observed other teachers from different rooms. It's hard to put into words, but they don't feel like teachers to me. I don't feel like they really care about the children, I don't see them as being part of a team of sorts-where if I was working on something with DC they would also work on it to reinforce it. I guess it seems like they are just there to do a job and have no real committment to the work they are doing. I'm also not sure how strong the curriculum really is after observing circle time in DC's classroom. Like I said, DC seems to be quite happy, but it's about 99.9% certain that DC will be going back to our previous school.

Also, on a few things the story has changed. At first we were told no outside food was allowed in unless a child has allergies and apparently now parents can provide food for children who don't have allergies. I found out that this was now possible from a colleague, but it has not been communicated from the administration to the parents, or, at least if it has, we have not recieved notification of this change in practice. Also, there was a black folder referred to here last week and we still have not received ours. So communication seems like it could be improved.

They aren't teachers, they are daycare providers. All you have to do is readjust your thinking and remember that most of the people working in daycare settings in DC do not have an education and have very interest in what they are doing. Treat the daycare for what it is, a place that should care for, feed, and keep your child safe for up to 10 hours a day. Nothing more nothing less.

Not a Discovery Preschool parent, but following this thread. My experience with daycare teachers is exactly this. Not to take this thread Off-topic but this is the difference between preschool and daycare and why I am doing a preschool with aftercare when my child is 2 rather than staying with daycare and its "preschool component". I tell myself that daycare is a place now that he is used to and likes, knows the routine and will be safe and fed. Really sad, actually. I am counting the months until we leave for preschool.

Maybe this is my problem. We came from a preschool that happened to take infants and offered before and after care, whereas WOW really does seem like a daycare that adds an educational component. Unfortunately, WOW seemed to have been advertised as a preschool and not a daycare, but I am just not seeing that to be the case. I am also counting down until DC can go back to the old school.

[Anonymous]

Do you care to share the name of your previous preschool and for the infant/toddler parent, where are you considering sending your child too next? Discovery Preschool parent here.

[Anonymous]

^^^^^ Exactly.

Thanks for the updates. Hopefully you will be able to get your DC back to your previous provider.

[Anonymous]

I would share the name of the school, but I worry that it would identify myself and DC to the administration at WOW, which I'm just not comfortable with.

[Anonymous]

10:19 here. I will be heading to Franklin in DC which will be starting an aftercare program for 2s. Now I understand the threads re: "Full-time preschool options." Not very many (if you don't do nanny + preschool).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Except that this is an NAEYC accredited preschool... The teachers have the education (bachelor's in early childhood , etc) and it was displayed as such. As was the curriculum. Parents are not paying just for "care" ie. make sure my kid is alive, but they are paying for the early childhood education element as well.
So yes, you should expect more.

Agree with all of this, especially the bolded part. This program was "sold" as so much more than it (so far) has turned out to be. Not all of the teachers have a bachelor's in early childhood education and I don't think the education element is really there. I also don't think it's unrealistic to expect that they would have hired people who actually WANT to be there.

Very interesting. I was the OP of the thread, "Is a BA important for child care" and I was pretty much flamed...but this experience may prove the point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Except that this is an NAEYC accredited preschool... The teachers have the education (bachelor's in early childhood , etc) and it was displayed as such. As was the curriculum. Parents are not paying just for "care" ie. make sure my kid is alive, but they are paying for the early childhood education element as well.
So yes, you should expect more.

Agree with all of this, especially the bolded part. This program was "sold" as so much more than it (so far) has turned out to be. Not all of the teachers have a bachelor's in early childhood education and I don't think the education element is really there. I also don't think it's unrealistic to expect that they would have hired people who actually WANT to be there.

Very interesting. I was the OP of the thread, "Is a BA important for child care" and I was pretty much flamed...but this experience may prove the point.

Also, Bright Horizons is NAEYC accredited and I wouldn't send my kid to preschool there....

[Anonymous]

They seem to have changed the teaching team in one of the Discovery Preschool classes, and that was the best decision they could have made. The previous teacher left a lot to be desired, in my opinion. I was at my wits end knowing that I had to leave my child there before. The new teachers are very nice, friendly, and seem to love being with the kids. It's a relief, and their interactions with the kids seem akin to those at our child's previous daycare.

I posted early in this thread about my concerns, but I feel much more confident with this new teaching team that things will improve. There are some aides who help out in the afternoon who could be more child-friendly, but at least the new primary teachers seem great so far.

[Anonymous]

It's not each individual piece... is the sum of the parts. It's not just about the NAEYC or the education of the teachers or the facility or the curriculum... it was about all of it combined. Given everything it should have been a stellar program.
It is not.
We returned to our prior provider because while they are not NAEYC accredited, the kids are learning ALL the time and having fun doing so. The teachers are loving and kind with all of the children. The facilities are not "eco certified" but are adequate- but our child loves the teachers and other kids. And that's what matters to us now. We've seen where we don't want our child to be now, and we appreciate our provider SO much more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They seem to have changed the teaching team in one of the Discovery Preschool classes, and that was the best decision they could have made. The previous teacher left a lot to be desired, in my opinion. I was at my wits end knowing that I had to leave my child there before. The new teachers are very nice, friendly, and seem to love being with the kids. It's a relief, and their interactions with the kids seem akin to those at our child's previous daycare.

I posted early in this thread about my concerns, but I feel much more confident with this new teaching team that things will improve. There are some aides who help out in the afternoon who could be more child-friendly, but at least the new primary teachers seem great so far.

Do you know if that previous teacher is still with WOW in a different room, or if he/she has left WOW altogether? Also, do you know when they changed the teaching team? It is great that you feel so much better!

[Anonymous]

In which discovery room was there a switch? I know one of the teachers in the discovery room has a master's degree in early childhood education and the other has a AAS.

So, are there two people that are returning/returned to their previous school or just one person? Is the same person that wanted young and vibrant teachers?

[Anonymous]

Yes, if they simply reassigned the teacher that may make me feel better about the room short term but I'd still be looking to get out.