Outside of the formal educational philosophies, knowing the difference between other common early childhood terms will help you make informed decisions regarding your child's education. Below is a list of some common terms used to describe preschool settings. It should be noted that these terms may be used alone or in combination with one another (i.e. a "child-centered, faith-based" setting).
Child-centered
This term is often used to describe settings that take the children's interests into consideration when planning activities. For example: in a child-centered setting, the classroom activities are based on the interests of the students, not on pre-scheduled topics chosen by the teacher. These settings often offer increased opportunities for children to choose activities throughout the day depending on their interests.
Teacher-led
The opposite of a child-centered setting is a teacher-led setting. Teacher-led often means that curriculum and supplemental activities are implemented based on a set schedule developed by the teachers in the setting. This type of setting usually provides children with a structured learning environment.
Child-led
These settings believe children learn best when they are engaged and interested in learning. Child-led settings wait for each child to initiate or ask for new activities and experiences, fostering individualized learning experiences rather than group experiences.
Faith-based
This term is used to describe preschool programs that are run through faith organizations such as churches or synagogues, according to their faith's philosophies.
Co-operative
These settings often ask parents and families to assist in the running of the preschool. Parents and family members may build community by signing up to volunteer during the week, or by assisting in the day-to-day management of the preschool as well as helping with advertising, upkeep and fundraising.
Developmentally Appropriate
This term means the preschool plans the curriculum and activities based on activities that are appropriate for the age of the children in the class.
Pre-kindergarten (pre-K)
Sometimes this term is used interchangeably with preschool. In general, a pre-K program is one that has children enrolled in the year before kindergarten, usually at age four. These settings are often more structured than traditional preschool settings.
Step Three: The Research
Once you have narrowed down the general area you are interested in researching and have a good idea of what type of philosophy would best suit your child, here are a few things you can do to help narrow down your options:
Reach out to other parents: Ask your friends, your neighbors, your pediatrician, your older child's teacher - ask people you trust for recommendations for quality settings in your area. Be mindful to note the name of the setting and what struck this person as important to mention (low student teacher ratio, close to home, child is excited to arrive, etc.). And, the best question to ask is, "What advice do you wish you had received before choosing your child's preschool?" Most parents will be happy to offer their insight and advice.
Go to the internet: You might be surprised to learn that your community has an active preschool networking community, a great place to tap into useful advice and resources. Or, you can use the internet to search the names of settings to find out if they have any "red flags" like numerous complaints from parents, health or safety violations, or other noteworthy issues. The Child Care Aware Web site makes it easy to search for preschools by zip code. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Web site allows users to research preschools in their area that have NAEYC accreditation.
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