Top Ten Preschools?
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Anonymous
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I'm surprised that The River School was on this list. I've never heard of any child being rejected from that school. It has basement classrooms and it's exmissions are HORRIBLE.
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Anonymous
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I think 23:18 is right on target. I am professional working with children and I have doctoral and masters level degrees. I am certainly not a McCain supporter and have high expectations for my children. However, I do strongly believe in a play based approach to early education. My child will be going to a play based preschool.
What's going on at home and parental expectations are much more important than schooling. Ask your pediatrician where their kids go/went to preschool. You may be quite surprised. |
Anonymous
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I am always amazed at these innocent posts from persons seeking help - that turn into ridiculous, mean spirited, sarcastic posts.
To the OP - the benefit of anonymous boards is that you get to see the pros and cons of your new surroundings. The "name" of the school is very important to many - many of whom are passionate about it. There will be some kids in your childs class that you will wonder how they got so mean so early ...think back to this post - their parents are here. OP - there are many discussions on this topic in the archives. Attend as many open houses as you can and research in the archives. Good luck in your search - it is a challenging decision....and welcome to the area. |
Anonymous
Thanks for this post. This actually gives me some information about Little Folks that is useful, and gives me a new perspective. I did get the sense from the open house that admission is not very selective -- in fact, I think Gay said that most of the people who apply will get in. I agree that an open house is not the sole source of information on selecting a preschool, but at this point in the process, that is really all I can go by in this process, unless I want to rely on people who randomly toss off "top ten" schools based on nothing more than their own insecurities and rumors.... Thanks. |
Anonymous
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NAEYC accreditation is a good benchmark for the quality of a school. I started with that, did some tours, got a better idea of what I was looking for in a school, and then picked one on my gut feeling on what would be best for my child. Sadly we were waitlisted, but ten got in the very last minute... we have been very pleased with the selection and I cannot imagine her anywhere else.
The school is neither Little Folks or St Johns (which are elite, but not accredited) - I am just not the Georgetown type. |
Anonymous
| The open house is not the only thing to go by. Talk to the parents!!! Network with your neighbors, friends, non-anonymous DCUM posts - whatever it takes, but meet those moms and dads who send their kids to the schools. It's absolutely the best way to learn more. |
Anonymous
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23:18. Sorry if I sounded so rude. I really didn't mean to come across as bitingly as I did, but I got on the thread and thought, holy smokes! I mean, there is some serious discussion, but I do not hear much about the child or their needs. I hear an undercurrent of snobbery and society, and that is okay. I mean, if are going after that, then go for it, right? It sounds like parents are picking the schools for themselves rather than for your child...it freaks me out a little. These schools are full of imperfect people and like the PP mentioned, talk to people you trust, you know.
And I love McCain/Caribou Barbie. What will SNL do after they are gone? Where will the funny go in this country without Palin shitting the bed every week? |
Anonymous
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thank goodness you pointed that out to us. 'We guys' really appreciate it. Good luck with your low-threshold rules for life. ...hey, weren't you at the McCain rally last week? Offensive. 23:18 makes an excellent point. As an early childhood educator in one of the schools mentioned in this forum, it is refreshing to find a parent who understands the essence of Early Childhood Education: social/emotional development. |
nava_edelen
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Since you are open to non-Montessori programs, I encourage you to look for a Reggio-Emilia based program. This is quite well known in Europe and taking root in the U.S. more frequently. Recently, Google adopted this method for their own inhouse school. I operate a new daycare/pre-k program in Chevy Chase called Chevy Chase Reggio (www.chevychasereggio.com) and would be happy to fill you in more about this approach which is tailored almost entirely for children six years and younger.
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Anonymous
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I am 23:18 here, and thanks to everyone defending me against those super-harsh McCain attacks! I am so deeply offended by that...but seriously, I have been compared to worse, so I will take it.
We are awash in this area with wonderful schools, great teachers, bright parents, lovely facilities. It is truly an embarrassment of riches. I have friends in parts of this country who would give their eye teeth for the half of the choices we have. But this idea of top schools is all bunk. I will admit there are schools that are not so hot, but largely, they all do a nice job. Kids with ADD, maybe not so much with Montessori. Kids with shyness can THRIVE in montessori. Some kids learn to read early. Some don't. I am certainly not worried about it. A bigger predictor of how well your kid will do it life is how genuinely you pay attention to them. These schools are only as good as the effort paid from your end...and that remains true for the next 14 years. Yes, the kid should be taking more responsibility as they older, but YOUR involvement is what makes a kid great, not the school or the curriculum or the philosophy or any of it. It is like the peanuts teacher if you are not emotionally connected to your kid. So GUYS, let's chill, support one another's decisions, and do the best we can! Now, where is my Joe the Plumber shirt. |
Anonymous
| As mellow parents who wanted a warm atmosphere that encourages our child's curiosity and creativity, we were delighted to find Little Folks--and somewhat surprised to learn, later, that it was considered a "feeder" school. I feel sad to hear it called a "glorified playgroup" only because we think the teachers are so hardworking, thoughtful and caring--clearly their work is informed by a deep knowledge of child development, but it is not perhaps obviously so. In any event, let's accept the idea that every school is not the "best" for everyone! |
Anonymous
As an awestruck River School parent, I can say this is a patent lie and I don't understand the rationale for anyone wanting to spread such a vicious rumor. Their exmissions is phenomenal (I think that all 10 kids from their last 3 grade class got their first pick), I know with certainty that due to space constraints (though it's larger than many of the preschools in the area) they are not able to offer admission to a lot of applicants, and as for the classrooms... yes, maybe the facilities aren't the best in the world but they make up for that in teacher creativity and excitement, educational level, commitment to curriculum and teacher-student ratios. A small percentage of the classrooms are in "the basement" but they are so bright and beautifully decorated you'd never know. And as far as this "play based" vs. "educational" discussion, I don't think some people really understand the words that are being thrown around- the key is learning THROUGH play. At River School, it might feel to the kids like they are just playing (that's what my son tells me), but it's all a well-crafted lesson plan designed to teach certain specific things. I can't believe these teachers come up with all these different creative ideas every day. It amazes me. I don't know where it falls in terms of "eliteness" in DC, but I can't imagine a better program... ever. What they are doing is so unique it's getting national attention and I feel lucky every day to be a part of it. |
Anonymous
I'm new to the area and looking for a preschool -- what source did you use to search for NAEYC accredited schools? |
Anonymous
www.naeyc.org |
Anonymous
| Oh my goodness. I thought this would be a great post to read and it turned out to be a mud-slinging match of parents who take negative opinions about their choice of preschools personally. By all means, be free to disagree with those negative opinions of your preschool choice, but don't get angry at the poster for expressing her negative opinion. I come to this forum to learn about different opinions through which I will ultimately form my own. Why the need to get irritated if someone doesn't like the school you chose? Don't they have a right to dislike certain schools? |