Information About Choosing A Preschool Medford Oregon Parents Will Find Helpful

By Sally Delacruz


Choosing the right preschool for one's child is essential to his or her cognitive and social development so it's important that parents ensure the one they select provides a nurturing and enriching learning environment. The best way to evaluate what a school has to offer is to visit it in person. When it comes time to tour a preschool Medford Oregon families should be sure to look for the following key elements.

The school needs to be clean, free of bad smells, and floors and toys should not be too grubby or sticky. Mess is normal for small children, and should be expected as they are busy playing at various activities. The classroom should have child-accessible washrooms and cubbies for each child. Toys and learning materials and snacks also need to be easy for the children to access on their own. There should be a number of different organized play centers which each feature an activity such as reading, art, water play, building etc.

Independent and group play are the main vehicles through which young children learn. A healthy preschool environment consists of a classroom abuzz with the action of children playing and interacting together, and participating in "circle time" with their teachers to hear stories or sing songs. The emphasis should be on free play as opposed to structure.

A teacher who is trained to work with preschool children, between three and five years old, needs to be able to effectively relate to them and know how to resolve any concerns or inevitable disagreements they may have with their classmates. The focus is on building strengths and providing assistance with any obstacles the child may face, while treating each as a unique individual.

It is also important that these teachers use the right body language when working with young children, so the students will feel comfortable approaching them and so they view the teacher as someone who cares and is there to always support and encourage them. This involves positioning one's body at the same level as the child's, by kneeling or crouching if necessary, and establishing eye contact during communications.

There should be plenty of the children's artwork displayed throughout the classroom. This shows that creativity is valued in the class and gives the little ones a sense of pride and accomplishment when they can see their creations on display. Children need the freedom to do their own thing artistically at this age and a good school will emphasize this.

The classroom materials need to stimulate creativity and exploration should be varied, in fairly good shape, and suitable for use by children of this age. Imagination can be used in simulated real-life play centers such as a kitchen, doctor's office etc., and through dressing up in various types of clothes and uniforms. Other items such as books, blocks, dolls, cars, and supplies for arts and crafts should also be available.

The teachers should also watch each child closely to get a general sense of his or her progress, and to recognize any potential areas of difficulty the child may encounter. Parents should be made aware of any delays early on, so the issue can be addressed in preschool before the child starts kindergarten.




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