Preschool Singapore: 5 Helpful Questions to Ask your Childcare Provider

If you're searching for a good preschool, Singapore presents you with several options to choose from. However, having a myriad of options may not be convenient because of the possible selection dilemma. If you're searching for a good preschool near Admiralty, be sure to check First Steps Preschool here; https://ourfirststeps.com.sg/admiralty/. When choosing a childcare center, it is important that you base your preferences on aspects like;

• What you as a parent want from the school. Your preferences here should take care of what you expect the preschool to do in aiding in your child's development.
• How you understand your child based on the things they need not only as a learner but also as a person.

If you've determined these two aspects, you can use these questions to determine whether the preschool you've chosen is a good fit for your child.

      I.          How does your Daily Schedule look like?

In a preschool setting, a bigger percentage of the daily schedules are based on the children's needs. When asking this question, you will be seeking to find out the amount of time that is allotted to cater to child-directed activities. You may also need to determine the average amount of time that the learners must sit in a specific place. Ideally, a good program should allow a maximum of 20 minutes of sitting time for each session. Some of the factors that may influence a preschool's daily schedule include things like the ratios of adults to the children in a room. To avoid inconvenience, it is recommendable that a preschool with children between ages 3 and 5 have a ratio of 1:8 or less. You can determine this by inquiring about the adults to children ratios in the center.

    II.          Do you require Learners to be Potty Trained before enrolling them in the Center?

Each preschool has its preference on the level of maturity required for each children being enrolled in the facility. Potty training is one of the things that may influence your child's eligibility to join the child care. If the school requires the child to be potty trained you may need to spend a few weeks with the child to train him/her on the same. Either way, you may also inquire with the facility to see if they have provisions that can take care of that.

 III.          What is your Curricular Philosophy?

In determining the preschool's philosophy, your focus will be on determining if the philosophy translates to what you want for the child, and most importantly, something you feel comfortable with. Therefore, it is important that you ask the school to explain their curricular philosophy, what it means for them as a school, and, most importantly, how the philosophy looks in practice. According to research reports, curricular philosophies that encourage learner-directed work produce highly motivated learners to attain the embedded skills required for them to achieve set goals. The school should explain how their philosophies work so you can make an informed decision before enrolling the child.

 IV.          How do you Approach Guidance and Discipline?

Discipline is a major focus in childcare centers. Importantly, it would be better if you find a preschool in Singapore whose approach to guidance and discipline is practical and can produce responsible learners who don't find following instructions a challenge. You may need to look into things like what the institution expects of children, how they communicate that to the learners, and what happens when they do not cooperate in doing what the preschool expects of them. You may also need to check on the teachers' approach to conflicts among children in the facility. Do they embrace self-help skills, or they have a specified philosophy that takes care of such conflicts? They should also explain what happens in situations where the children could be struggling with one of them handles him/herself and what systems the children can use to seek help whenever there are conflicts or misunderstandings between them.

    V.          How do you typically communicate with Parents?

Constant communication with parents is key; if everything in the preschool in Singapore has to go on smoothly. Ideally, you may need to check and see if they prefer parent-teacher conferences, emails, calls, etc. Under communications, you should also understand what the childcare expects of the parents and also see if they also use the ''open-door'' policy. In this case, an open-door policy should also define the rules of engagement between the parents, caregivers in the facility, and the learners. For instance, the policy should clearly state whether the parents are allowed to make calls or get in the classrooms at any given time or there are limitations when it comes to calling or getting into the classrooms.

The Bottom Line

Finding the perfect Preschool in Singapore may not be a downhill task, but if you know what to look for, you should be able to find the best one for your child fast. We are open to answering any questions you may have about our system and policies etc. Call us or send an email to schedule a quick tour of our facility.